Dr Veronique Bouchet joins SBC Board as Independent Director
Experienced executive brings big pharma and venture creation insight
Stevenage, UK, May 10 2012 – Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC), the UK’s first open innovation bioscience campus, is pleased to announce that Dr Veronique Bouchet, Founder Director of life sciences consulting and coaching company Novudel Associates, has been appointed to its Board as an Independent Director. Dr Bouchet has worked across the healthcare sector for over 25 years in a range of senior roles, and brings important insights into pharmaceutical strategy, venture creation and innovation. Her appointment as Independent Director marks a new phase of investment and growth at the incubator, and fills the role discharged during the first phase of construction and launch of SBC by Tim Rink, who is retiring from the Board.
Prior to founding Novudel, Dr Bouchet was Director of Corporate Strategy and Head of VC Relations at AstraZeneca, where she was responsible for delivering new strategic initiatives and ventures, as well as supporting the business development activities of the Innovative Medicine Units. Before this, she was Head of Venture Strategy with responsibility for AstraZeneca’s corporate venture activities, and led the creation and $40m financing of its first spinout, Albireo. In addition Veronique has held a variety of roles in the healthcare industry across therapeutic areas and functions, including drug development and M&A, at both AstraZeneca UK and Grünenthal GmbH. She has also worked in venture capital at the Rothschild Bioscience Unit in London.
Dr Bouchet is a non-executive director of International Biotechnology Trust plc., an
investment trust listed on the London Stock Exchange, a Trustee of Breast Cancer
Campaign UK and a member of the Council of Queen Mary, University of London. She has an MB BS from St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School, holds a BSc in Psychology from University College London, and a Diploma from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She holds an MBA from INSEAD, has a Diploma (Distinction) from the Coaching Academy UK, and has been awarded the Institute of Directors’ Diploma in Company Direction (Distinction).
Dr Allan Baxter, Chairman of Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, said, “We are delighted to welcome Veronique, with her breadth of international life sciences experience and drive, to the Board. Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst has strong links across industry, academia and the finance community, and she will help us to leverage these further, as well as playing a key role in the formation and mentoring of start-ups. Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst Board also takes this opportunity to acknowledge the significant contribution made by Tim to our successful launch, and we will miss his keen insight.”
Dr Veronique Bouchet added, “The UK has an excellent science base, and with its access to the expertise of a pharmaceutical company as well as its other stakeholders and venture capital partners, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst provides a unique environment to foster innovation. I am looking forward to building on my experience and networks to help SBC develop new business models, and play a key role in the rejuvenation of the UK life sciences sector.” Dr Veronique Bouchet joins SBC Board as Independent Director Experienced executive brings big pharma and venture creation insight