Incredible Advancements

How did you get interested in investment banking and venture capitalism?
 

I grew up on a farm. Farming instilled in me a strong work ethic and the understanding that perseverance is key to overcoming challenges. It also inspired my curiosity about biology. I pursued this passion academically, studying biology at Oxford – a subject that captivated me from day one. 

However, like many of my generation, practical considerations soon came into play. After graduating, I needed to think about financial stability, which led me to investment banking. While it seemed a stark departure from biology, the transition wasn’t as drastic as it might appear. As a biologist, I was trained to analyze patterns, rationalize data, and draw conclusions – all skills that aligned well with the data-rich environment of finance. 

Over time, I moved into venture capital, drawn by the human side of business: understanding people, their motivations, and how teams work together to create success. This led me to problem-solving roles in struggling companies, where I was tasked with turning them around. It was in one such biotech company that I realized I’d found my “happy place.” Here, I could combine my biological expertise with the business skills I’d developed. That was 20 years ago, and I’ve been working in biotech from a business angle ever since. 

My journey has also included interactions with influential organizations, including the Gates Foundation. They approached me for insights into diagnostics for the developing world. That experience underscored the importance of understanding human behavior and relationships in innovation, not just numbers. It shaped my belief in collaborative, transparent approaches to funding and development – a philosophy I carried into my current role. 

As a chief executive, what are your primary objectives?
 

Our vision encapsulates our goals: “a thriving industry delivering life-changing advanced therapies to the world.” This vision is rooted in three core objectives. First, we aim to foster a robust industry that drives technological innovation and creates opportunities for people entering this exciting field. Advanced therapies have revolutionized healthcare by targeting the root causes of diseases, offering hope for cures rather than just symptom management. 

Second, we are dedicated to expanding the accessibility of these therapies. While they represent incredible advancements, their high costs and complex production processes mean they currently serve a limited population. Our challenge is to make these treatments scalable and affordable so they can reach patients worldwide, including in low-resource settings. 

Finally, we focus on collaboration. The cell and gene therapy industry faces systemic challenges that no single company can address alone. Whether it’s improving manufacturing processes, integrating therapies into healthcare systems, or fostering innovation, collaboration is at the heart of our work. 

How does the CGT Catapult help position the UK as a leader in cell and gene therapy?
 

CGT Catapult plays a unique role in bridging the gap between academic research and commercial application. We identify systemic barriers and challenges that individual companies lack the resources to address, and we work collaboratively to overcome them. For example, scaling up manufacturing processes to meet growing demand or addressing infrastructure gaps in healthcare systems are areas where the CGT Catapult excels. 

We also focus on fostering innovation by bringing together industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers. Our team of 400 experts, each passionate about cell and gene therapy, works to develop standardized approaches, create physical and digital infrastructure, and drive down costs. By doing so, we ensure the UK remains at the forefront of this transformative field. 

What do you see as the major challenges and opportunities in the field today?
 

The challenges today are different from those of a decade ago. Ten years ago, the industry faced scepticism about whether cell and gene therapies could work at all. Questions about regulatory approval, feasibility, and costs dominated conversations. Today, those challenges have largely been addressed. We now have therapies that transform lives and are becoming the standard of care in some conditions, such as certain leukemias. I remember standing on a stage saying, “Get ready for cell and gene therapy,” and people laughed at me! There was a belief that these therapies were too complex and would never work. 

However, new challenges have emerged. Investability remains a significant hurdle, particularly in a risk-averse investment climate. Scaling up manufacturing to meet global demand is another pressing issue, as is integrating these therapies into healthcare systems at scale. 

Are there any recent CGT Catapult initiatives that you want to highlight?
 

Several initiatives demonstrate our commitment to innovation and collaboration. One example is our work on improving the manufacturing of AAVs. Production is expensive, but we’re developing processes to make it more cost-effective, similar to how monoclonal antibodies have become more affordable over time. 

Another exciting project focuses on automation in manufacturing. By replacing manual processes with automated systems, we can reduce errors, lower costs, and produce therapies more efficiently. This also addresses a workforce challenge, as the demand for skilled personnel currently exceeds supply. 

Additionally, our Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre network connects hospitals and companies, fostering collaboration to improve the clinical adoption of advanced therapies. This initiative not only enhances patient outcomes but also helps companies understand the practical challenges their products face in real-world settings. 

What emerging trends or technologies excite you most in this field?
 

Advanced therapies themselves are, of course, an exciting trend, but within the field, automation and digitization stand out. The use of digital twins, machine learning, and AI in manufacturing processes has enormous potential to reduce costs and improve efficiency. For example, consider CAR-T therapy, which involves modifying a patient’s own cells to fight cancer. Each treatment is a “batch of one,” requiring meticulous documentation and quality checks. As the volume of treatments increases, traditional methods become unsustainable. By integrating automation and data-driven systems, we can streamline these processes, allowing experts to focus on the most critical aspects while ensuring safety and quality. 

The possibilities are endless, and it’s an incredible time to be part of this field. 

What do you do in your spare time?
 

I’m a keen fitness enthusiast and spend a lot of time cycling and still train with my karate club regularly. However, one of my more unique hobbies is repairing dry stone walls on our small farm in the Yorkshire Dales. It’s a deeply therapeutic process – taking something disordered and transforming it into something functional and beautiful. The work is absorbing, requiring focus and creativity, and it’s a wonderful way to unwind. Just as I piece together stones of different shapes and sizes to create a cohesive wall, my work involves bringing together diverse individuals and ideas to build something greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a metaphor that resonates deeply with me.