Our Team
Panthera has assembled one of the most experienced and industry-proven leadership teams, establishing itself as a trusted leader in patient recruitment and clinical trial delivery. With extensive expertise across multiple therapy areas and international markets, our world-class team brings a strategic, results-driven approach to clinical research.Our combined knowledge ensures efficient, patient-centered trial execution while upholding the highest standards of compliance, safety, and operational excellence.
Dr. Ian Smith, MBE MB ChB.B MedSc (Hons).
Co-Founder and Board Director
Ian founded Synexus, the world’s first independent clinical trials organisation, whilst practising as a GP. He went on to build the Synexus model into the foremost SMP with sites across the world.
Today Ian is a non-executive director of several healthcare companies. He has been recognised for his unparalleled service to clinical trials industry, including receiving an MBE in 2012, and being awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Institute of Clinical Research in 2006.
Stuart Young
Chief Executive Officer
Stuart Young is the CEO of Panthera Biopartners Ltd, joining at the outset in December 2019 bringing over 15 years of industry experience in UK and International clinical trial management. Stuart has led the organisation from pre-revenue to a UK market leader with 6 UK sites and built a world class central team primed for further expansion.
Prior to joining Panthera he spent 11 years working in the largest Global SMO, Synexus, holding roles in global site integration and latterly Managing the UK division. Throughout his career, Stuart’s focus has evolved from providing data driven insights to operational and commercial leadership through digital transformation and modernisation of a typically cautious industry sector including the integration of clinical site acquisitions in Europe and US. His forward-thinking leadership of Panthera has taken the company from seed funding and entrepreneurial approach through a challenging growth phase to become a well-established UK market leader in a highly regulated environment.
Stuart has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Strathclyde.
Chris Dodd
Chief Commercial Officer
Chris Dodd, the CCO of Panthera Biopartners, joined the organisation shortly after its inception in Spring 2020. Chris has 22 years commercial experience leading sales functions and staff in the UK, EU and globally for over half of that timespan. These roles have spanned, Medical device, SAAS, clinical service and strategic solution sales in both secondary care and life sciences. In the last decade much of the focus has been on strategic growth and development as an executive managing M and A processes/integrations, growth from C $100M- $1B and more recently development of a start-up to SME organisation with great success.
Chris has managed some of the largest SMO/life science sales teams in the world and specialises in a commercial approach to selling that emphasises problem framing and solution selling. This has proven highly successful in all stages of business from single country start-ups to multinational blue-chip organisations. He has also demonstrated an ability to build a culture and development approach that has consistently led to aggressive commercial growth.
Chris has been a board member at Panthera for the last three years, held executive leadership roles at previous organisations and holds a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science.
Andy Broomhead MBA
IT Director
Andy Broomhead is the IT Director of Panthera Biopartners, joining in September 2022. With over 17 years of IT leadership experience, Andy has played a key role in driving digital transformation and aligning technology with business objectives. He leads the eSource implementation project, which will revolutionise the business by modernising clinical trial processes and enhancing data management. His leadership has resulted in substantial improvements in operational efficiency and revenue growth. Notably, Andy led the design, development, and implementation of the bespoke Digital Patient Pathway, significantly enhancing patient engagement and recruitment whilst reducing the cost of doing so.
Before joining Panthera, Andy held a senior management role at Clogau Gold of Wales, where he oversaw IT systems and infrastructure across multiple sites. He spearheaded the design and deployment of custom technology solutions, including a £20M+ annual e-commerce platform, while also driving advancements in cybersecurity and operational efficiency within the supply chain. His efforts contributed to optimising business operations and improving overall performance.
Andy holds an MBA from the University of Bradford and a First-Class BSc (Hons) in Computing from the University of Wales. His combination of academic excellence and extensive leadership experience has allowed him to seamlessly integrate technical expertise with strategic initiatives, ensuring the delivery of innovative technology solutions that drive business growth and strengthen IT governance.
