Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Chairman operating in the Biotechnology space. If you think a Chairman is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Peter Allen
Chairman of Oxford Nanopore Technologies
Peter Allen joined the board of Oxford Nanopore in 2011, bringing broad, senior experience in the life sciences industries. He currently serves as Non-Executive Chairman on the Boards of ProStrakan Group plc, Chroma Therapeutics Ltd and Proximagen Neuroscience plc. Previously, Peter was Chief Financial Officer of the electronics company Abacus Group plc from April 2005 until the company was sold to Avnet Inc in January 2009. Prior to this he was Chief Financial Officer of Celltech Group plc between 1992 and 2004. In addition to managing Celltech’s flotation process in 1993, Peter played a key role in several strategic acquisitions, including Chiroscience Group plc, Medeva plc and Oxford Glycosciences plc. In 2003 Peter was also appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Celltech until the company was sold to UCB in 2004.
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About Oxford Nanopore Technologies: Oxford Nanopore Technologies develops nanopore-based electronic systems for analyzing single molecules, including DNA, RNA, and proteins.
David Dutton
Exec Chairman of Bio-Sep
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About Bio-Sep, PrimeLocation.com: Biorefinery technology to separate non-food waste lignocellulosic biomass into high-value biochemicals
Graham Richards
Chairman of Proteorex Therapeutics Inc.
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About : Expanding horizons to find cures
George Goldsmith
Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of COMPASS Pathways
George is a serial entrepreneur with significant experience in pharmaceutical regulation. George’s early training and experience was a multi-disciplinary blending of cognitive psychology, clinical psychology and computer science.His first company, The Human Interface Group, was a pioneer in collaborative software and acquired by Lotus Development. George led the Lotus Institute and developed software and services to support high-performance, distributed teamwork. George then created TomorrowLab, which provided strategic guidance to internet businesses in the late 1990s. At the same time, he became a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company’s leadership, and eventually joined McKinsey as CEO of TomorrowLab@McKinsey. Subsequently, as a member of the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO) and its International Board of Directors, George founded YPO Networks. In 2002, George founded Tapestry Networks, an organisation committed to improving leadership performance and governance effectiveness in regulated sectors. He still serves as Tapestry Networks’ Non-Executive Chairman. George also serves on the board of directors for AnaBios, a company redefining drug discovery. He and his wife, Ekaterina Malievskaia MD, live in London.
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About COMPASS Pathways: Compass Pathways is a mental health care company dedicated to accelerating patient access to evidence-based innovation in mental health.
Chas Taylor
Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of Respiratory Motion
Mr. Taylor has over 30 years of experience in the medical technology industry. Recently he was the CEO of Veryan Medical, a Co-founder and Director of Novate Medical, and a Director of BrightWater Medical. All three of these companies were acquired in the last three years. Previously, Mr. Taylor was the Co-founder of MedNova, which was acquired by Abbott Laboratories. Prior to founding and leading these companies, he had a long career with Bard Cardiovascular and General Surgical products where he had roles of increasing responsibility in general management and international sales and marketing.
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About : Respiratory Motion ExSpiron is FDA and CE Mark cleared and non-invasively measures minute ventilation, the fundamental unit of breathing.
David Tuch
Founder & Executive Chairman of Lightpoint Medical
David Tuch is the Founder and CEO of Lightpoint Medical. He has more than a decade of experience in the medical imaging and pharmaceutical sectors. Previously, he was Head of Research Alliances at GE Healthcare and Head of Clinical Imaging at Novartis. Before joining industry, Dr. Tuch served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiology. He is currently an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Imperial College, Department of Bioengineering. Dr. Tuch holds a PhD from MIT and Harvard Medical School, a BA from the University of Chicago, and has completed executive education at INSEAD.
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About Lightpoint Medical, Lucida Medical: Lightpoint Medical, a medical device company, develops intra-operative imaging technology that can detect cancer during surgery.
Douglas Dundonald
Chairman of Tharos
Douglas is a founder and director of UK-based technology commercialisation group Scientific Venture Partners Ltd which has built a portfolio of high potential technology-based companies arising from leading research institutions. He has been involved in technology companies both as an investor and director for the last 20 years. He is also a former executive main board member of Anglo Pacific Group plc. When an active member of the House of Lords, he held a position on the council of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee. He is the honorary consul for Chile in Scotland.
