Women in Biotech West London: a success story for all
Alina O'Keeffe, Associate Director Marketing and Communications at BIA, attended BIA's recent Women in Biotech event in West London. It had one central finding: a more engaged Women in Biotech scene will engender a more dynamic sector for everyone.
Only three of us around the boardroom table were women. It wasn’t unusual - but it should be.This powerful reflection, shared by Syncona’s Eliza Petras at the BIA’s Women in Biotech event in West London, set the tone for an evening that was part celebration, part challenge. Held in Imperial College London’s White City campus, the event brought together women from across the life sciences ecosystem.
The keynote speaker was Kate Bingham, Managing Partner at SV Health Investors, who formed part of an expert panel on "Leading the Charge for Change" alongside:
- Kate Bingham, Managing Partner, SV Health Investors
- Lucy Edwardes Jones, Investor, BGF
- Melisa Guven, Ph.D., Investment Manager, Monograph Capital
- Caroline Haegeman, COO & Investor, Athernal Bio / Delin Ventures
- Tej Panesar, Partner, Prism Ventures
The evening opened with remarks from Kath McKay, Chief Scientific Officer at Bruntwood SciTech, one of the UK’s leading developers of science and technology infrastructure. Kath highlighted Bruntwood’s commitment to supporting over 1,000 life sciences and deep tech businesses through access to space and capital.
Crucially, she communicated the company’s newest ambition: expanding into London through a £200 million partnership with Imperial College to deliver the next phase of the White City innovation district. “It’s a space that will grow with London’s ambitions and with yours,” she said, an apt metaphor for a night focused on growth and representation.
Jane Wall, Managing Director at the BIA, followed with a reminder of why the network exists: to foster inclusive leadership and catalyse change. She said, “We’re here to make sure that talent, regardless of gender, is seen, supported, and elevated." She thanked both Bruntwood SciTech and Imperial for their ongoing partnership and support.
Jane also reflected on the challenges women face in moving from early-career roles into C-suite positions in UK biotech, as outlined in BIA's recent Women in biotech leadership: Representation at C-suite report.
The numbers paint a mixed picture: while there has been slow but steady growth in female C-suite representation, the pace is not keeping up with the growth of the sector itself. Particularly concerning was the 10-year trajectory, which suggested that progress is plateauing and could even regress if current patterns continue.
Through an extensive survey and interviews with female CEOs and C-suite leaders, BIA identified several recurring themes. Chief among them:
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External stakeholder bias
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Lack of access to investment networks
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The cumulative burden of navigating funding rounds without structural support
The BIA’s response? Concrete action. Through expanding its mentoring programme, which has already supported over 125 mentees, BIA is setting its sights on change.
This isn’t someone else’s responsibility.
That message was brought home forcefully by Eliza Petras, Partner at Syncona and co-founder of Invest in Equity. Speaking to a packed room, Eliza shared what inspired the platform’s creation: the persistent gender gap in venture capital.
“Only 24% of investment roles in European VC are held by women,” she said. “That’s not just a representation issue. That’s a missed opportunity for better decision-making, for stronger returns, and for patients who need innovation to reach them faster.”
These remarks sum up the key message of the event: a more engaged Women in Biotech scene will engender a more dynamic sector for everyone. Everyone will be a winner.
Join us for our next Women in Biotech event in Oxford on 1 October for a day focused on women's health.
