The Events

Life Sciences Forum 2026

14 May, 17:30 - 21:30

Life Sciences Forum 2026 brings together leading voices from Sweden and the UK to explore how policy, innovation, and investment are shaping the future of life sciences.


At this event, we will dive deep into the trends redefining the life sciences landscape – from AI-driven diagnostics, precision medicine, and digital health solutions to evolving investment strategies, pricing reforms, and regulatory change. With a particular focus on cross-border collaboration, we will spotlight how Sweden and the UK can work together to accelerate innovation, scale new technologies, and improve patient outcomes.


Through a mix of high-level keynotes, thought-provoking panel discussions, case studies, and interactive Q&A sessions, you will gain insight into:

• How policymakers and regulators are enabling – or constraining – innovation

• Where capital is flowing across the life sciences value chain

• How data, AI, and digitalisation are transforming healthcare delivery and R&D

• What successful UK–Sweden partnerships look like in practice


Beyond the stage, curated networking sessions will connect you with industry leaders, investors, policymakers, researchers, and innovators – giving space to build new relationships, compare experiences, and explore concrete collaboration opportunities along the UK–Sweden corridor.


View the gallery from the Life Sciences Reception 2025 here and the Business Breakfast on Life Sciences: the UK Government's 10-Year Plan here.

Programme at a glance

Welcome and Introduction
Claus Andersen, Freeths
Fredrik Warneryd, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK
Setting the scene - opportunities within UK Life Sciences
Angela Kukula, London & Partners Ltd
Bridie Norman, Elekta Ltd
Jane Wall, BioIndustry Association (BIA)
Fireside: European competitiveness

Additional speaker to be announced shortly

Paul Pambakian, AstraZeneca UK Ltd
Clusters & collaborations
Angela Kukula, London & Partners Ltd
Paul Pambakian, AstraZeneca UK Ltd
Andy Williams, Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster
Capital & investment behaviour

Panellists to be announced shortly 

Paola Cuneo, Rathbones
Digital transformation, data & AI
Paola Cuneo, Rathbones
Tom Davis, Kry/Livi
Adam Igra, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
William Richmond-Coggan, Freeths
Arrash Yassaee, NHS England
Closing remarks & reflections
Fredrik Warneryd, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

Speakers

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Fredrik Warneryd

Chief Executive

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

Featured Speaker

Fredrik Warneryd is the Chief Executive for the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK, one of the largest and most active foreign chambers in the UK. Prior to joining the Chamber, Fredrik held many leading positions in the City of London. With more than 25 years of experience within the Nordic teams of Banque Paribas, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, UBS and Credit Suisse, he has earned extensive knowledge and expertise in both the UK and Nordic markets.  

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Arrash Yassaee

Deputy Director - MedTech Innovation

NHS England

Featured Speaker

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Adam Igra

Director of Innovation

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Featured Speaker

Adam has been the Director of Innovation at Cambridge University Hospitals for 18 months. Our work is putting in place the technical infrastructure, people and governance to support the development, evaluation and adoption of novel solutions, especially artificial intelligence, in collaboration with our academic and commercial partners. Prior to Cambridge, I have worked in a range of roles within the NHS, including most recently as Director of Innovation at Guy’s & St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as well as in consultancy and a health technology start-up.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Andy Williams

Chair

Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster

Featured Speaker

After 30 years within the biopharmaceutical industry, Andy recently established his own consultancy business advising clients in the areas of strategy, policy development and engagement.


Andy is Chair of the Ox-Cam Supercluster Board (SCB), comprised of globally recognised scientific enterprises, investors and world-leading universities. The board has been actively working with central government, supporting the business case for East West Rail and policy to support growth across the region and the wider UK economy.


In his previous role at AstraZeneca, Andy oversaw the move and integration of the organization and 4000 employees into the Cambridge area ahead of their move onto the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, reporting directly into the senior executive team. As part of that role, he was an active contributor to evolving Cambridge’s thinking in areas like transport, skill development, community amenity, housing and digital.


Andy remains active in the local Cambridge business community, sitting on the boards of Cambridge Ahead and Cambridge Network.


Andy has a first degree in Biochemistry from Kings College London, a PhD in Molecular

Genetics from QMW College London and post-doctoral experience gained at the University of British Columbia.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Bridie Norman

Managing Director UK

Elekta Ltd

Featured Speaker

Bridie Norman is a senior operations and supply chain leader with over three decades of international experience spanning logistics, customer service and field support in complex, mission-critical environments. She joined Elekta in 2016 and has held a series of global leadership roles, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer (Nov 2023–present), having previously been EVP Global Service (Feb 2023–Nov 2023) and VP, Elekta Logistics Platform (Jan 2016–Feb 2023). Before Elekta, Bridie held senior roles at Oracle as Senior Director of Logistics (2009–2016), Director of Logistics at Sun Microsystems (2003–2009), Supply Chain Manager at EMC (1989–2002) and Import Shipping Co-ordinator at IBM (1984–1989). Her areas of interest include supply chain, customer services, field support services, sustainability and digitalization.


Irish by birth, Bridie divides her time between her family home in Ireland and the UK during the working week. She holds a Master’s degree in Supply Chain and has lived in several countries, including Iran and the USA, which has shaped her global outlook and collaborative approach. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, plays the violin, and volunteers as a logistics coordinator for Oxfam, helping to organise international assistance in times of natural disaster and geopolitical crisis.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Claus Andersen

Partner at Freeths and Head of Life Sciences

Freeths

Featured Speaker

Claus Andersen is a Solicitor in the Corporate department at Freeths LLP. He advises companies, entrepreneurs, and investors in the Technology and Life Sciences sector on mergers and acquisitions, shareholders’ agreements, joint ventures, fundraising, corporate structures, regulatory matters, corporate governance (including the Bribery Act 2010), licensing, and collaboration agreements. His clients range from start-ups to publicly listed companies and include leading pharmaceutical, MedTech, HealthTech, and Biotech businesses, as well as their suppliers and subcontractors.


