Our executive team
Medicines UK is led by a team of experts with a wide range of industry, government, public sector and consultancy experience. Their work is supported by elected representatives from the membership.
The day-to-day running of Medicines UK and the British Biosimilars Association is headed by Mark Samuels, the association's chief executive. He is supported by a dedicated team of experts in different relevant fields. Medicines UK also elects a chair and vice chair on a rotational basis, drawn from the membership. The current chair is Diane DiGangi Trench and the vice chair is Paul Burden.
Diane is the Chair of Medicines UK. The Head of the Northern cluster at Sandoz, she has more than 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience and has held a number of senior commercial roles including stints with Takeda and AstraZeneca.
Diane DiGangi Trench
Chair
Diane is the Chair of Medicines UK. The Head of the Northern cluster at Sandoz, she has more than 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience and has held a number of senior commercial roles including stints with Takeda and AstraZeneca. She joined Sandoz in 2018 in the US, where she served as Vice-President, Market Access and Patient Services. In 2021, she became the head of Sandoz's UK business and in her two years in role, she has led the organisation through a post-COVID recovery and growth phase to prepare for the proposed spin out of the company from its parent, Novartis.
Paul is the vice chair of Medicines UK and the Associate Vice President and UK Country Head for Accord Healthcare.
Paul Burden
Vice Chair
Paul is the vice chair of Medicines UK and the Associate Vice President and UK Country Head for Accord Healthcare. He has 25 years' experience in the off-patent sector and, prior to his current position, held a variety of commercial roles with companies such as Arrow Generics, Mylan, Teva, Advanz and STADA Thornton & Ross. At an association level he has been involved with Medicines UK since 2011, including chairing the economic and commercial working group for four years. He has helped shape Medicines UK's priorities and position on topics such as generic pricing, falsified medicines directive, economic data, voluntary schemes, and supply chain issues.
Mark is the Chief Executive of both Medicines UK as well as its sister body the British Biosimilars Association (BBA). Mark's career has spanned diverse experience across the life sciences sector.
Mark Samuels
CEO
Mark is the Chief Executive of both Medicines UK and its sister body the British Biosimilars Association (BBA). Mark's career has spanned diverse experience across the life sciences sector. He is a former executive at Roche and co-founded the Medicines Discovery Catapult. He was the founding Managing Director of the government's Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure – instrumental in managing the Department of Health's £0.6 billion/year investment in research centres across the NHS. Mark served for seven years on the Chief Medical Officer for England's strategy board for health research, and he has worked with Number 10 to contribute to the Prime Minister's strategy for life sciences.
Paul Fleming is Technical Director of Medicines UK and the British Biosimilars Association (BBA).
Paul Fleming
Technical Director
Paul Fleming is Technical Director of Medicines UK and the British Biosimilars Association (BBA). The roles include close and regular working with MHRA, Department of Health and Social Care, the NHS, other parts of government and wider stakeholders. Paul has 19 years' experience from working in the generic sector of the European pharmaceutical industry in a variety of board level roles covering R&D, medicines regulation, site management and business leadership. Earlier in his career Paul spent six years with MHRA as a pharmaceutical assessor. He is a registered pharmacist and holds a higher degree in pharmaceutical technology.
Jeremy oversees all strategic communications engagement and delivery on behalf of the association. A former journalist at the start of his career, he spent 16 years as a partner in a London-based international strategic communications consultancy leading and advising on high-profile media campaigns and running a risk and crisis practice.
Jeremy Durrant
Communications and Engagement Director
Jeremy oversees all strategic communications engagement and delivery on behalf of the association. A former journalist at the start of his career, he spent 16 years as a partner in a London-based international strategic communications consultancy leading and advising on high-profile media campaigns and running a risk and crisis practice. His role at Medicines UK is to oversee all external and internal communications activity and stakeholder engagement, as well as content creation. His responsibilities also include stakeholder engagement, membership services, events, social channel management and networking.
Robert has worked for Medicines UK since 2009. In his current role, Rob initiates and supports Medicines UK's engagement with Government, Parliamentarians, as well as relevant health bodies and other stakeholders, regarding the public reimbursement, pricing and procurement of medicines in both primary and secondary care.
Robert Russell-Pavier
Economics and Government Affairs Director
Robert has worked for Medicines UK since 2009. In his current role, Rob initiates and supports Medicines UK's engagement with government, parliamentarians, relevant health bodies and other stakeholders regarding the public reimbursement, pricing and procurement of medicines in both primary and secondary care. Among other areas, Rob is currently focused on helping the association to articulate its position around the developing homecare market as well as ready-to-use products.
Michael has worked in healthcare communications and government relations for more than twenty years.
Michael Clarke
Partnerships Director
Michael has worked in healthcare communications and government relations for more than twenty years. He has worked at the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, as well as advising many health tech and health service delivery companies. He is a consultant to Medicines UK and leads on all areas of sustainability engagement.