Lombard Odier sponsors leading UK life sciences forum

Lombard Odier was proud to sponsor the UK BioIndustry Association’s (BIA) 2019 CEO and Investor Forum from 24-25 June.

This was a key event in the life sciences calendar, and an exciting opportunity for investors, sector leaders and experts to discuss the future of one of the UK’s most innovative, fast-growing industries.

The BIA is a champion of the UK life sciences sector, supporting innovative companies that are creating transformative treatments for patients. They work with a range of stakeholders to support an ecosystem that enables life sciences companies to start and grow successfully and sustainably.

The forum’s discussion topics included scaling life sciences businesses, fundraising, successful intellectual property strategies, the future of the sector and why the UK is uniquely positioned to succeed. The event also showcased a number of exciting young entrepreneurs and their companies.

The highlight of the first day was BIA chief executive Steve Bates’s “fireside chat” with Melanie Lee, the chief executive of medical research charity LifeArc, where they discussed her career and experiences at the forefront of life sciences innovation and leadership.

Sponsorship of the BIA is just one way in which Lombard Odier supports cutting-edge projects in the fields of science and technology – from funding particle physics research at the CERN laboratory, to support for France Digitale, which champions French digital start-ups.

Our two organisations share many common values, including innovation, sustainability and an entrepreneurial spirit.  We believe the life sciences sector is a key player in shaping the economy of the future, via engagement with structural ‘megatrends’ such as changing demographics and the digital revolution.

According to UK Government statistics, at the end of 2018 the life sciences industry employed 248,400 people nationally in 5,870 businesses and generated a turnover of £73.8 billion. Eighty percent of these businesses were small and medium-sized enterprises.

“The BIA’s Forum is an excellent opportunity to connect with a like-minded organisation, and to meet fellow entrepreneurs working at the heart of an ideas-driven industry. We hope that this fruitful exchange is the start of a wider, long-term collaboration,” said Lombard Odier Senior Private Banker Dylan Samuel.