Trustees
The Board of Council of Trustees is led by the Chairman, Mr David Newbigging, who also chairs the Charity's General Purposes Committee.
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee, please go to our jobs and careers website to read more about the role.
David Newbigging OBE
(Chairman, Cancer Research UK)
Appointed 2001, b 19.01.1934. Mr Newbigging was appointed Chairman in November 2004, having been Deputy Chairman since March 2002. He is currently Chairman of Synesis Life Ltd, a Director of Cancer Research Technology and a Director of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited in Hong Kong. He was Chairman of Talbot Holdings Limited until July 2007 and Chairman of Friends Provident plc until May 2005. He was a director of Merrill Lynch & Co Inc in New York from 1996 until April 2007, and was a director of PACCAR Inc in Bellevue, Washington from 1999 to 2006.
His early career was spent in Asia where he worked for 30 years for the Jardine, Matheson Group of which he was Chairman and Chief Executive for 9 years before relocating to the UK in 1984. In Hong Kong he was a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils and Chairman or Director of several publicly listed companies, including being Chairman of the Hong Kong Land Company and Director of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Former appointments in the UK include Chairman of Rentokil Group plc, Equitas Holdings Limited and Thistle Hotels plc.
His non-business interests include being a Trustee of National Crimebeat. He is a former Chairman of the Wiltshire Community Foundation. He was High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 2003/04 and was also Chairman of the Council of the Mission to Seafarers from 1993 to 2006.
Dr Melanie Lee BSc DSc(Hon) FMedSci
(Deputy Chairman)
Appointed 2004, b 29.07.1958. Dr Lee studied as a postdoctoral scientist with the CRC and ICRF. She is currently Executive Vice-President Research and Development of UCB Pharma, a leading Global based Biopharmaceutical company. Dr Lee joined the Board of Imperial Cancer Research Technology Ltd (ICRT) in 2001 and, following the merger of ICRF and CRC, played a key role in the strategic planning of the business model for Cancer Research UK's technology transfer company, Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), and became its Chairman in 2003. She sits on the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, is Chairman of the Applied Genomics LINK Scheme Programme Management Committee, is a member of the Biochemistry Society and the Genetics Society, and was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences in 2003. Dr Lee received an Honorary Postdoctoral Degree from the University of York in 2004 and is a William Pitt Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Professor Colin Bird CBE FRSE
Appointed 2005, b 05.03.1938. Professor Bird was formerly Dean of Medicine and Provost of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at Edinburgh University and Professor of Pathology at Leeds and Edinburgh Universities. He has longstanding interests in cancer research, both basic and clinical aspects, and has worked on these in several universities and research institutes in the UK and USA. He has served previously on the Medical Research Council's Research Boards and Grants Committees, the Cancer Research Campaign Scientific Advisory and other Committees and various national NHS Advisory Committees on Cancer. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Pathologists, Physicians and Surgeons and of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Sir Kenneth Calman, FRSE, PhD, BSc, FRCP, FRCS(Ed), FRCGP
Appointed 2007, b 25.12.1941. Sir Kenneth Calman is Chancellor of the University of Glasgow and Chair of The National Cancer Research Institute. He has recently been appointed Chair of the Commission approved by the Scottish Parliament to review devolution. He was Vice Chancellor at the University of Durham for almost nine years. While in Durham he was a member of the Regional Committee of the CBI and of the North East Chamber of Commerce. Before taking up his appointment at the University of Durham he was Chief Medical Officer at the Scottish Home and Health Department from 1989 and the Chief Medical Officer for England (1991-98).
Sir Kenneth also served for many years as a prominent clinical professor and he is the author of many books on the care and treatment of cancer and on medical education. He is currently a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, and President of the Institute of Medical Ethics. He Chairs the NHS Genetics Education Group and is a member of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee.
Sir Kenneth has served as Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation and the European Environment and Health Committee. He is a Fellow of several academic and professional bodies including the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 1996 he became a Knight Commander of the Order of Bath.
Dr Philip Campbell BSc MSc DSc FInstP FRASv
Appointed 2003, b 19.04.1951. Dr Campbell is the Editor-in-Chief of Nature and of Nature publications. After a period of post-doctoral research in physics, he joined Nature in 1979, becoming Physical Sciences editor in 1982. He left Nature in 1988 to be the founding editor of Physics World.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He took up his present position in December 1995, and is also a member of the board of directors of the Nature Publishing Group. He is chairman of the Charity's Public Affairs and Campaigning Advisory Committee.