Claus is recognised for providing quick, pragmatic, and efficient advice that enables clients to achieve their commercial objectives. He understands that every client has unique requirements and ensures his guidance is tailored to support their specific goals.


Freeths LLP is a full-service, nationwide law firm with offices in 13 UK cities. Ranked among the UK’s top 50, the firm specialises in providing business law advice across corporate, commercial, intellectual property, finance, real estate, employment, dispute resolution, and regulatory matters. Freeths works with clients ranging from start-ups and SMEs to companies listed on the main markets in Europe, Asia, and North America, with particular strength in the Technology and Life Sciences sectors.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Jane Wall

Managing Director

BioIndustry Association (BIA)

Featured Speaker

Jane is a collaborative and entrepreneurial leader with 25 years of experience leading teams and developing strategy in mission-driven environments: providing editorial direction and policy oversight whilst driving operational, organisational and community development, profitability, and innovation. Her prior experience includes roles at Oxford University Press, Taylor & Francis (Informa PLC), Oxford Brookes University, Fire Protection Association and Food and Drink Federation. Jane holds a first degree in Italian and European Literature from Warwick University, MA in Social Anthropology from SOAS and MBA from Oxford Brookes Business School.


Jane has been Managing Director at the BioIndustry Association (BIA) since January 2024 and prior to that she was Director of Membership and BD for a further eight years. Jane provides strategic leadership of the organisation to ensure that BIA is an influential, impactful, sustainable, growing, and ever-evolving association – reflecting and serving the needs of its members and the sector more broadly. In her time at BIA, the organisation has doubled its number of members.



The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Paul Pambakian

Head of Corporate Affairs for Europe and Canada

AstraZeneca UK Ltd

Featured Speaker

Paul Pambakian is Head of Corporate Affairs at AstraZeneca for Europe and Canada. He has worked on policy and reputation challenges across the life sciences sector and in multiple therapy areas. Paul has a particular interest in access to medicines policy and is closely involved in pan-industry work on this topic. Before joining AstraZeneca, Paul held roles at Shire and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, having started his career in the UK Parliament.  

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

William Richmond-Coggan

Partner at Freeths

Freeths

Featured Speaker

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Tom Davis

UK Country Manager & Medical Director

Kry/Livi

Featured Speaker

Tom Davis joined Europe’s largest digital-first healthcare provider, Kry Livi, as UK Medical Director in spring 2024 where he works with NHS services, private health insurers and employers in the UK to support them in meeting patient demand and enhancing care journeys. A qualified GP with leadership, governance, and management skills, he brings extensive experience of board level. Since Summer 2024 Tom has taken responsibility for the entire UK operations as Country Manager.


He joined Kry Livi from the NHS in England and Wales where he held Senior Medical and Executive roles across a number of sectors within healthcare, including a period as the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, where he was the Medical Director and Deputy CEO prior to this.


Tom studied at the Royal London Hospitals Medical School (Barts and the London) for his medicine doctorate and later went on to the University of Nottingham, where he graduated with a Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine. He is an advocate for workplace wellbeing, leading coaching and mentoring sessions to empower healthcare professionals and colleagues to get the best out of their careers by balancing self care, productivity and personal fulfilment.


Moderator

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Angela Kukula

CEO of MedCity

London & Partners Ltd

Featured Speaker, Moderator

Dr Angela Kukula is CEO of MedCity, and Director of Life Sciences at London & Partners where she leads a team of professionals championing the development of the life sciences sector in London, promoting London as the premier global destination for life science, and supporting high growth life sciences companies to make their home in London and to thrive and grow.


Angela has worked in the London Life Science ecosystem for over 12 years, most recently as Commercial Director at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital and prior to that as Director of Business and Innovation at the Institute of Cancer Research.


She is a recognised technology transfer specialist. She sits on the Board of Oxford University Innovation and is a past chair of Knowledge Exchange UK, the professional body for technology transfer.

She is passionate about supporting the next generation of life science leaders through her work as governor of two London secondary schools, one of which is a life sciences specialist academy.


Angela completed her undergraduate Bachelor degree in Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, and her PhD in Molecular Immunology and Genetics at the Institute of Child Health, University of London. Angela also has an MBA specialising in Technology Management, and a LLM in Commercial Law.


The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Paola Cuneo

Lead Entrepreneurial Engagement

Rathbones

Featured Speaker, Moderator

Paola joined Rathbones in January 2022 to head up the engagement with entrepreneurs.


Previously Paola worked for the London Stock Exchange Group where she led the community of entrepreneurs and the Private Market, connecting companies with capital. Paola also ran EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and she set up and ran a programme for the Department of International trade aimed at helping foreign graduates to set up their businesses in the UK providing access to capital, mentoring and business advises.


Paola is a mentor and a regular contributor for RisingWISE, a combined initiative of Cambridge and Oxford University supporting women in STEM who have aspirations to become entrepreneurs.


Host Partner

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Partners

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Gift Sponsor

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Location

Rathbones

30 Gresham Street, London, United Kingdom, EC2V 7QN

Delegate

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Jan Ståhlberg

Founder & Managing Partner

Trill Impact

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

Emmie Jones

Partner

White & Case

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce

David Samuelson

Partner

Nordic Capital

Book your tickets

SCC UK Member
£55.00
YP Member
£55.00
Non-Member
£165.00

Terms & Conditions

Bookings are non-refundable, but at the discretion of the organiser, you can change the name of the person attending. For this, please contact events@scc.org.uk.

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