Advisory Board Members

The Advisory Board of the Scottish Lifesciences Association is Chaired by John Brown.

Dr John Brown CBE FRSE

Chairman, Axis-Shield

John has extensive experience in the life sciences sector. He is Chairman of BTG plc, Axis-Shield plc and CXR Biosciences Ltd and a non-executive Director of Vectura Group plc.

In the public sector he Chairs the Roslin Foundation and the Life Sciences Industry Advisory Board and is a non-executive director of the Technology Strategy Board. He is an advisor to several private equity and venture capital funds, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Honorary Professor of the University of Edinburgh. Until Dec 2003, John was Chief Executive of Acambis plc, a leading producer of vaccines to treat and prevent infectious disease.

Scott Johnstone

CEO, SLA

Scott Johnstone (CEO) set up the Scottish Lifesciences Association in January 2011 following on from his role as Director of BIA (Scotland). Scott has acted as interim/part-time CEO for a number of companies ranging from veterinary diagnostic to small molecule drug discovery and regenerative medicine companies. He was a Technology Entrepreneur to the Scottish Enterprise proof of concept programme and past member of LiSAB, the Scottish Life Sciences Advisory board and chaired the Technology Workstream from 2009-2011.

From 1998 to April 2004 he was a Managing Director and co-founder of YAbA Ltd and secured over £2.5 M of venture capital to develop and manufacture human and veterinary diagnostic products. He has gained extensive technology transfer and R&D experience with Fisons (UK), Kevex, based in California and ARL based in Switzerland. He holds an Honours Degree in Engineering from Edinburgh Napier University and a MBA in Business Administration from Edinburgh University. Scott is a scientific member of Medical Research Scotland, advisory board member of Quantics Ltd and on the industry advisory board for Edinburgh Napier University’s school of life sciences and the SU2P programme linking Scottish and US Universities.

John A Brown

Director of Policy, SLA

John A Brown joined what is now the Scottish Government in 1968, and in 1986 joined what is now its Business Directorate in a series of industry facing roles working with key sectors. After working on electricity privatisation, renewable energy policy and nuclear privatisation in the early 1990s, John became head of the Directorate's energy team from 1996 until 2002. At that point, he switched to leading the Tourism and Architecure Policy team, before moving again in 2009 to head up the Business Directorate's team responsible for life sciences. In all of these jobs, he worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders, including companies, Ministers and the enterprise agencies, as well as with the UK Government and Brussels.

In his job as Director of Policy for the Scottish Lifesciences Association, John is making use of that experience to strengthen the interface between Scottish life sciences companies and the public sector, making sure that the contribution of this key sector to the further growth of the Scottish economy continues to be recognised and valued.

Gordon Hay

GM, Bio-Rad Laboratories Europe Lt

Following 16 years in the NHS Gordon worked for Boehringer Mannheim, Cortecs Diagnostics and Shield Diagnostics before taking part in a management buy out of the neonatal business unit from Shield and setting up Quantase Neonatal Diagnostics

Bio-Rad Laboratories acquired the company in April 2002 and Gordon is the General Manager of the Scottish operation, which exports 99% of the neonatal kits they manufacture to customers worldwide via Bio-Rad subsidiaries and distributors.

During more than 30 years in the diagnostics industry Gordon has served on various boards and committees including the Diagnostics Register of the ABPI, the Executive of BIVDA and the TSB Steering Group.

Hugh Griffith

CEO, ALIDA CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL

Hugh Griffith has over eighteen years experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having held CEO, COO and Executive Director positions. Hugh is CEO and gatekeeper of Alida Capital International, a specialist biopharmaceutical business angel syndicate, which he formed in 2009. He is actively involved in several emerging biopharmaceutical companies as co-founder, director, investor and/or advisor. Hugh is also Co-Founder and CEO of NuCana BioMed an oncology focused biopharmaceutical company.

As former COO of Bioenvision, Hugh led the company’s operations from start-up to a global, fully integrated, NASDAQ National Market listed biopharmaceutical company. He was instrumental in increasing Bioenvision’s market capitalization from $22 million to $345 million in 5 years, culminating in the company’s successful acquisition. Hugh was responsible for the strategic direction and implementation of the company’s core programmes, including: fund raising; non-clinical and clinical development; manufacturing; regulatory; medical; PV; commercial build-out and product launches.

Hugh has wide pharmaceutical experience having held numerous positions in Abbott Laboratories and Parke-Davis Warner Lambert. He has an active global network of business angels, researchers, regulators, analysts, and institutional investors. Hugh currently serves on the Angel Leaders Forum; Scottish Lifesciences Association; LiSAB technology and capital workstreams; and as advisor to the Saltire Foundation.

Alan Johnston

Director, CXR Biosciences

Alan Johnston qualified in Biochemistry and postgraduate Business Administration, and holds Fellowships and Chartered status of both the UK Society of Biology and Royal Society of Chemistry. He spent some 30 years with Inveresk Research (subsequently Charles River Laboratories) in Edinburgh, initially in practical Safety of Medicines research, then Operations Management, and occupied the position of Commercial Director for the latter 10 years - through the periods of Management Buyout, USA NASDAQ IPO (at multi-million dollar level) and subsequent mergers.

