Our executive team

Dr Owain Millington

VP & HEAD OF PRE-CLINICAL

Owain has 20 years’ experience in the immunology space. Having led an independent academic research group investigating immunity in the context of infectious and inflammatory diseases, Owain moved into biotech in 2017. Since then, he has worked in early-stage companies, including TC BioPharm, Medisix and Matterhorn Biosciences. He has strong experience in building and leading Discovery and Development teams, successfully identifying new candidates and delivering cell therapy products into the clinic.

Dr Dawn Firmin

HEAD OF TECHNICAL OPERATIONS

Dawn has around 15 years of experience in drug development. Managing and coordinating the  phases of the drug development process, from lead discovery, to PoC, CMC, GLP toxicology and safety pharmacology, clinical trials (FIM & Ph IIa),  as well as directing regulatory, quality and funding oversite. Dawn has held key roles in early stage biotech, including MGB Biopharma and EnteroBiotix. She has wide experience in programme management with third parties across the development pathway to support new therapeutics to the clinic.

Julie Bailey

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Julie is a certified and chartered accountant who has worked for over two decades in executive finance roles. Prior to joining ILC, Julie has served in CFO and MD roles, with oversight of finance, HR, sales & marketing and IT. In addition, she co-founded a health supplement e-commerce (exited 2023) and Turnkey, a venture partner studio providing services for equity in start-up/spin-outs. She has led multiple successful raises and exits and provides financial clarity for effective decision-making in fast-paced corporate environments.

Our non-executive team

Peter Bains

CHAIR

Peter has more than three decades of leadership experience in the bio pharmaceutical industry including senior strategic and operational roles in a 20-year career with GSK. He more recently served as CEO of Syngene ,where he led a successful IPO and listing in India, and Sosei Heptares, a Japanese publicly listed company, where he led the acquisition of Heptares. Peter currently serves as Group CEO of Biocon, an Indian listed biotechnology company, and as a non-executive director the Boards of MiNA Therapeutics, a private UK biotech, Indivior, a FTSE-listed public company, and he is a Managing Partner of Twiga Group LLC.

Kevin Grainger

Kevin is a serial technology entrepreneur with over 40 years’ experience. He has successfully established and exited a number of technology businesses. Kevin established the St Andrews-based EOS Investment Syndicate in 2014, which is a group of private angel impact investors focused on providing seed funding for Scottish early stage science and technology opportunities which have global potential.

Richard Morgan

Richard Morgan is a Managing Partner of Twiga Group LLC. He has played an active role in the development of over 40 life science and technology companies, including MediSense, Quidel, Celgene (all listed on NASDAQ) and, most recently, Kromek Group, MotifBio, and Polarean Imaging, each of which was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Richard co-founded Celgene in 1987 and was on the board for 20 years, serving as Chairman and CEO before recruiting a new CEO. He was Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Amphion Innovations plc. Prior to founding Amphion, he was a Managing Partner at Wolfensohn Partners LP, which followed 15 years at Schroders plc, then a leading British merchant bank.

Professor David Harrison

David is Professor of Pathology at the University of St Andrews, and Director of iCAIRD, a Scotland-wide AI research centre in pathology and radiology. He is also Honorary Consultant Histopathologist at NHS Lothian and the clinical lead responsible for oversight of use of human tissue in research. His research interests include quantitative pathology and the determination of cell fate after injury.

Chris Brinsmead CBE

Chris is chairman of the board at Proveca Ltd, Bioscript Ltd and Peakdata AG. He is a non-executive director of Optibiotox Plc, ILC Therapeutics Ltd and a partner at EOS LLC. He has extensive non-executive board experience serving on public, private and charity boards in Life Sciences and other sectors following a 30-year executive career with AstraZeneca. Chris was appointed a CBE in January 2015 for services to Life Science.

Robert Kopple

Bob has practiced law in Los Angeles, California, for more than 40 years in the field of taxation and business law. As an entrepreneur, he has financed more than a dozen small companies, including several involved in medical science. Bob currently sits on the board of directors of several biotechnology companies, including MiNA Therapeutics.

Chris Wardhaugh

Chris has worked with a number of life sciences companies as both a Director and Non-Executive Director. Chris specialises in seeking and executing transactions, which range from business development contracts for products or services, through investment rounds to exit transactions, and has led and executed transactions valued in excess of $800million. He has broad experience with a strong commercial focus and has held various positions throughout his career with MGB Biopharma, PnemoWave, Ten Bio, Lamellar, Clyde Biosciences, Quintiles, ProStrakan, Isis Research and Warner Lambert, before founding his own commercial advisory consultancy, Sercader, in 2018.