ABOUT US

Yorkshire Cancer Research is Yorkshire's cancer charity.

Every penny we raise we spend in Yorkshire, helping local people beat cancer and supporting world-class research, diagnosis and treatment in our region.

We work throughout Yorkshire and we benefit Yorkshire people, in addition to sharing our findings to improve the lives of people everywhere.  

trustees of Yorkshire cancer research

 

      

Chairman: Professor Anthony Robards OBE

Tony holds first and higher degrees in Biology from University College London. He served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Relations at the University of York from 1996 to 2004, during which time he helped set up the university's 21-acre Science Park. He was also HSBC Professor of Innovation at the university from 2001 to 2008.  He was a co-founder of Science City York and Founder of Venturefest Yorkshire. Tony is a Fellow of the Society of Biology and has published more than 130 scientific papers and books in pure and applied biological research throughout his 40-year academic career. In 2002 he was awarded an OBE for 'Services to Higher Education'. He is currently a Non-executive Director of Avacta Group plc, York Science Park Ltd. and Pro Cure Therapeutics Ltd.  He was Governor of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York 2008-9.

      

Deputy Chairman: Mr Peter Hornby

Peter holds a BSc in General Sciences from Liverpool University and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.  Peter's early career was in accountancy and finance with Courtaulds, UK Atomic Energy Authority and GKN.  He then undertook a career change which saw him move initially into recruitment and then into broader HR consulting with Deloitte. He has now worked as an independent consultant for 14 years in the fields of talent management, executive recruitment, strategic resourcing, HR strategy formulation, culture development and general business planning. He is Chairman of our Remuneration and Nominations Committees.
      

Treasurer: Mr A M Sidebottom BA (Hons) FCA

Alan is a chartered accountant and Director of Garbutt & Elliott, which is based in York. He acts as Treasurer in addition to sitting on our Remuneration Committee and Investment Committee.

Trustee: John Abram

John graduated from Manchester University's Institute of Science and Technology in 1974 with a degree in Management Science.  His early career involved international planning, sales and marketing with Albany International and  American Express. In 1981, he started his own business selling a variety of products and services to small firms in the UK.  He sold this business in 1986 and subsequently co-founded Abram, Hawkes Plc which, over the next 15 years, grew to be one of the leading specialist strategy consultancies in the UK. After selling the business to a major French technology consultancy he retired in 2002 having managed the integration of the combined businesses. Since then, John has been involved in a number of private business ventures and devotes a significant part of his time to the voluntary sector.
    

Trustee: Mr D Broderick FCA FCCA

Derek has served more than 40 years in private practice as a Chartered Accountant. He is currently consultant to and former partner of Brodericks Chartered Certified Accountants, which is based in Doncaster.  In addition he is also the Managing Director of a company which deals with the Accountancy and Taxation affairs of small UK private clients. He is also a Trustee of four other charitable trusts, for two of which he is the secretary/treasurer. Derek sits on our Compliance Committee.

Trustee: Andy Brown

Formerly a senior executive with Boots Group plc, BskyB plc and ASDA Group plc, Andy went on to establish a successful business transformation consultancy which he sold to private equity buyers in 2000 and then a business-to-business supplier relationship management technology company, which was purchased by a venture capital backed group in 2008. He then decided to 'go plural' and so he is currently Acting Managing Director of a £500m public sector supply business, an advisor to the board of a £3billion plc whilst also building up a number of specialist businesses.

Trustee: Stan Brown

Stan obtained a degree in chemistry from the University of Durham and his doctorate from the University of Newcastle. He spent more than 35 years in his academic career in Leeds University becoming Professor of Biochemistry, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Director of the Centre of Photobiology and Photodynamic Therapy. He has also served as a Director of Yorkshire Regional Health Authority. He was a Yorkshire Cancer Research Programme Grant holder from 1985 to 2003. His area of expertise is photodynamic therapy, which uses photosensitising drugs and visible light to destroy cancer cells.  He is now a Director and Chief Scientific Officer for Photopharmica, a company spun out from University of Leeds to develop new treatments using photodynamic therapy. Stan is Chairman of our Scientific Advisory Committee.
    

Trustee: Professor P J Guillou BSc MD FRCS FRCPS FMedSci

Pierre is a former Professor of Surgery at the University of Leeds with extensive senior clinical experience. He brings a very strong clinical perspective to the Board of Trustees.  Pierre is a member of the Commercial and Clinical Development Committee.

    

Trustee: Mr J L Richards LLB

John is a retired solicitor and now chairs our Compliance Committee. He also sits on the Investment Committee.

    

Trustee: Mr M Rigby BA (Hons) FCA MSI 

Mike is a chartered accountant and is Director of Rensburg Sheppards Investment Management Ltd. He chairs our Investment Committee.

      

Trustee: Mrs A Senior JP BA (Hons) 

Since retiring from a career in Nursing and Nurse Education, Angela has undertaken a number of voluntary and semi voluntary work.  In addition to her latest role as a Trustee at YCR, she is a member of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Leeds and a Mental Health Act Manager with the Leeds Partnership Mental Health Foundation Trust.

    

Trustee: Dr Alan Suggett BSc PhD FRSC HonFRCP

Alan has spent most of his career sitting on that sometimes uncomfortable bridge between technology and business. For the last 25 years or so he has been a senior figure in the world of health technology, retiring from his full-time operational roles with Smith & Nephew, where he was Technology Director, at the end of 2003. Since leaving Smith & Nephew he has been a Non-Executive Director of Intercytex Group plc and PuriCore plc, and is currently Deputy Chairman of the UK Healthtech and Medicines Knowledge Transfer Network, and Chairman of the Data Safety Monitoring Board at Photopharmica. Although a chemist by initial training his research interests have largely been in the biological domain and he has been particularly involved in the repair of damaged tissues such as skin, bone and cartilage. He is an Honorary Visiting Professor and Member of Court at the University of York, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.