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Meet the OXB team

Board of directors | Senior management | Site leadership

Board of directors

Dr. Roch Doliveux

Chair

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Dr. Roch Doliveux was appointed to the Board as Non-Executive Chair in June 2020. Dr Doliveux was appointed interim CEO from January 2022, following John Dawson’s retirement, until March 2023 when Oxford Biomedica welcomed Dr Frank Mathias as the Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Doliveux is currently Chair of the Board of Directors at Pierre Fabre S.A. and Vice Chair of Pierre Fabre Participations. He was previously the Chief Executive Officer of UCB S.A. for ten years during which time he transformed the company from a diversified chemical group into a global biopharmaceutical leader. He was a member of the Board of UCB S.A. from 2002–2015 and from 2017–2021. In addition, Dr. Doliveux was a member of the Board of Stryker from 2010–2020 and Chair of the Compensation Committee from 2016–2020. He also chaired the Board of Vlerick Business School from 2013–2017, the Board of IMI, the largest healthcare public-private partnership in the world from 2012–2015 and GLG Institute from 2016–2022.

Prior to this, Dr. Doliveux worked at Schering-Plough International, Inc. from 1990–2003 and at Ciba-Geigy AG (now Novartis) from 1982-1990. Dr. Doliveux is a Veterinary Surgeon by training and has an MBA from INSEAD.

Committee membership:

Nomination committee
Remuneration Committee (Dr. Doliveux did not serve as a member of the Remuneration Committee whilst he served as interim Chief Executive Officer)

Relevant skills:

Corporate strategy
Corporate governance
Investor relations

Dr. Frank Mathias

Chief Executive Officer

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Dr. Frank Mathias joined the Board as Chief Executive Officer in March 2023. Dr. Mathias was previously the CEO of Rentschler Biopharma SE, which he successfully developed into a leading global, full-service CDMO. Prior to Rentschler, Dr. Mathias was CEO of Medigene AG, a publicly listed immuno-oncology company focusing on the development of T-cell-based cancer therapies. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ArcticZymes Technologies ASA, a supplier of best-in-class enzyme technologies.

Over the course of his 30-year career, Dr. Mathias has also served in senior roles at leading global pharmaceutical companies including Amgen Deutschland GmbH, Servier Deutschland GmbH and Hoechst AG, and in 2019, was awarded the title of “EY Entrepreneur of the Year” in Germany. Dr. Mathias is a pharmacist by training and completed his Doctorate in Pharmacy at Paris VI University.

Relevant skills:

Biotech and Pharma experience
CDMO Industry experience
CEO and global leadership
Manufacturing/Supply Chain

Peter Soelkner

Vice Chair

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Peter Soelkner was appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in March 2024. Mr Soelkner has more than 30 years’ experience in the global pharmaceutical services industry with significant CDMO expertise. Until May 2025, he was Managing Director of Vetter Pharma, a global Aseptic Filling and Packaging CDMO, where over the past 15 years he had helped grow revenues from $200 million to more than $1 billion.

Prior to Vetter, Mr. Soelkner held various senior positions at Sartorius including Vice President of the Americas region where he expanded the global footprint of the business across the US and multiple sectors. He has an MBA from Columbia Business School, New York and Masters in Chemical Engineering from TU Dortmund University, Germany.

Committee membership:

Audit Committee
Remuneration Committee
Nomination Committee

Corporate development and strategy:

Operations and supply chain management
CDMO and cell & gene therapy industry experience

Professor Dame Kay Davies

Senior Independent Director

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Professor Dame Kay Davies was appointed to the Board as a Non- Executive Director in March 2021. In March 2023, Professor Davies became Senior Independent Director when the role of Deputy Chair and Senior Independent Director was divided into two roles. From 1 January 2025, Professor Davies is also the designated Director by the Board to oversee engagement between the Board and the workforce. Professor Davies is a world-leading human geneticist with a research focus on the molecular analysis of neuromuscular and neurological disease.