In a personal capacity, he has advised or collaborated with the Wellcome Trust, US National Institutes of Health, the UK Office of Science and Technology and the European Commission on aspects of the life sciences and their impacts in society.
Sir James Crosby
Appointed 2008, b 14.03.1956. Sir James is the Deputy Chairman of the FSA (Jan 2004-present, Deputy Chairman since December 2007), senior independent director of ITV plc (formerly Granada plc, Nov 2002 – present) and Compass Group plc (Feb 2007 – present). He is also a member of the European Advisory Board of Bridgepoint Capital (Sept 2006 – present), a member of the Finance Committee of the Delegacy of Oxford University Press (Sept 2006 – present) and Chairman of the Government¿s Working Group on Mortgage Finance (Apr 2008 – present). He received a knighthood in 2006.
Professor Barry Furr OBE FMedSci FIBiol BSc MA PhD
Appointed 2005, b 17.11.1943. Professor Furr retired as Chief Scientist and Head of the Project Evaluation Group at AstraZeneca in November 2005, but, remains a part-time consultant; he also consults for a number of other companies. He has worked on cancer and reproductive biology research for over 30 years and was involved in the discovery and development of Zoladex and Casodex used in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer. He holds an honorary chair at The University of Manchester and is William Pitt Fellow at Pembroke College Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and Chairman of its Industry Forum. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Biology and Member of the Council of the Biosciences Federation. He was awarded an OBE in the Millennium Honours List for services to cancer drug discovery.
Professor Keith Gull CBE FMedSci FRS
Appointed 2003, b 29.05.1948. Keith Gull holds a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellowship at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford. His research is focussed on molecular parasitology, particularly African trypanosomiasis. He has served on numerous research committees of funding agencies and charities, has been a member of the BBSRC Council and of the Committee for Safety of Medicines, was Chairman of the Biochemical Society (1998-2001), and is a member of the Leverhulme Trust's Research Awards Advisory Committee. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society and was awarded a CBE in the 2004 New Years Honours list.
Liz Hewitt FCA BSc(Econ) FRSA
Appointed 2005, b 03.11.1956. Liz has been Group Director of Corporate Affairs for Smith & Nephew plc, the global medical technology business, since 2004. Liz is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, having qualified with Arthur Andersen & Co. She has worked for ten years in the venture capital industry for Gartmore Investment Limited, Citicorp Venture Capital Limited and 3i Group plc.
In 2003, Liz was seconded by 3i to the Department of Trade and Industry and HM Treasury where she worked on an SME financing programme which was announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement in 2003.
Liz's charitable work has included non-executive roles with; the Rail Users Consultative Committee, Bournewood NHS Trust, Vice-Chairman of the Surrey Police Authority and the Audit and Finance Committee of the Royal Society of Arts.
Dame Bridget Ogilvie AC DBE FRS
Appointed 2001, b 24.03.1938. Dame Bridget obtained her doctoral degrees from the University of Cambridge for research in parasitology. Before joining the Wellcome Trust in 1979, she was a member of the scientific staff of the National Institute for Medical Research. She was Director of the Wellcome Trust between 1991 and 1998. She is currently based at University College London as a Visiting Professor. Dame Bridget occupies herself with a variety of non-executive roles.
Dr Keith F Palmer (Treasurer)
Appointed 2003, b 26.07.1947. Dr Palmer is currently non-executive Vice Chairman of N M Rothschild & Sons Ltd, Chairman of Cambridge Economic Policy Associates and Chairman of the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund. He held senior positions with Rothschild from 1984-2002 and prior to that he worked at the World Bank and as a resident advisor to governments in Papua New Guinea and Tanzania. He is a part-time Professor at the University of Dundee, a non-executive Director of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust and of IVIMEDS, an international medical education collaboration, a Trustee of Kirkhouse Trust and of Guy's and St Thomas' Charitable Foundation and a Senior Associate of the King's Fund. He chairs the Charity's Finance Committee.
Anthony Percival FCA
Appointed 2003, b 11.01.1940. Tony Percival is a Chartered Accountant and a former Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was an Executive Director of Kingfisher plc, having been Group Finance Director from 1995 to 1999, and is a non-Executive Director of the Royal London UK Equity and Income Trust plc and Gatekeeper Systems Inc. He chairs the Charity's Audit Committee.