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About Scientific Venture Partners: Improving equine health and performance through optimised digestion
Vivek Murthy
Co-founder/Chairman of Sabri Thabit Saleh Ahmed
Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy was confirmed on December 15, 2014, as the 19th United States Surgeon General. As “America’s Doctor,” Dr. Murthy is responsible for communicating the best available scientific information to the public regarding ways to improve personal and public health. He also oversees the operations of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, comprised of approximately 6,700 uniformed health officers who serve in nearly 800 locations around the world to promote, protect, and advance the health and safety of our nation and our world. Dr. Murthy has devoted himself to improving public health through the lens of service, clinical care, research, education and entrepreneurship. The son of immigrants from India, Dr. Murthy discovered a love for the art of healing early in his childhood while spending time in his father’s medical clinic in Miami, Florida. After attending Miami Palmetto Senior High School, he received his Bachelor’s degree from Harvard and his M.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Yale. He completed his residency training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he later joined the faculty as an internal medicine physician and instructor. As a clinician-educator, Dr. Murthy has cared for thousands of patients and trained hundreds of residents and medical students. He regards caring for patients as the greatest privilege of his life. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Murthy has two decades of experience and perspective improving health in communities around the world. He co-founded VISIONS, an HIV/AIDS education program in India and the United States, which he led for eight years. As its president, he established ten chapters with hundreds of volunteers in both countries and grew the organization’s education programs to reach more than 45,000 youth. Dr. Murthy also co-founded the Swasthya project (“health and wellbeing” in Sanskrit), a community health partnership in rural India, to train women to be health providers and educators. During his five-year tenure with the organization, he established seed funding and helped expand research and direct care programs that reached tens of thousands of rural residents. As a research scientist, Dr. Murthy has conducted laboratory research on vaccine development and studied the participation of women and minorities in clinical trials. His research findings have been published in Science, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Murthy is also a healthcare entrepreneur and innovator. He co-founded and chaired a successful software technology company, TrialNetworks, which improves research collaboration and enhances the efficiency of clinical trials around the world. Over a period of seven years, Dr. Murthy and his team took the company from conception to an international enterprise that powers dozens of clinical trials for over 50,000 patients in more than 75 countries. Dr. Murthy also served as the president of Doctors for America, a non-profit organization comprised of more than 16,000 physicians and medical students in all 50 states who work with patients and policymakers to build a high quality, affordable healthcare system for all. As a proven leader who will employ 21st century approaches and technology to modernize the role of the Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy plans to focus his efforts on building partnerships within communities and across numerous sectors of society to address the epidemics of obesity and tobacco-related disease, to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, to improve vaccination rates and to make prevention and health promotion the backbone of a strong and healthy America. Dr. Murthy firmly believes that our nation’s greatest asset has always been its people. And improving the health of the American people – and our neighbors around the world – will be Dr. Murthy’s highest priority as the U.S. Surgeon General.
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About Sabri Thabit Saleh Ahmed, TrialNetworks: Ph.D. scholar in English
Anthony Colletta
Chairman of Fluidic Analytics
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About : Fluidic Analytics designs, develops and manufactures tools that seek to revolutionise the way proteins are characterised.
Paul Cowan
Founder , Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Quotient Biodiagnostics
Paul Cowan is our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board of Directors. Mr. Cowan founded us through the acquisition of Alba Bioscience in 2007. He has a broad range of healthcare industry experience gained through over 15 years of employment within industry and investment banking. Previously, Mr. Cowan served as the Chief Financial Officer of Inveresk Research Group, a global contract research organization that was acquired by Charles River Laboratories in 2004. Prior to joining Inveresk in 2001, Mr. Cowan was a senior executive within the Investment Banking department of Bear Stearns & Co., where he led the European biotechnology practice. Prior to Bear Stearns, Mr. Cowan was a senior executive within the Investment Banking department of Morgan Grenfell (acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1990). Mr. Cowan received a Bachelor of Business in accounting from Queensland University of Technology.
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About Quotient Biodiagnostics: Quotient Biodiagnostics develops and manufactures products for use in transfusion diagnostics.
Chris Hand
Chairman of Abingdon Health
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About Molecular Vision: Abingdon Health is an innovative technology-led company focused on providing rapid and near-patient medical diagnostic testing solutions.
Quentin Pankhurst
Chairman of MediSieve
Quentin is a world expert in magnetic nanoparticles, and an academic innovator with direct experience in the medical technology sector. In 2007, he founded Endomagnetics to commercialise a device for sentinel node detection in breast cancer, serving the company as CEO until 2010 and as a board member until 2014. He played a key role in CE marking the device, which has treated more than 3,500 patients in 15 countries. A physicist by training, Quentin is the Director of the Healthcare Biomagnetics Laboratory at UCL, where he runs programmes in bio- and nanomagnetism aimed at making practicle advances in the use of magnetic nanoparticles in healthcare. He is a champion of translational R&D, for which he established the UCL Institute of Biomedical Engineering. The objective of the IBME is to bring together UCL’s excellence in academic and clinical R&D – around a thousand staff, fellows, nurses and students in 35 different centres, departments and institutes – to create the world’s best research centre for biomedical engineering.
