Board of Directors and Senior Management Team

Demonstrating our breadth of experience across science, corporate and financial disciplines

Our Board of Directors, supported by the Senior Management Team, contribute decades of experience in the Life Science Industry to form a coherent, complementary team.

ValiRx has been operating since 2006. Our Board of Directors and Senior Management Team have fantastic combined knowledge and skillsets, spanning many years and disciplines to cover all bases of operations. A Scientific Advisory Board comprising external Advisors across a breadth of drug discovery disciplines provides practical and strategic support to the Management Team.

The team are led by our experienced Board of Directors, each with a wealth of experience across many sectors around the globe.

Our team are located primarily at ValiRx HQ in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Board

Martin Lampshire Mr Martin Lampshire
Non-Executive Director
Martin Lampshire

Mr Martin Lampshire

Non-Executive Director

Martin started his career in Lloyds Bank’s Commercial Services division in 1989 after completing the ACIB qualification. He has over thirty years’ experience in Corporate Broking, assisting in a variety of equity raises including IPOs, secondary fundraising's, vendor and private placings across a variety of sectors. 

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Stella Panu - Proposed Non-Executive Director, Valirx plc Stella Panu
Non-Executive Director
Stella Panu - Proposed Non-Executive Director, Valirx plc

Stella Panu

Non-Executive Director

With over 20 years’ experience in corporate finance and investment management, Stella’s expertise will support the ValiRx Board and senior management team to unlock investment potential and accelerate and manage business growth for the company.  In her role, she will also oversee ValiRx’s M&A activity, advising on corporate structure and governance, risk management, and shareholders’ rights.

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Dr Suzanne Dilly Dr Suzanne Dilly
Chief Executive Officer
Dr Suzanne Dilly

Dr Suzanne Dilly

Chief Executive Officer

Dr Suzanne Dilly is an experienced entrepreneurial scientist. After commercialising her Chemical Biology post-doctoral research in the University of Warwick spin-out, a2sp Limited, Suzanne was awarded a prestigious Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship, during which formal commercial and entrepreneurial training completed her transition from lab to boardroom.

Completing commercial transactions to progress projects through multiple companies, Suzanne has been working in small company virtual biotechs since 2006.

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Kevin Cox Dr Kevin Cox
Non-Executive Chairman
Kevin Cox

Dr Kevin Cox

Non-Executive Chairman

Kevin has over 25 years’ experience in the life science industry. Serving as CEO of high growth biotechnology businesses, he has extensive experience in strategy, corporate development, M&A, financing and joint ventures. With a passion for improving translational science, Kevin has strong links to government, funding bodies and academia, and has contributed to a number of public sector advisory committees. Kevin currently has non-executive roles with Biorelate Limited, Syndermix SA, the British Neuroscience Association and Biotaspheric.

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Gerry Desler Mr Gerry Desler
Chief Financial Officer
Gerry Desler

Mr Gerry Desler

Chief Financial Officer

Gerry is a chartered accountant, who qualified in 1968 with a City firm, before becoming a partner (1970) and Senior Partner (1985). During his time in the City, he has specialised in consultancy work, much of it involving funding and venture capital.

Gerry was previously the Finance Director of Premier Management Holdings plc, an AIM listed company and is on the board of a number of private companies. Gerry also holds positions as Company Secretary at Prospex Oil and Gas Plc both AIM listed companies.

Management Team

Zai Ahmad Zai Ahmad
Preclinical Project Manager
Zai Ahmad

Zai Ahmad

Preclinical Project Manager

Zai has over 25 years experience in the life science industry.  Originally in Neuroscience, looking at synaptic junctions associated with memory and neurotransmitter release and pathways associated with Parkinson’s Disease and cardiovascular regulation.  Zai moved to oncology as an opportunity to be closer to patients and to have a direct impact on patient survival.  Working at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) for 14 years, Zai established a specialism in xenograft and transgenic models for use in drug development.

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Kumar Nawani Mr Kumar Nawani
Head of Operations
Kumar Nawani

Mr Kumar Nawani

Head of Operations

Kumar has been working over 20 years in international trade, client & vendor management, business development, brand development, e-commerce, procurement, IT management & compliance roles with established public and private companies here in the UK and previously in Hong Kong.

Kumar has been with the ValiRx Group since January 2008 and is an active member of the ValiRx management team.

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Mark Treharne Mr Mark Treharne
Corporate Development Manager
Mark Treharne

Mr Mark Treharne

Corporate Development Manager

Mark began his career in the City in 2011 and has worked in Corporate Broking and Equity sales working for numerous different firms including Daniel Stewart, Northland Capital Partners and Pello Capital. His role includes enhancing the reputation of the company within the City and working closely with City firms to identify new therapeutic assets to incorporate into the ValiRx portfolio.

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Dr Cathy Tralau-Stewart Dr Cathy Tralau-Stewart
Chief Scientific Officer
Dr Cathy Tralau-Stewart

Dr Cathy Tralau-Stewart

Chief Scientific Officer

Cathy is an experienced therapeutics development scientist and pharmacologist. Working within some of the world's leading pharma and academic research establishments she has developed a broad knowledge of drug discovery and the translation of early research innovation into developable drug discovery programs.

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