State Of UK Life Sciences: A Look Into The Future

Navigating Growth Opportunities, Supply-Demand Dynamics, Deal Flow And Market Conditions

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  Antara Woodring

  Antara is responsible for the execution of Oxford’s European life sciences strategy. This requires management and coordination across investment, development, marketing and leasing, financing, strategic asset management and managing key stakeholder relationships to realise business plans and deliver returns. Antara has 16 years of real estate experience having started her career as a development manager working across the development lifecycle from inception to delivery and stabilisation, across sectors, clients and project types and sizes. In her 9 years (and counting!) at Oxford, Antara started out on the development team, playing an instrumental role in development projects across the UK, Paris and Berlin as well as building out and leading an incredibly talented development team. Antara then took on a new challenge, overseeing the European residential strategy at Oxford before shifting her focus to life sciences. Since 2021, Antara has served as an Independent Committee Member (NED) on the Group Investment Committee at Hyde Group, one of the largest housing associations in England, a role she took on during her time on the European residential team at Oxford. Antara holds a BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from The University of Oxford and is a Chartered Surveyor (MRICS). Antara believes that beaten paths are for beaten people. She is relentlessly curious and optimistic and is particularly enthusiastic about energising capable teams and channeling expertise, to find creative solutions to seemingly impossible challenges.

  Oxford Properties

  Vice President, Life Sciences (Europe)

  Antara Woodring

  Vice President, Life Sciences (Europe)

  Oxford Properties

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  Emma Goodford

  Strategic Advisor

  Railpen

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  Richard O'Boyle

  Richard brings over 17 years’ investment track record, having transacted in excess of £2 billion in UK real estate. Richard’s primary responsibility is expansion of the Knowledge Factory portfolio and asset management, utilising his strong network of contacts with UK institutions, property companies, occupiers and brokers.

  Pioneer Group

  CEO

  Richard O'Boyle

  CEO

  Pioneer Group

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  Henry Shearer

  Under Henry’s leadership, King’s Cross is bringing forward a range of office spaces to lease. These include space at Western Transit Shed, Two Pancras Square and The Jellicoe, where the neighbourhood is delivering new purpose-built flexible workspace in partnership with Fora (formerly The Office Group) as it continues to evolve its product offer to office occupiers. Henry brings almost two decades of experience and leadership across commercial real estate investment, development, leasing and asset management, including roles as Head of UK and Vice President for Offices, Retail and Life Sciences at Oxford Properties Group. During his almost 10-year tenure, he played a pivotal role in growing the company’s office and retail platform in the UK.

  King's Cross Group

  Head of Office and Investment, King’s Cross

  Henry Shearer

  Head of Office and Investment, King’s Cross

  King's Cross Group

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  Huseyin Hussein

  Director

  Waterman

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  Chris Madel

  Chris has more than two decades of expertise in supporting private and public sector organisations across the built environment and infrastructure sectors. He has led LCA teams on a variety of complex projects, providing guidance across communications, from community engagement and media relations to public affairs and social media. He has worked on a number of high profile life science projects over the past few years including British Land’s redevelopment of Euston Tower and Stanhope and Guy’s & St Thomas’s Foundation life sciences-led mixed-use scheme at Royal Street in Lambeth.

  LCA

  Partner & Board Director

  Moderator

  Chris Madel

  Partner & Board Director

  LCA

From Startup To Industry Giant: Helping Life Sciences Companies Scale

Incubators, Ecosystem Support, And Resources To Attract And Retain Life Sciences Startups

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  Mairi Dillon

  Mairi leads ecosystem development for Canary Wharf Life Sciences. Canary Wharf is already home to over 40 life science and healthcare businesses and CL2/CL3 labs. We aspire to become a globally recognised life science ecosystem in East London. Mairi has a wealth of experience in early-stage tech fundraising, project management and outward facing relationship building (public and private sector). She began her career in major government-sponsored infrastructure projects before moving into the innovation and entrepreneurship landscape. As Head of Operations for a venture capital backed bio-tech start-up, she gained broad business experience bringing a product to market and fundraising both in the U.K. and abroad. Through her roles within the Catapult Network, Smart Specialisation Hub, Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Network and most recently, establishing and leading Kadan’s national ecosystem strategy, Mairi has built a deep understanding of how to link the research, commercial and investment worlds.