Timothy S D Pile
Appointed 2004, b 18.02.1953. Tim Pile is currently CEO of Cogent Elliott Group, a large midlands based marketing consultancy. Previously Tim was Chief Executive Officer of Sainsbury's Bank, an independent plc owned by J Sainsbury and HBOS, set up as a joint venture in 1997. From 1996 to 2001 Tim was with the Alliance and Leicester Group as Business Strategy & Marketing Director. He worked for Lloyds TSB as Marketing Director between 1992 and 1996. He is on various Marketing and industry bodies and is an Honorary Senior Fellow of Birmingham Business School and a Governor of Bromsgrove School. He is Chairman of the Charity's Fundraising & Marketing Advisory Committee.
Leah Sowden FCA CTA
Appointed 2005, b 20.06.1960. Leah Sowden is a general practice partner in Saffery Champness, Chartered Accountants, based in their High Wycombe office, offering a wide range of services to businesses and charities. Leah provides audit and value added services to her charity clients. She qualified with Armitage and Norton specialising in audit and accountancy services. Previously, she served on the Charity's Audit Committee from 2002 until 2004.
Sir Kenneth Stowe GCB CVO MA
Appointed 2001, b 17.07.1927. Sir Kenneth Stowe worked in central government until 1987 holding positions including Under Secretary Cabinet Office, Principal Private Secretary to successive Prime Ministers, Permanent Under Secretary of State Northern Ireland Office and then Permanent Secretary Health and Social Security. After this Sir Kenneth was an advisor on public service reform for the UK and mainly African Governments, and the UN. He was also a Trustee of various charities including the Carnegie UK Trust, The Cancer Research Campaign and CHASE Children's Hospice. He was a Trustee and Chairman of the Institute of Cancer Research between 1987-97 and a Director of the Royal Marsden Hospital. In 1998 he led the voluntary sector team in negotiating the Compact between central government and the voluntary sector, and was its co-signatory with the Home Secretary. He is chairman of the Charity's Nomination & Remuneration Committee.
Professor Jeffrey Tobias MD FRCP FRCR
Appointed 2001, b 04.12.1946. Professor Tobias qualified in Medicine in 1971 and has been a cancer specialist for almost 30 years. Currently a consultant at UCL hospitals, with a personal Chair in Cancer Medicine at UCL Medical School, he previously worked at the Harvard Medical School and London's Hammersmith, St. Bartholomew's, and Royal Marsden hospitals. He trained both in medical oncology and radiation therapy, the major non surgical treatments for cancer. His publications include Cancer: What Every Patient Needs to Know and Living with Cancer, both written for the general public (the latter to accompany a major BBC television series). He has also written widely on ethical issues (including consent) in cancer research. For 10 years he chaired the Cancer Research Campaign breast cancer studies "think tank". He also previously chaired the CRC Education Committee and was previously President of the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists.
Dr Harold Varmus MD
Appointed 2006, b 18.12.1939. Harold Varmus, former Director of the National Institutes of Health and co-recipient of a Nobel Prize for studies of the genetic basis of cancer, has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City since January 2000. Much of Dr. Varmus' scientific work was conducted during 23 years as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco, where he and Dr. J. Michael Bishop and their co-workers demonstrated the cellular origins of the oncogene of a chicken retrovirus. This discovery led to the isolation of many cellular genes that normally control growth and development and are frequently mutated in human cancer. For this work, Bishop and Varmus received many awards, including the 1989 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. Dr. Varmus is also widely recognised for his studies of the replication cycles of retroviruses and hepatitis B viruses, the functions of genes implicated in cancer, and the development of mouse models for human cancer (the focus of much of the current work in his laboratory at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center). In 1993, Varmus was named by President Clinton to serve as the Director of the National Institutes of Health, a position he held until the end of 1999. He served on the World Health Organisation's Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, chairs the Board of Directors of Public Library of Science and the Scientific Board of the Grand Challenges in Global Health, and works with several groups to enhance scientific activity in the developing world. He has been a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences since 1984 and of the Institute of Medicine since 1991. In 1982 he was awarded the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, in 2001 the Vannevar Bush Award, National Science Foundation and also in 2001 he was awarded the National Medal of Science.
A native of Freeport, Long Island, Dr. Varmus majored in English literature at Amherst College and earned a Masters degree in English at Harvard University. He is a graduate of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons.
