The Society is governed on a day-to-day basis by its Executive Committee, a voluntary board of directors, which includes its Chair, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary. The members of the Society’s Executive Committee are elected at its Annual General Meeting to serve a term of up to three years. The Society’s President is elected by the Executive Committee. His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh attended an Evening Meeting held at The Royal Society in May 1970 and kindly consented to become the Society’s Patron.
Our President – Sir Richard Sykes DSc FRS FMedSci
Sir Richard Sykes became President of the R&D Society in July 2002.
Sir Richard Sykes is the newly appointed Chairman of Council of The Royal Institution of Great Britain and Chairman of the UK Stem Cell Foundation.
He is also Senior Independent Director, Non-Executive Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of ENRC, Non Executive Director of Lonza AG, an Advisory member of Siemens Holdings plc and joined the Virgin Group Advisory Board September 2010. Prior to that, he was Chairman of NHS London from December 2008 to July 2010, Rector of Imperial College London from 2000 – 2008 and the Senior Independent Director of Rio Tinto plc from 1997 to 2008. He has over 30 years of experience within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, serving as Chief Executive and Chairman of GlaxoWellcome from 1995 to 2000 and then as Chairman of GlaxoSmithkline until 2002.
Internationally, he is Chairman of the International Advisory Board, A*Star Biomedical Research Council, Singapore. He was awarded Honorary Citizenship of Singapore in 2004 for his contribution to the development of the country’s biomedical sciences industry.
Sir Richard holds a number of degrees and awards from institutions both in the UK and overseas. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences, and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal College of Pathologists and Royal College of Physicians.
He is a Fellow of Imperial College School of Medicine, King’s College London, a Fleming Fellow at Lincoln College and, Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales, Cardiff and the University of Central Lancashire.
Sir Richard received a Knighthood in the 1994 New Year’s Honours list for services to the pharmaceutical industry. He was awarded the Society’s Duncan Davies Memorial Medal in 1997.
Our Board
The Society’s board has the following members:
- Colin Whitehouse Chair
- Stephen Allport
- Martyn Buxton-Hoare
- Mike Duncan
- Anne Gloag Honorary Treasurer
- David Kingham Immediate Past-Chairman
- Graham Land
- Kieran Quill
- Renate Siebrasse Honorary Membership Secretary
- Iain Simpson Honorary Programme Secretary
Members of the Board may be contacted via the Contact page.