  Canary Wharf Group

  Associate Director, Science Ecosystem

  Mairi Dillon

  Associate Director, Science Ecosystem

  Canary Wharf Group

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  Simon Hepher-Davies

  Head of Asset Management

  Regent's Place and Innovation Assets, British Land

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  Oliver King

  Oli King is the Development and Leasing Director at Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) where he supports the growing cluster of 45 therapeutics companies and continues to lead on all disposals across the asset portfolio. Prior to SBC, Oli has over 20 years’ experience in the Central London office market advising on development, refurbishment, leasing strategy, acquisitions, and disposals. Previous clients include Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, Giorgio Armani & Moet Hennessy.

  Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst

  Development & Leasing Director

  Oliver King

  Development & Leasing Director

  Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst

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  Suketu Shah

  Suketu Shah serves as the Head of Life Sciences - Property and Asset Management at JLL, where he brings over 17 years of combined expertise in Life Sciences and Real Estate. He specializes in comprehensive life sciences consultancy and oversees property management for Life Science facilities. Suketu has demonstrated exceptional proficiency serving organizations involved in drug discovery, contract research (CRO), contract drug manufacturing (CDMO), and research and development (R&D). His technical knowledge extends to cleanroom management, GMP facilities, and properties housing Med-tech and Agri-tech companies. Suketu's notable achievements include designing and developing multiple Incubator facilities across the UK, establishing state-of-the-art shared access laboratories within the AstraZeneca campus at Alderley Park, and managing a 300,000 sqft Life Sciences buildings across multiple sites in Nottingham. What distinguishes Suketu is his ability to understand scientific and laboratory requirements and translate these needs into optimal facilities. Having worked directly in laboratories, he maintains a greater understanding of the balance between functionality and innovation in life science spaces while fostering collaborative communities that advance research initiatives.

  JLL

  Head of Life Sciences - Property and Asset Management

  Suketu Shah

  Head of Life Sciences - Property and Asset Management

  JLL

• Moderator

  Chris Xitsas

  Partner, Commercial Real Estate

  Maples Teesdale

A Home For Innovation: Designing, Developing, And Building Life Sciences And Healthcare Ecosystems

An Overview Of The UK Healthcare Landscape And Its Connection To Life Sciences

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  Peter Ward

  Peter is leading a programme for the redevelopment of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ campuses and community facilities in Lambeth and Southwark, with a combined capital value of more than £2bn over the next decade. Until November 2017 he was the Director of Healthcare Projects for John Laing, a leading international investor in economic and social infrastructure which delivered more than 20 major healthcare Public-Private Partnership projects and over 40 clinics and primary care facilities during his time there. He has worked on the development of public infrastructure since 1989 and has substantial experience in the successful structuring and delivery of a diverse range of project financing, PPP and development projects in the healthcare, water and transportation sectors in the UK and overseas. Since 2001 he has managed the development of healthcare projects with a capital value exceeding £2bn. Peter is a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and has served two full terms as a Non-Executive Director of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He also led the development of a UN standard for the use of PPP in the healthcare sector for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and remains a member of the United Nations PPP Business Advisory Board.

  Guy's and St Thomas'​ NHS Foundation Trust

  Director of Real Estate Development

  Peter Ward

  Director of Real Estate Development

  Guy's and St Thomas'​ NHS Foundation Trust

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  Grant Bourhill

  Managing Director

  Barts Life Sciences

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  Stewart Deering

  Stewart has spent more than 20 years at Reef and is involved in the delivery of many complex developments and investments totalling several billion pounds in end value. Stewart is proud of Reef’s strategic partnerships and this, together with an innovative approach to design, funding and delivery, has positively influenced the team’s ability to deliver vibrant and sustainable places. Stewart is passionate about collaborating with a range of organisations such as research, academic and healthcare institutions, together with funding, occupier and local authority partners that are critical to the success of any project. He has spent the last ten years focusing on the healthcare, science and innovation sectors, with all projects underpinned by placemaking excellence. Within his role as CEO of Reef + Partners, he is actively engaged with project teams across a range of developments.