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About Endomag, University College London (UCL): MediSieve is a therapeutics company developing a platform technology for the treatment of blood-borne diseases.
Dr Bruce Roser
Chairman & CSO of Stablepharma Ltd
Dr Bruce Roser MB BS, PhD – Chairman & Founder. Discovered the preservation properties of the resurrection plant. A distinguished international career in biomedical research with 108 refereed papers and 49 patents.
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About Stablepharma Ltd: An innovative Biotech, developing a wide range of reformulated thermostable and fridge free StablevaX vaccines
Colin Bennett
Non Executive Chairman of EnteroBiotix
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About EnteroBiotix, University of Oxford: EnteroBiotix is a developer of novel medicinal products intended to restore health and prevent bacterial infections.
Doug Ward
Chairman of Celtic Renewables
In a long and distinguished career, spanning over 35 years, Doug Ward established himself as one of the most influential people in Scotland’s biofuel, agriculture and food & drink industries. Roles included: Managing Director of William Forrest and Sons (key role in BSE crisis); founder of Argent Energy which constructed a £15 million biodiesel plant (first facility of its kind in the world producing diesel entirely from waste oil sources). Doug serves as the Vice-President of the European Biodiesel Board and former Chairman of the Renewable Energy Association transport fuels group. He is a leading international authority on biofuel and a key influencer on policy in the UK and the EU.
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About Celtic Renewables: Celtic Renewables is a biofuel startup focused on the renewable energy and whisky sector.
Sam Williams
Executive Chairman of Istesso
Sam is the founding CEO of Istesso and currently serves as Executive Chairman. He has been with the company since 2007, prior to which he was a top-ranked equity analyst in the City of London. Sam is Chairman of Microbiotica Ltd and Iksuda Ltd, and a non-executive Director of Diurnal Group plc. He holds a PhD in molecular biology from Cambridge and a degree in biology from Oxford.
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About IP Group, Istesso: Istesso is a drug discovery and development company working in the field of immunometabolism.
Richard Farleigh
Chairman of Oxonica
Richard studied economics and mathematics, before working at the Australian Central Bank and then becoming an investment banker and hedge fund manager. In 1994 Richard branched out on his own as a private backer of emerging businesses. He has since backed over 50 young, mostly UK-based technology companies, including Amino Technologies, ARC International, Celoxica, ClearSpeed Technology, Cmed Group, Radiation Watch, Wolfson Microelectronics, Green Chemicals – and Oxonica. Richard is author of the investment book, Taming the Lion, and has appeared in the BBC series Dragon’s Den. He joined Oxonica in July 2007.
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About Oxonica: Oxonica develops and commercializes advanced nanomaterials for UV protection, security, and biodiagnostics applications.
Ken Powell
Executive Chairman of the Board of ReViral
Prior to his current role, Ken had very extensive experience of the Biotechnology sector. In reverse order he was: Executive Chairman of Q-Chip a Cardiff, Wales based life science company developing novel delayed release formulations of drugs (merged with Midatech and the joint company listed on AIM in 2015). Founder and CEO of Arrow Therapeutics Ltd (a specialised antiviral drug discovery company acquired by Astra-Zeneca PLC for $150 million in February 2007). Professor at UCL and Deputy Director of the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research where he had responsibility for commercial activity including setting up five biotechnology start-up companies. He was a senior Pharmaceutical executive with the Wellcome Foundation which he decided to leave at the Wellcome/Glaxo merger. He has had a successful academic career in the UK and USA. He is an expert virologist and has been involved in the development of multiple drugs including anti-viral compounds against herpes viruses, HIV, Hepatitis C and RSV.
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About ReViral: ReViral is a biotechnology company that develops and offers antiviral therapies for patients.
Robert Thong
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Multiomic Health
Robert has made the art of consulting his life’s work. As Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Unleash, he applies a wealth of experience to his personal mission: creating world-beating organisations. A supportive advisor to senior executives, Robert combines experienced know-how with an open mindset, delivering results that keep his clients coming back for more. Moving to the UK from Malaysia as a super-smart, teenage maths whiz, Robert started his career as an actuary. Finding business more interesting than statistical models, it wasn’t long before he decided to pursue the MBA that would introduce him to the world of management consulting. Initially focusing on analytical strategy development and operations improvement across various industries, Robert was soon drawn towards managing strategic change in R&D-driven organisations. Robert’s deep understanding of the inner workings of the pharmaceutical industry combined with his appreciation of a senior executive’s daily pressures, is a rare find indeed. He has not only been the pharmaceutical practice head in major consultancies, held P&L accountability and board positions, Robert has also spent much of his time on the ground understanding the real-life issues facing clients in laboratories, factories, pharmacies and physician offices. Coming from an analytical background himself, Robert had to learn in practice about the importance of managing change and engaging people to ensure lasting results, and was inspired to help clients do the same. Robert is dedicated to his clients winning long-term. After founding a boutique consultancy focused on the management practices of small-to-mid sized outfits competing with Big Pharmas, he decided to follow his true calling: guiding leaders and organisations of all types and sizes to success through people-driven strategy execution.