She is currently Dr Lee’s Professor of Anatomy Emeritus and Co-Director of MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre at the University of Oxford. Professor Davies also sits on the Board of UCB S.A. and Thomas White Oxford Limited. She was co-founder of Summit Therapeutics Plc, a spinout from her research activities. Previously, Professor Davies was a Director of The Biotech Growth Trust plc. and a governor of the Wellcome Trust in 2008, serving as Deputy Chair between 2013 and 2017. Professor Davies has a BA in Chemistry and a D.Phil. in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford.

Committee membership:

Remuneration Committee
Nomination Committee
Science and Technology Advisory Committee (Chair)

Relevant skills:

Cell and gene therapy
Scientific advisory

Colin Bond

Independent Non-Executive Director

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Colin Bond has a wealth of international experience in the CDMO and biopharma industries, and was most recently Chief Financial Officer of Sandoz listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, where he played a key role in the company’s successful spin-off from Novartis. Prior to Sandoz, Mr. Bond was Chief Financial Officer of Vifor Pharma and Evotec. He also served as Chair of the Audit Committee for Siegfried AG, a leading CDMO quoted on the SIX Swiss exchange for ten years until May 2023.

He is currently Chair of the Audit Committee of BioPharma Credit PLC on the London Stock Exchange, a member of the Supervisory Board of Formycon AG, a Non-Executive Director of Faron Pharmaceuticals ltd, AIM listed Company and a Non-Executive Director of OneSource Specialty Pharma Limited, a company listed at the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (BSE). He is also a Non-Executive director of a private company Agomab Therapeutics NV registered in Belgium.

During his early career, Mr. Bond worked as a pharmacist, auditor and management consultant for Procter & Gamble, Arthur Andersen and PwC. Mr Bond is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. He holds a BSc in Pharmacy from Aston University and an MBA from London Business School.

Committee membership:

Audit Committee

Relevant skills:

Corporate finance and M&A
CDMO and healthcare sector expertise
Corporate governance and risk management

Dr. Lucinda Crabtree

Chief Financial Officer

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Dr. Lucinda Crabtree joined the Board as Chief Financial Officer in September 2024. She was previously CFO at MorphoSys AG, where she led the finance team across the US and Germany until the closing of the acquisition by Novartis.

Prior to MorphoSys, Lucinda was CFO at Autolus Therapeutics, a Nasdaq listed clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. She spent several years as an investment professional at institutions including Woodford Investment Management, Panmure Gordon, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan (originally Bear Stearns) and Jefferies, and also has experience as a board observer at several private healthcare companies. Dr. Crabtree holds a first class Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology and Pharmacology from University College London and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from University College London.

Relevant skills:

Financial and business strategy
Corporate governance
Cell and gene therapy industry experience

Laurence Espinasse

Non-Executive Director

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Laurence Espinasse was appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in July 2024. She has more than 20 years of experience across the legal and healthcare sectors, having worked in corporate law, contract law and compliance/risks.

Prior to her current role as General Counsel and Compliance Officer at Institut Mérieux, Ms. Espinasse held the role of Partner and Head of the Business Law Department at MDL Société d’Avocats, as well as the role of Manager in the Business Law Department at Ernst & Young. She obtained her professional lawyer’s certificate from the École des Avocats Centre Sud in Montpellier, France, and holds a postgraduate degree in Tax and Corporate Law from the University of Clermont- Ferrand, France.

Relevant skills:

CDMO industry experience
Cell and gene therapy industry experience
Corporate governance

Namrata P Patel

Independent Non-Executive Director

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Namrata Patel was appointed to the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director in April 2022. Ms Patel has extensive international experience in manufacturing, contract manufacturer’s and end to end Supply Chain management, as well as experience in the commercialised regulated industry. She has held positions of increasing seniority in major blue chip companies including Coca Cola, W H Smith Office Supplies, Gillette, Procter & Gamble and is currently working as Chief Supply Chain Officer for Haleon plc.

