Chambers Health and Life Sciences Working Group reconvenes with strong message to region

The Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) Health and Life Sciences Working Group (HLSWG) recently reconvened at in-person event held at Green Park – a Mapletree property – in Reading.

Chaired by Sue Staunton, from James Cowper Kreston, over 30 health and life sciences companies from across the Thames Valley were present, alongside academic institutions, landowners, commercial partners, and other thought leaders who are part of the wider group that make up the HLSWG.     

Keynote speakers from Government included representatives from the Office for Life Sciences and the Department for Business and Trade’s Investment Services Team, who provided updates on the latest on the Life Sciences Vision, its next steps, and an overview of foreign direct investment (FDI), trends and the opportunities moving forward.   

There were also business updates from the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, the Rosalind Franklin Institute and Alnylam.  Moderna UK also shared the recent announcement of their investment at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire.

The Chambers working groups overarching strategy was revisited and presented, with a renewed focus and discussion on the sector priorities for the region, including Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Personalised Healthcare and Healthcare finance. 

As the only region-wide ‘sector group’, the HLSWG mission is to support the sector, ensuring that the Thames Valley health and life sciences community is heard and represented.

Sue Staunton, Managing Partner and Head of Life Sciences at James Cowper Kreston said: “Having been involved in working with and advising clients in this sector for much of my career I am delighted to be leading the Chambers health and life sciences working group and invite the region’s sector to join us and to shape and frame our work programme moving forward”.

Rory Carson, Vice President of Asset Management in the UK for Green Park said “We’re pleased to host the Thames Valley Health and Life Sciences Working Group, and extend a warm welcome to all its participants.  This sector is a driving force for the success of the Thames Valley, and investment across the region, and we are proud to be home to many health and life sciences and related supply chain companies here on Green Park.  We look forward to our continued partnership with the Chamber”. 

In his welcoming address, Paul Britton, CEO, TVCC, said “The Thames Valley is key to the UK’s world leading expertise in this sector, and a key location for life science innovation, and world-renowned academic and research institutions. We are proud to be the home to many leading pharmaceutical companies and the Chamber see this as an important group to help influence government policy and support investment activity working with the Department for Business and Trade”.

The Chamber would like to hear from other organisations in the sector who are currently not represented on the HLSWG. Contact Filip Velkov at the Chamber via filipvelkov@tvchamber.co.uk  A schedule of future meetings will be issued shortly and available here.