Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc, the company delivering a new generation of nanopore-based molecular sensing technology, is pleased to announce that Kate Priestman will be joining the Group as Non-Executive Director with effect from 13 July 2023.

Oxford Nanopore’s molecular sensing platform is increasingly a technology of choice in life science-based industries and applications, from biopharma and clinical to agriculture and food. Kate brings extensive experience as a biopharma executive for more than 25 years, serving in leadership roles across commercial, operations, corporate strategy, communications and government affairs. She was most recently Senior Vice President of R&D Strategy, Portfolio and Operations at GlaxoSmithKline, where she led the evolution of GSK’s science and technology strategy, portfolio management and global R&D operations & business transformation, helping steer the FTSE 100 company’s growth. Kate also served on GSK’s separation board, delivering the successful spin-out of Haleon plc in 2022.

In addition, she previously held global and UK roles at Eli Lilly & Co and Zeneca, after an early career at the BBC, where she spent several years as a broadcaster. Kate also currently also serves as a Trustee of RBG Kew, an organisation with around 500 scientists working globally to understand plant biology and fight biodiversity loss.

Duncan Tatton-Brown, Chair of Oxford Nanopore, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Kate as a Non-Executive Director of Oxford Nanopore. Kate’s impressive track-record of working with a UK-headquartered, global leader in biopharma, along with her other extensive experience, uniquely positions her to understand and support the next phase of growth for Oxford Nanopore. Kate understands this opportunity better than most, and we look forward to working with her as Oxford Nanopore starts to expand beyond life science research into additional clinical and applied markets.”

Kate Priestman, incoming Non-Executive Director of Oxford Nanopore, said: “I am excited to join Oxford Nanopore at this pivotal juncture in its growth journey. Oxford Nanopore has an incredible opportunity with its technology that has the potential to transform sectors critical to our future. The company is expanding and maturing at pace, yet has retained its inherent creativity and innovation – a potent combination to harness as it establishes itself as a global life science superpower. I look forward to working with the Board and the executive team to drive Oxford Nanopore’s long-term success.

Gordon Sanghera, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Nanopore, said: “Kate brings substantial experience in supporting biopharma companies as they mature into world-class businesses. Her perspectives will be critical to us as we continue to expand the use of our technology as a world-class life science research tool, start to pursue clinical and applied markets and, longer-term, achieve our ambition to enable the analysis of anything, by anyone, anywhere.  I look forward to working with Kate as we navigate the chapter ahead.”