Reflecting on one year as Executive Director of The George Institute, UK
Since I flew across the Atlantic from Brazil to the UK to join The George Institute as their UK Executive Director, I’ve been reflecting on the past 12 months. It’s been a very positive and promising year of rapid growth and transformative transition.
Coming on board involved an intensive recruitment process and relocation of not just myself, but also my wife, young daughter, and my beloved collection of vintage electric guitars, and since I’ve been in post, I and the nation have witnessed not only the coronation of a new monarch, but also the release of singles from music royalty The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. I’ve learnt a few lessons – both professional and personal – in this time, which I’d like to share.
Truly global collaboration is at once challenging and rewarding.
The George Institute is fortunate in having long-held, progressive approaches to flexible and hybrid ways of working, both internally and in the fostering of new research collaborations. As an organisation we work hard to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for colleagues across all our offices. Whilst sociable time slots for London and Sydney virtual meetings are, admittedly, limited, there are huge gains to be found in asynchronous work patterns and much joy in being able to collaborate in-person and share diverse perspectives.
There has been real opportunity to realise our global mindset over the past year, with new and strengthened international relationships in the UK, not least with other Institute offices, but also through new Imperial College partnerships (notably the NIHR Global Health Research Centre for Non-Communicable Diseases and Environmental Change) and linking up with research networks in Scandinavia, Europe, Latin America, and the US. I’m excited for international trips planned for 2024, and by the offering of journal clubs and inspiration sessions to encourage colleagues to come to our London office in person (no doubt in part for the much-needed lunchtime catch-ups and post-work socials!).
Not everything worth doing happens quickly…
Our collaboration with Imperial College London has demanded mutual learning of operational approaches and this has been facilitated by extensive integration in respective management and leadership teams to whom I am deeply grateful as they supported my transition into this role.
A key professional achievement has been the long-envisaged establishment of the Cognitum Consortium with ICTU-Global (Imperial College London’s Academic Research Organisation) and world-class academic research organisations from Brazil, India, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Together, we will develop and conduct innovative, high-quality, large-scale clinical trials targeting conditions that are some of the major causes of death and disability worldwide. And I’m also thrilled that the Women’s Health working group at Imperial (which Institute colleagues chair) has been formally recognised as a Network of Excellence. I look forward to seeing how the network expands to advance equity in women’s health and provide national and international leadership in trans-disciplinary women’s health research.
As an independent medical research institute, it’s crucial that we continue to diversify our sources of funding for growth and revenue.
In addition to continuing to apply, and see success, in our submissions to UK research agencies and foundations, to sustain our expansion we also need to secure private sources of funding and explore opportunities related to philanthropy. For this reason, it’s been important to grow strong connections and partnerships – ones that will continue into – and well beyond – the New Year.
The quality of the UK health care system…
This was certainly not in my vision for the past year, but a nasty case of pneumonia saw me hospitalised in the Spring. Suffice to say, I’m immensely grateful to the hugely committed and skilled clinicians and healthcare professionals who treated me.
The dual roles demanded of me as research lead and director of the UK team and office are rewarding in equal measure.
As much as I celebrate achievements such as the establishment of Cognitum, the growth of the Institute’s Planetary Health programme, and the influence of the MESSAGE project, I also celebrate the development of the UK team.
The team has not only doubled over the past year, but has developed in collegiality with a core focus on employee wellbeing. Notably, we attracted the best talent to our three major research positions: I’m delighted that Professor Jane Hirst and Professor Helena Legido-Quigley have now joined us as Chairs in Women’s Health and Health Systems Science respectively, and we will soon announce the appointee to the Chair in Chronic and Complex Diseases. I’m immensely proud to be a part of such a united, international, and diverse group of colleagues and look forward to our continued work together.
As you might expect, I’d done my due diligence before signing my contract – not only around the Institute, but also the state of the rock ‘n’ roll scene in London.
My immediate team would readily share that two of my main passions in life are innovative clinical trials and classic rock music, and there really is nothing more energising – nor therapeutic - than rocking out on Thursday evening at the Troubadour before a 7am Board Meeting the following day. I’d thoroughly recommend (provided a strong coffee is available)!
Looking ahead to 2024, I am positive for another year of growth in terms of collaboration, funded research, and colleagues and am excited to get started (after a suitably relaxing break for us all over the festive period!).