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About Multiomic Health, Selvedge Venture: Multiomic Health is building a precision therapeutics discovery platform for metabolic syndrome diseases
Peter Innes PhD
Chairman of Ascus Biosciences
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About : Ascus Biosciences uses novel microbial community screening methods to discover, develop, and commercialize next generation feed additives.
John Nicholson
Chairman and CEO of Gentronix
John Nicholson is the CEO of Gentronix.
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About Gentronix: Gentronix provides services for the development of drugs and other chemicals in the cosmetics and personal care sectors.
Mark Hurley
Chairman of Biofortuna
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About : Biofortuna develops a range of molecular diagnostic products using proprietary freeze-dried technology.
Huw Jones
Chief Executive Officer & Executive Chairman of Chronos Therapeutics
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About Chronos Therapeutics, Evgen Pharma: Chronos Therapeutics is a drug development company focused on the development of drugs for the treatment of age-related diseases.
Barry Clare
Chairman of Evgen Pharma
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About Clarat: Evgen Pharma is a clinical stage drug development company focused on the treatment of cancer and neurological conditions
Maureen Coleman
Executive Chairman of CN Bio Innovations
Mrs Coleman has amassed over 20 years’ experience within the pharmaceutical industry, latterly as VP Global Strategy Development for GlaxoSmithKline. Since 2007 she has been working with a number of investor-backed companies including as founding Chief Executive of NovaThera, a regenerative medicine spin-out from Imperial College London, and as Director, Chairman and Chief Executive of life science spin-out companies from Oxford, Kings College, and Brunel Universities. Mrs Coleman is currently Chairman of Parafricta Ltd, a wound care materials business, and is a Director of MedInnovate Ltd, a technology consultancy spanning the healthcare industry. Mrs Coleman joined CN Bio Innovations in 2009 and became Chairman in 2011. She brings a wealth of sector relevant knowledge to the CNBIO team and experienced leadership in developing early stage life science businesses.
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About CN Bio Innovations, CN Bio Innovations, Parafricta: CN Bio develops human organ-on-a-chip platforms for the testing and development of therapeutics for serious human diseases.
Alan Taylor
Executive Chairman of Clarity Pharmaceuticals
Dr Alan Taylor has a background as a scientist, investment banker, entrepreneur and investor. Alan is currently very active in the Australian start-up area, investing in, advising and taking an active role within a number of early stage companies. Alan is currently the Executive Chairman at Clarity Pharmaceuticals, a company focused on developing radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Alan is also the Chairman and co-founder of Mizzen Group Pty Ltd, a new technology start-up company. Alan is passionate about the commercialisation of Australian science and technologies, either in general technology or the life sciences. Alan has approximately 10 years of investment banking experience, and was until recently an Executive Director and shareholder of Inteq Limited, a boutique Australian investment bank, where he remains on the Board of Directors. Alan has significant experience in capital raisings, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate advisory. At Inteq, Alan was involved in some of the largest ever medical device transactions in Australia. Alan completed an undergraduate degree in Applied Science at the University of Sydney, where he finished first in his year and won the prestigious University Medal. He completed his Ph.D. in Medicine at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
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About Clarity Pharmaceuticals: Clarity Pharmaceuticals is a personalized medicine company focused on the treatment of serious disease.
Eliot Charles
Executive Chairman of MiroBio
Eliot Charles is the Executive Chairman of MiroBio. He also serves as a mentor at Creative Destruction Labs.
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About Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), MiroBio: MiroBio is Harnessing the natural control mechanisms of the immune system.
Sheraz Daya
Founder, Chairman & Medical Director of Centre for Sight
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About Centre for Sight: Centre for Sight provides eye care services, from basic diagnostic and therapeutic services to complex operative procedures.
James Otter
Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Renovos
James has extensive corporate commercial experience including a range of international management positions with Zeneca Agrochemicals and led a major turnaround while on the board of Spectris plc. Over the last 15 years he has focused on the bioscience SME sector, both as an investor while chairman of Hygea VCT and as CEO of several SMEs focused on imaging, drug delivery, telemedicine and cell culture. James brings a wealth of invaluable start-up, investment, governance and commercialisation experience to Renovos Biologics Ltd., essential to the role of Chairman.
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About Renovos: Providing orthopaedic regenerative medicine solutions
Jennifer Murray
Chairman of International Serum Industry Association
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About International Serum Industry Association: The International Serum Industry Association was formed in June 2006 with a specific focus on the Serum Industry.
