The Wellcome TrustI worked in-house at Wellcome for more than 15 years, focused on engagement and communication.
Me in Wellcome Collection.
Adding a sense of the 'other' and taking the machismo out of our new values, thanks to commissioned interpretations from artist Steven Appleby.
M&S CEO at the time, Marc Bolland, presenting an inspiring Speaker Series talk for our staff, here shown with Wellcome CEO at the time, Prof Sir Jeremy Farrar.
Young people visiting our offices.
Working with our Director of Culture & Engagement, Clare Matterson, to explore our common values and corporate approach.
A packed out staff audience of 1000, attending a talk from Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director of the World Health Organisation.
One of Wellcome's staff choirs that I conducted for over a decade.
Senior leadership strategic breakout session and discussion.
Alongside colleagues, hosting an impromptu visit from the President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim.
My work
I joined Wellcome in 2007, initially leading the marketing team before moving into internal communications and engagement in 2011. From 2017, I also served on the Operations Executive Leadership Team.
As Europe’s largest charitable foundation, Wellcome remains one of the UK’s great civic and scientific institutions, investing more than £1.5 billion annually in biomedical research, public health and the understanding of life, health and humanity. There is no other organisation quite like it in the world.
Much of my work focused on engagement — first with an international research community of more than 36,000 scientists, and later with Wellcome’s own staff across a £40bn+ investment portfolio, a global grants operation, and Wellcome Collection.
During my time there I led and supported a wide range of cultural and organisational initiatives, including the development and practical adoption of organisational values; a shift towards values-based policies and behaviours; the creation of an award-winning intranet recognised by the Nielsen Norman Group in 2020; and an ongoing programme of talks, presentations and live events bringing together scientists, politicians, artists, business leaders and public thinkers.
Memories include hearing from speakers such as Bill Gates, Gordon Brown, David Blunkett, Neil MacGregor, David Nott and senior leaders from organisations including BP and Google; working alongside colleagues developing research partnerships across India and sub-Saharan Africa; and celebrating scientific breakthroughs with Nobel Prize winners and distinguished guests including David Attenborough.
Alongside this, I created a number of opportunities for young people — particularly those aged 15–18 — to experience working life within Wellcome and to explore pathways into biology, chemistry and scientific research. More than 3000 London-based secondary school pupils attended across different initiatives. I also helped found and deliver Wellcome’s inaugural 2-year Graduate Scheme leading to 12 annual prestigious placements within the organisation selected from an exceptional application pool.
Above all, my role was always about people: listening carefully, understanding complex challenges, and helping those working across science, operations and leadership find ways to communicate their work, their ideas and their impact more meaningfully.