Chief Executive of Powderject, a pharmaceutical company. Former boss of Trebor and Genisys Development.
Several of the names on the list are well-known donors to the Labour Party - Sir Chris Evans and Sir Ronald Cohen were also both knighted in the 2001 New Years Honours List. Sir Chris Evans sits on at least 4 Government Task Forces, including Lord Sainsbury's research team on how "biotechnology clusters" could be developed (Mark Ferguson was also a member). Herman Hauser led a group of entrepreneurs in 1998 that had been pressurising Government ministers to approve the development of university science parks on greenfield sites, which led to Gordon Brown announcing a re-examination of planning regulations, and ultimately to a seat for him on Lord Sainsbury's Clusters Policy Steering Group (along with 2 other Task Forces).
Sir Ronald Cohen is Chairman of the Government's Tech Stars Steering Committee Task Force and a member of the DTI's UK Competitiveness Committee. Dr Paul Haycock, another Director of Apax Partners, is a member of the Government's Biotechnology Action Group. Mark Ferguson has been a member of several Government Task Forces as well as the one mentioned above, including the DTI's Genome Valley Steering Group and Materials in Healthcare Advisory Group. Robert Mansfield is a former Chairman of the Bio Industry Association, a lobbying group for companies involved in GM food. In 1999 the DTI helped pay their costs on a trip to America accompanying Lord Sainsbury who was researching a report into Biotechnology.
The Labour Government has many rich friends in the biotechnology industry, and the industry's bosses in turn have the ear of the Government. In particular Lord Sainsbury, the Science Minister, has made millions out of GM food research and continues to pursue close links with many of the bioscience businessmen. The Government has been a strong supporter of genetic research despite its huge unpopularity due to fears of its unpredictable effects if released into the environment, and the manipulation of DNA for financial gain.
Chairman of Apax Partners, an international private equity company which manages $7 billion of investment. Knighted in New Year 2001.
Chairman of Merlin Bioscience. He is known the "Biotech King" and has connections with a large number of biotechnology companies. His personal fortune is estimated at £100 million. Knighted in New Year 2001.
Chief Executive of Renovo, a biotechnology company. He has received more than £300 million in grant funding for his projects.
Chief Executive Officer of Amadeus Capital Partners.
Chief Executive of Vernalis, a bio-pharmaceutical company. A former Director of SmithKline Beecham, he was paid £432,900 in 2000.