Board of Directors

Dr. Jenkins is a biopharma thought leader with 25 years of industry experience. Until November 2017, she was President and Chief Executive Officer at leading gene therapy company, Dimension Therapeutics. Prior to joining Dimension in September 2014, Annalisa served as head of global research and development at Merck Serono Pharmaceuticals from 2013 to 2014, where she also served as executive vice president global development and medical from 2011 to 2013. Prior to this, Dr. Jenkins held several leadership roles at Bristol Myers-Squibb from 1997 to 2011, most recently serving as senior vice president and head of global medical affairs. Earlier in her career, Dr. Jenkins was a medical officer in the British Royal Navy during the Gulf Conflict, achieving the rank of surgeon lieutenant commander.

David was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Silence in July 2016. David holds a B.A. in English & Philosophy from Birmingham University, and is a qualified chartered accountant.

Prior to joining Silence, David’s relevant Biotech experience includes several senior finance roles within both UK and US publicly owned life science companies, most recently as Senior EUMEA Finance Director for BioMarin Pharmaceuticals Inc. from 2010 to 2016. Prior to that he was CFO at Plethora Solutions plc (2008-2009), and Group Financial Controller at Ark Therapeutics from 2001 to 2008, during which time Ark undertook an IPO on the London Stock Exchange.

Dr. Parker served as Non-Executive Chairman from September 2015 to October 2017, having first joined the Board in November 2013. He brings substantial Board experience, with over thirty years’ experience in the healthcare sector. Stephen was previously a Partner with the Celtic Pharma funds, Chief Financial Officer of Oxford GlycoSciences plc and a senior investment banker with Barings, Warburg’s and Apax Partners.

Alistair brings a wealth of strategic consultancy and business experience. Having trained as an accountant, his early career was in senior management positions with Unilever and John Wood Group PLC. Alistair was a Director of Arthur Young (now Ernst and Young) Management Consultants and PA Consulting Group for over ten years. Alistair previously chaired the Audit and Remuneration committees of AorTech International PLC and Highland Distillers PLC, as well as the Pension Trustee Board. Alistair also served as a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and Institute of Consultants. His key role at Silence is to chair the Audit and Risk Committee.

Dr. Richards has an established track record in founding and scaling up innovative Biotech and Healthtech companies in the UK. His early career spanned positions with ICI (now AstraZeneca) and PA Technology, and he was a founder and executive director of Chiroscience plc. Since 1999 he has founded, invested in and helped to scale more than 25 innovative ventures including companies such as Vectura, Arakis, Cambridge Biotechnology Ltd and Geneservice. Andy is also a founder member of the Cambridge Angels and a trustee of the British Science Association.