Industry Leadership Group Members
Mark Cook, Industry Co-Chair
Mark Cook is co-Chair of the ILG and continues to support decision making for non-medicine technologies through membership of the Scottish Health Technology Group Council.
Mark has spent 25 years in roles within the health sector including biologicals/pharmaceuticals, medical technology and consultancy. His current role within Medtronic includes determining the direction in areas such as strategy, government relations policy plus working specifically on the implications of BREXIT for the UK and individually within the devolved nations, as well as issues surrounding regulation and trade.
Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientist, Health
Dame Anna is Chief Scientist for Health for the Scottish Government, Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow and a Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist in the NHS and a world-leading cardiovascular scientist whose research interests span hypertension, cardiovascular genomics, and precision medicine.
She is currently leading a multi-million pound programme to set up a network of Commercial Research Delivery Centres, and has done more than anyone to embed the principle of Triple Helix working – a partnership of the NHS with academia and industry – into Scottish life sciences.
John Mackenzie, The Pioneer Group
Chair, Animal Health, Agritech & Aquaculture Group
John Mackenzie is Director (Scotland) of The Pioneer Group, leading the teams at BioCity Glasgow and Edinburgh Technopole as part of the Group’s portfolio of Life Science Parks. He is responsible for attracting and supporting life science companies, driving growth, and overseeing community engagement and leasing. Previously he was CEO of the Roslin Innovation Centre at the University of Edinburgh’s Easter Bush Campus.
An experienced technology transfer and incubator professional, he has supported numerous university spinouts and start-ups, including at Dundee University Incubator.
Professor George Crooks, Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre
Chair of the Digital and Data Group
Professor George Crooks OBE MBChB FRCP FRCGP is Chief Executive of the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI), Scotland’s national innovation centre for digital health and care. He previously served as Medical Director for NHS 24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service and was a GP in Aberdeen for 23 years.
He has held leadership roles across Europe, including with the Global Health Connector (formerly European Connected Health Alliance) and WHO. He advises governments and global organisations on digital health. A Bevan commissioner for Wales he is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern Denmark. He received an OBE in 2011 for services to healthcare.
David Bunton, REPROCELL Europe Ltd & Precision Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre
Internationalisation sub group co-lead
David is CEO of Reprocell Europe Ltd and Chairman of the Precision Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre. He was formerly CEO of Biopta Ltd, which he co-founded in 2002, and Biopta Inc., formed in 2011, which were acquired by Reprocell Inc., Japan, in 2015.
David started his career in academia as a Lecturer in Physiology at Glasgow Caledonian University, where he commenced research into the use of human tissue assays in drug discovery as a way to improve the prediction of drug safety and efficacy; a theme that led to the spin-out of Biopta.
John McNeill, MSD
Internationalisation sub group co-lead
John is the Value, Access & Devolved Nations Director at MSD and is passionate about improving patient experience and outcomes, through working with the NHS to deliver optimal patient care.
John joined MSD in 2002 direct from the University of Glasgow where he gained a BSc (Hons) in Virology. He has worked his way through the MSD organisation to this leadership role over the last eighteen years. His previous positions have covered the entire MSD portfolio and a variety of commercial roles, including acting as a Director of IOmet Pharma, following their acquisition in 2016. In addition, John is also the sponsor for the UK Women’s Network within MSD UK.
Colin MacKay, Symbiosis Pharmaceutical Services
As Founder and CEO of Symbiosis, Colin is responsible for driving the company’s performance, creating maximum value for its shareholders, and actively promoting the successful development of long-term client relationships. He is responsible for business strategy development and all aspects of the company’s day-to-day operations.
With 25 years of experience in the life science industry, from applied research to working for small and large organisations on an international basis, Colin has spent most of his career helping clients to successfully overcome their drug development challenges, mostly in the field of sterile contract pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Toby Reid, BioCity
Toby has been with BioCity since 2011 and had a number of roles before becoming CEO at the beginning of 2019.
Toby is recognized as a leader in the use of ‘lean start-up’ methodologies to support early stage opportunities in life sciences and healthcare. He has been a driving force behind the shaping and systemization of the acceleration and incubation activities at BioCity, as well as directly overseeing the growth of the property side of the business. He is passionate about supporting start-up companies and creating vibrant innovation ecosystems.
Professor Peter Mathieson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh
Professor Peter Mathieson MBBS(Hons)(London), PhD(Cambridge), FRCP(London), FMedSci assumed the office of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh in February 2018. He was formerly the 15th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong.
Previous posts include: foundation Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Bristol, Honorary Consultant Nephrologist, North Bristol NHS Trust, Head of the University Department of Clinical Science at North Bristol, Director of Research & Development for the North Bristol NHS Trust, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Bristol.
Elaine Jamieson, Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Elaine Jamieson is Head of Life Sciences and Blue Economy at Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the economic and community development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. HIE recognises life sciences as a transformational opportunity. Elaine leads on the development of major strategic and transformational business prospects across human, animal and plant health, and supports HIE’s broader work with enterprises, communities, stakeholders and partners to unlock the region and Scotland’s potential for innovation and scaling growth and societal progress, while driving fair work and net zero practices.
Elaine is a non-executive director of the Economic Development Association Scotland, a graduate from Robert Gordon University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.