With a technical background and over 24 years of experience in biotech sales, marketing, management, and strategy, I feel honored to have spent 19 of those years specifically dedicated to Cell and Gene Therapy. As a founding member and first employee of Ori Biotech, serving as Chief Business Officer for four years, I played a pivotal role in developing a purpose-built manufacturing platform capable of real automation and scale. My work at Ori Biotech was aimed at making cell and gene therapy manufacturing commercially viable at scale and to enable these groundbreaking therapies to reach as many patients as possible. I am incredibly proud of my work in building the company’s network and reputation in the cell and gene therapy field, cementing industry-wide relationships and partnerships, raising over $120 million in investment, and building a company with over 50 staff. This experience is one that will always stay with me.

Prior to Ori Biotech, I managed Miltenyi’s cell therapy division in the UK and Ireland for 15 years, overseeing internationally spanning partnerships and projects in this space. This role provided me with an overarching viewpoint of the field and its evolution, from its humble beginnings to the exciting potential now beginning to be realized. I possess a broad knowledge of cell therapy applications and manufacturing, ranging from hands-on processing to overarching strategy, and have extensive contacts throughout the CGT industry.

The evolution of cell and gene therapy has been a challenging journey, marked by constant funding shortfalls and stricter regulatory controls. However, those of us involved in this field held a deep belief in its potential, and it is heartening to see those dreams becoming a reality in the blossoming industry we now witness. Cell and Gene Therapy is now a global concern, and I am proud to see the UK leading the way in this field. With functional regulations, government investment and commitment, appreciable funding and finance, and the energy to push cell therapy into the clinic and beyond, we are building the foundations of a self-sustained industry while offering hope and possibility for patients and their families.