Consumer Healthcare Association the PAGB has appointed Nisha Vempalle as associate director of Regulatory Affairs. Nisha, previously regulatory affairs manager at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, will lead the development and delivery of PAGB’s regulatory strategy for medicines, medical devices and food supplements. Her experience in consumer healthcare encompasses innovation, global brand expansion and POM to P category switches, and she is also a qualified pharmacist.

Pharmaceutical and biotech product development consultancy Boyds has recruited Kathryn Bartley as senior clinical research associate (CRA). Kathryn has over 18 years’ experience in the industry, primarily in study and site management and monitoring. Her work has covered a variety of therapy areas across all trial phases within both the commercial and academic sectors. Most recently, Kathryn spent six years working for GlaxoSmithKline (subcontracted from Parexel and then PPD) as a senior CRA working primarily on real-world evidence respiratory studies, including the groundbreaking Salford Lung Studies (SLS). Kathryn’s experience also includes working as a remote CRA on oncology trials at AstraZeneca, as well as four years as a Study Manager at the University of Liverpool Cancer Research UK Trials Unit setting up and managing haematological oncology studies.

Dr Soraya Bekkali has been named as chief executive of Cellinta, a new private company focused on targeting cancer stem cells with highly selective gene therapy. Soraya is a board-certified MD graduate from Paris University with 20 years of experience in drug development and business strategy with a focus on gene therapy. She was previously chief executive and director of the Board of Gyroscope Therapeutics, a Syncona backed company based in the UK developing genetically defined therapies for ocular diseases such as dry age-related macular degeneration. Her experience encompasses orphan drug development and broad industry expertise.

Clare Morrison has been named Director of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in Scotland, following the retirement of Alex MacKinnon. Clare takes on responsibility for national policy development, professional advocacy and member engagement across Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Pharmacy Board. She will work with the board and members to drive forward leadership for the pharmacy profession in Scotland. Clare joins RPS from her position as Lead at the Scottish Government for the video consulting service National Near Me. Prior to this she worked for NHS Highland where she developed a number of pharmaceutical care and medicines safety initiatives that have been spread across Scotland, including leading the Scottish Patient Safety Programme’s pharmacy pilot in Highland.

67health has revealed the appointment of experienced healthcare communications professional, Joella Melville, as senior director. Joella brings more than twelve years’ experience in healthcare communications, including “a wealth of senior experience from both in-house roles at pharmaceutical companies and senior consultant roles at other leading healthcare communications agencies, including managing director of former independent agency, Packer Forbes,” the firm noted. Her appointment bolsters 67health’s existing network of experienced senior professionals spanning medical writing, creative, digital, patient advocacy and engagement, and public health and policy expertise.

British Clinical AI company Sensyne Health has appointed Michael Macdonnell as chief operating officer. Michael joins the firm from his position as director of Global Deployment at Google Health, which he joined from Google DeepMind. Prior to joining Google, he was national director of System Transformation and Director of Strategy at NHS England where he oversaw the delivery of key strategic initiatives including the NHS Five Year Forward View and the development of integrated care systems. Previously, Michael has held roles at Accenture, the Centre for Health Policy, Imperial College London and as an advisor at the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. He remains an honorary fellow at the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, and is a policy fellow at the Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge.

The Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) has welcomed Steve Lee to its leadership team. In the newly created role of director, Diagnostics Regulation, Steve will lead ABHI's engagements on diagnostics regulations. According to the group, Steve is recognised as an authority on in vitro diagnostics regulations, and he brings over 20 years' government experience from the MHRA, most recently in the role of senior regulatory policy advisor – IVDR. His appointment is “a significant boost” to ABHI's diagnostics capabilities and reflects the decision by ABHI's Board to build and strengthen its diagnostics work and community.