At that point, the company employed some 1000 staff locally and was attracting International Research business largely from Northern Continental Europe, USA and Japan. Alan travelled extensively in these territories, where he had responsibility for Commercial staff. He retired early from this, and from Convenership of the Statutory General Council (advisory Board) at Edinburgh University, at the age of 55 in 2008.

He now undertakes considerable voluntary work and remains as a Trustee of several Educational Charities and a significant Pension Fund, and was until 2009, Honorary Officer & Treasurer of the UK Institute of Biology, and Immediate-Past-President of The University of Edinburgh Graduates' Association.

He is currently Chair of the Board of Edinburgh Convention Bureau Ltd and Marketing Edinburgh Ltd and holds other non-executive and advisory appointments with Biosciences companies & Organisations, including the Advisory Board of the Scottish Lifesciences Association. He is also actively involved with "Business Angel" investments in early-stage Life Sciences companies, and is a Young Enterprise Business Adviser.

Alan Walker

CEO, Ectopharma

Alan Walker joined the pharmaceutical industry 42 years ago as a sales executive in Welcome. He transferred to Warner Lambert’s pharmaceutical company Parke-Davis where he worked for 28 years, through positions such as UK Marketing Director, Director Strategic Planning at HQ, New Jersey US, General Manager Belgium, President UK / Scandinavia and finally President Italy / Greece. Member of WL European Pharma Board. Managed First Global launches (in the UK) of Neurontin and Lipitor. Left 2001 to become VP Global Commercial Operations for ProStrakan and created EU and US affiliates until 2008. Won Deloittes / LSE prize for sales growth 2004-2005. Main board director after LSE listing.

Vice President ABPI 1997-99.

Now Chairman BioFilm (film delivery technology), CEO Ectopharma (oncology gene research) and CEO designate Internis ( new UK pharma marketing co.).

BSc (Bio), MSc (Corporate Direction), ACCA Cert.Dip in accounting/ finance. Chartered Director (IoD). Completing PhD in Business Psychology.

Jim Reid

Chairman, Sistemic

A “Global Scot” for his work in the international biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, Jim was the Winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Science and Technology for both Scotland and at the UK National finals in 2005. Jim developed his early career in blue-chip organisations in many parts of the world including Hoffman la Roche, Chiron and Organon, progressing from the research bench to business management before returning to Scotland in 1999 to join the Board of Axis Shield plc. Since then he has utilised this experience to contribute widely to the exciting life sciences industry there. Jim was instrumental in the formation and development of more than 10 companies in the sector and has successfully exited from 2 of these companies including the highly acclaimed sale of Haptogen to Wyeth, one of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, a deal which was shortlisted as the Deal of the Year in Scotland in 2007- 08. He was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Life Sciences in 2010. Jim is now expanding his work with early stage Life Science companies, in conjunction with his wife Karen, hopefully picking the “winners” of the future in this key sector of the Scottish economy.

Andy Porter FRSE

Director, Grampian BioPartners

Andy Porter is Professor of Biotechnology and Deputy Director of the Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen. Until recently he was also founder and CSO of Haptogen Ltd. Haptogen was acquired, in October 2007, by the US pharmaceutical giant Wyeth Inc.

In 2005 Andy was made Ernst and Young Plc, Science and Technology Entrepreneur of the Year. He has been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh since 2006.

Since the sale of Haptogen, Andy has joined the Executive Committee of the Scottish Lifesciences Association, has accepted non-executive Board positions within the Scottish biotechnology sector, and has established a small venture fund investing in Scottish biotechnology companies.

David Harrison

Prof of Pathology, University of Edinburgh

David Harrison is Professor of Pathology and Director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit in the University of Edinburgh. He is also Director of Laboratory Medicine in Lothian NHS, comprising genetics, haematology, biochemistry, pathology and microbiology laboratories across the region, and lead clinician for access to, and use of, human tissue in Lothian. His research interests include systems biology approaches to study of disease and biomarker identification, and he is an enthusiastic proponent of new ways of developing public-private partnerships to train the next generation of life scientists. He chairs Medical Research Scotland, an independent charity, that offers fully funded, four year PhD studentships to company-led consortia.

Kevin Moore OBE

Non Executive Chairm, Biopta

Kevin Moore is a graduate chemist from the University of Strathclyde with a subsequent business qualification from Glasgow Caledonian University.

Kevin has nearly 40 years experience spanning sales, marketing, business development and company formation in life science medtech and healthcare. Kevin was responsible for developing Scotlab Ltd, from a sole proprietor company to one of the most successful life science companies in Scotland. He has also been instrumental in the formation and development of numerous life science and technology companies

He has been directly involved in developing and successfully marketing over 100 new technology products and services in the last 20 years. For the last 12 years he has been involved in a number of start up and spin technology companies as Chairman or Non-Executive Director.

Representing the Scottish Life Sciences Industry

Advisory Board Members