Ms Patel holds a Masters in Logistics and Management from the Cranfield School of Management, and a BA Hons in Public Administration from the University of South Wales, Mid Glamorgan.

Relevant skills:

Sustainability
Corporate finance
Investor relations

Dr. Heather Preston

Independent Non-Executive Director

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Dr. Heather Preston was appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in March 2018 and was appointed Chair of the Remuneration Committee in June 2020. Dr. Preston is also on the board of Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc and of Aligos Therapeutics, a Nasdaq listed company. In addition, she is a Senior Advisor to TPG Biotech. She has over 30 years of experience in healthcare, as a scientist, physician and management consultant and she has been an investor in life sciences and biotechnology for more than 20 years.

Over the course of her career, Dr Preston has also served as a Director on the Boards of Oxford Science Enterprises plc, Karuna Pharmaceuticals and Akouos Inc. Dr. Preston holds a degree in Medicine from the University of Oxford.

Committee membership:

Remuneration Committee (Chair)
Audit Committee
Nomination Committee
Scientific and Technology Advisory Committee

Relevant skills:

Scientific advisory
Corporate finance
Investor relations

Senior leadership

Dr. Frank Mathias

Chief Executive Officer

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Dr. Lucinda Crabtree

Chief Financial Officer

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Lisa Doman

Chief People Officer

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Lisa Doman joined the Corporate Executive Team as Chief People Officer in April 2022, having worked with OXB since 2016. She joined OXB as HR Manager and during her tenure was promoted to Head of HR Delivery and VP HR Business Partnering and Development.

Previously, Ms. Doman worked as HR Manager for a European third-party High-Tech Logistics organisation, specialising in medical devices. Ms. Doman has over 15 years’ experience in Human Resources and a CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management.

Dr. Kyriacos Mitrophanous

Chief Innovation Officer

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Dr. Kyriacos Mitrophanous joined OXB in 1997. He has over 25 years of lentiviral vector experience covering a range of technical disciplines, including the development of cell and gene therapies, delivery platform technologies, bioprocessing and analytics. Dr. Mitrophanous is a recognised world-class expert in the field, a named inventor on numerous patents and an author of a number of key papers.

In his current role, he is responsible for all aspects regarding client focussed innovation. Dr. Mitrophanous holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from University College London and has conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Oxford.

Dr. Sébastien Ribault

Chief Business Officer

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Dr. Sébastien Ribault joined OXB in November 2022 as Chief Commercial Officer and became Chief Business Officer on 1 September 2024. He has over 25 years of experience across the biotechnology industry and CDMO space. Dr. Ribault was previously at Merck Life Sciences where he was Vice President & Head of Biologics and Viral Vector CDMO, leading Merck’s CDMO Expansion project, establishing the Services business case and helping to establish the Life Science Services business unit.

Prior to his 17 years with Merck KGaA, Dr. Ribault was a Gene Therapy Development Scientist at Transgene and Head of the R&D Laboratory at Hemosystem. He has a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Strasbourg.

Dr. Sabine Sydow

Chief of Staff

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Dr. Sabine Sydow joined OXB in September 2023 as Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Organisational Effectiveness and became Chief of Staff in April 2024. She has over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Dr. Sydow was previously at Rentschler Biopharma as Chief of Staff.

Prior to this, she was head of vfa bio which represented the biotech interests within the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (vfa), and she was also in various management positions at Schering AG in Berlin. Dr. Sydow studied biology at the Technical University Braunschweig and the Georg-August-University Göttingen and received her PhD at the Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine in Göttingen in the area of molecular neuroendocrinology where she also conducted post-doctoral research.

Natalie Walter

Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary

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Natalie Walter joined OXB in May 2019 as General Counsel having worked as a consultant for the Company since May 2018. She has over 25 years’ experience as a corporate lawyer advising life sciences companies, including OXB, on a range of business and transactional issues, equity capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions and Corporate Governance.

