Professor Dame Kay Davies

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