  Reef + Partners

  CEO

  Stewart Deering

  CEO

  Reef + Partners

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  Ed Watson

  Ed is the interim Managing Director of Cambridge Biomedical Campus Ltd which represents some of the major businesses located on the campus which is the biggest in Europe. These include Astra Zenica, the University of Cambridge, Abcam (Danaher), the MRC Lab of Molecular Biology, Cambridge University Hospital Trust and the Royal Papworth Hospital. Ed’s career was built in Local Government as a Director of Planning and Regeneration at Camden, Lambeth and Westminster before founding consultancy EW&A which works with a range of clients including CBC Ltd, Arup and British Land, LabTech, Bouygues/Linkcity and Moorfields. At Camden Ed led on the negotiations to secure the arrival of the Francis Crick Institute and worked with Argent to develop their scheme at Kings Cross.

  Cambridge Biomedical Campus

  Interim Managing Director

  Ed Watson

  Interim Managing Director

  Cambridge Biomedical Campus

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  Angela Kukula

  Dr Angela Kukula is CEO of MedCity, and Director of Life Sciences at London & Partners where she leads a team of professionals championing the development of the life sciences sector in London, promoting London as the premier global destination for life science, and supporting high growth life sciences companies to make their home in London and to thrive and grow. Angela has worked in the London Life Science ecosystem for over 12 years, most recently as Commercial Director at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital and prior to that as Director of Business and Innovation at the Institute of Cancer Research. She is an internationally recognised technology transfer specialist. She sits on the Board of Oxford University Innovation and is a past chair of Knowledge Exchange UK (then PraxisAuril), the professional body for technology transfer in the UK. She is passionate about supporting the next generation of life science leaders through her work as governor of two London secondary schools, one of which is a life sciences specialist academy. Angela completed her undergraduate Bachelor degree in Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, and her PhD in Molecular Immunology and Genetics at the Institute of Child Health, University of London. Angela also has an MBA specialising in Technology Management, and a LLM in Commercial Law.

  MedCity

  CEO

  Angela Kukula

  CEO

  MedCity

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  Josh Krayger

  Josh Krayger serves on the leadership team for HDR’s global health market sector. In this role, he helps to establish and execute strategies that fuel growth of the practice across the world. With a strong background in graphic design, marketing and strategy, Josh has played critical roles in the organization over the past 20+ years – leading through evolving shifts related to mergers, new market strategies, and organic expansion. He brings a passion for driving accountability and efficiency at all levels of the business, while focusing on identifying cross-sector growth opportunities for the organization.

  HDR

  Client Development Director, Health

  Moderator

  Josh Krayger

  Client Development Director, Health

  HDR

Presentations

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  Paul Warren

  Paul is the Commercial Director at specialist placemaking and commercial landscaping contractor S&C Slatter. Since joining the company in 2013, Paul has been instrumental in the integration of acquired companies and the development of an in-house Professional Services team, resulting in a comprehensive, one-stop, integrated solution to create places that inspire communities, facilitate wellbeing, and improve biodiversity. More recently, Paul has successfully overseen the company’s diversification into the Industrial and Logistics sector, working with a range of consultants, architects, and developers to deliver innovative projects, resulting in a prestigious Fitwel Award for Winnersh Triangle Business Park.”

  S&C Slatter

  Commercial Director

  Paul Warren

  Commercial Director

  S&C Slatter

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  Chris Kirk

  Chris has extensive experience in application technology sales, particularly within the construction sector. With a keen focus on driving sales growth, he plays a key role in supporting our agents and resellers, helping to accelerate our global sales reach.

  Calmfloor

  Sales Manager

  Chris Kirk

  Sales Manager

  Calmfloor