Ms. Walter has worked for a number of UK and US law firms, as well as working at Lehman Brothers as a Director and Legal Counsel for the Equity Capital Markets division. She was most recently a Partner with Covington & Burling LLP.

Dr. Melanie Kearney

Head of Global Quality

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Melanie Kearney joined OXB as SVP Head of Global Quality in November 2025. She brings nearly three decades of experience across the pharmaceutical, consumer health, and biotechnology sectors, with a strong foundation in research and development, pharmaceutical sciences, technical services, and Quality. Most recently, she served as Chief Quality Officer for Opella, prior to which she held the same role at Sanofi Consumer Health.

Over her 30-year career, Melanie has held key senior positions at leading global pharmaceutical companies, including Vice President Quality & Regulatory Europe and International, Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance at Curium Pharma, and Vice President Global Quality and Regulatory at FAMAR. She also served as Head of EU Quality Operations at Shire.

She holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the Medicines Research Unit at the University of Derby. She is a Fellow, Chartered Chemist and Scientist with the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK.

Site leadership

Mark Caswell

Site Head of UK Operations

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Mark Caswell joined Oxford Biomedica as Site Head of UK Operations in July 2023. He has more than 25 years of experience and expertise in the biopharma and CDMO space. Previously, Mark was Vice President, Site Head of leading global CDMO Rentschler Biopharma, where he successfully managed all operations at the company’s US facilities in Massachusetts.

Mark has a diverse background in various areas of operations, including serving as Head of Operations at Lonza’s Portsmouth, New Hampshire site and as Director, Global Engineering and Technology at Sanofi Genzyme. Mr. Caswell holds a BS in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Thomas Edison State University. Mark is also a proud veteran of the US Navy.

Stéphanie Colloud

Site Head and General Manager of France Operations

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Stéphanie Colloud joined Oxford Biomedica as the Site Head of France Operations in January 2024. Stéphanie has over 20 years of experience in the life sciences and biologics CDMO industry, specialising in process and analytical development and CMC strategy. Previously, Stéphanie served as the Director of the Lyon site and as an Executive Committee Member of ABL Europe.

In these roles, she successfully led the production, quality, and technical services departments, focusing on shaping innovative development strategies, establishing an AAV platform and launching the company’s presence in the cell and gene therapy field. Prior to this, she held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Accinov and also various operational roles at PX’Therapeutics.

Stéphanie graduated in Cell Biology Engineering from the Joseph Fourier University of Grenoble, France, and holds a Master’s Degree in Quality Management in the Biotech & Biopharma Industry from the Faculty of Pharmacy of Angers, France.

John Foy

Site Head of Durham Operations

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John Foy joined OXB as Site Head of Durham Operations in January 2026. He brings more than 30 years of experience across a range of local and global roles, with deep leadership expertise in operational excellence and team development across the biopharma and CDMO industries.

Previously, John served as Vice President, General Manager CDMO at Pharmascience, where he successfully led site operations at its Montreal site. Prior to this, he held a variety of senior roles at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Fujifilm, spanning site integration projects, business development, logistics, and upstream development and production.

John holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University.

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Meet the OXB team

Board of directors

Dr. Roch Doliveux

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Dr. Frank Mathias

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Peter Soelkner

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Professor Dame Kay Davies

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Colin Bond

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Dr. Lucinda Crabtree

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Laurence Espinasse

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Namrata P Patel

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Dr. Heather Preston

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Senior leadership

Dr. Frank Mathias

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Dr. Lucinda Crabtree

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Lisa Doman

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Dr. Kyriacos Mitrophanous

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Dr. Sébastien Ribault

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Dr. Sabine Sydow

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Natalie Walter

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Dr. Melanie Kearney

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Site leadership

Mark Caswell

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Stéphanie Colloud

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John Foy

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