Jane Restorick
Chief Compliance Officer
Jane serves as the Chief Compliance Officer at Panthera, bringing over 30 years of experience in the clinical research industry. She has held various leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Patient Officer at Synexus, where she was instrumental in overseeing global operations and patient engagement strategies. Jane’s extensive background encompasses clinical trial management, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance, underscoring her commitment to upholding the highest standards in clinical research.
At Panthera, Jane ensures that all clinical trials adhere to regulatory requirements and ethical standards, fostering a culture of integrity and excellence, with a focus on maintaining Panthera’s reputation for delivering high-quality clinical research services.
Dr Mahadev Ramjee M.D, MRCP(UK)
Chief Medical Officer
Dr Mahadev Ramjee is the Chief Medical Officer for Panthera Biopartners. He is a GMC(UK) registered physician with a background in Stroke and Geriatric Medicine and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians. He has clinical research experience as Principal Investigator and Chief Investigator across a number of therapeutic areas within General Internal Medicine including Alzheimer’s disease and Oncology. He has worked on over 80 clinical trials.
Dr Ramjee was the Associate Medical Director for largest Global SMO, Synexus which he joined in 2017. He speaks 6 languages; English, French, Hindi, Marathi, Creole and Czech. After graduating as a doctor from Charles University in the Czech Republic, Dr Ramjee completed his core clinical training in Republic of Ireland and started his specialty training in the NHS, UK.
Dr Ramjee was the first doctor to join Panthera in Aug 2020. His therapeutic area experience and expertise in clinical operations has been critical in setting the clinical governance process across the company in addition to developing a medical team who can work independently across a wide range of therapeutic areas.
Karen Smith
Site Operations Director
Karen Smith acts as the Site Operations Director and is an accomplished Operations Leader with proven success across multiple industries.
As a dynamic operations director with a focus on customer and patient-centric services, Karen brings over two decades of experience leading multidisciplinary teams and implementing innovative solutions to enhance business performance. Karen’s inclusive, engaging leadership style fosters collaboration at all levels, from executives and clinical professionals to frontline staff, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and delivering exceptional outcomes.
Throughout her career, Karen has successfully led diverse teams across healthcare, clinical research, logistics, and financial services, consistently exceeding operational targets and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Karen is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, utilising a data-driven approach to identify business improvement opportunities that enhance efficiency, quality, and customer experience.
Derek Baker
Patient Engagement & Marketing Director
Originally from the United States, now permanently based in the UK, Derek Baker is the Patient Engagement and Marketing Director at Panthera Biopartners. Having joined the organisation in August of 2023, Derek comes to Panthera as a seasoned strategic leader in digital marketing and traditional advertising. Leveraging a diverse background across multiple industries to drive technically innovative and strategic solutions, Derek comes to the clinical research industry with a focus on consumerism and customer-based experiences to bridge the gap between the public and medical science.
Prior to joining Panthera, Derek held various leadership positions, where his work spanned across a number of sectors, bringing data-driven insights, strategy, and creative vision to complex operational and consumer engagement challenges.
Derek’s management style is one founded in driving innovation through collaboration, continuously working to shape Panthera’s strategic direction in a highly regulated environment.
Derek has a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art & Design from Florida State University.
Lynne Nicholson
Associate Director, Project Management
Lynne Nicholson is an accomplished Associate Director of Project Management, joining the Panthera team in 2021, with over 16 years of extensive experience in the UK and International clinical research project management. Lynne has worked on studies within general medicine and oncology clinical trials and has a proven track record of successfully leading cross-functional teams and driving complex clinical trials from conception through execution within the Site Management Organisation environment.
Throughout her career, Lynne has demonstrated expertise in project planning, risk management, and regulatory compliance, effectively navigating the complexities of clinical trial operations. She has managed a diverse portfolio of studies, collaborating with sponsors and investigators to ensure timely and successful project delivery.
Lynne holds a BSc (Hons) from Leeds Metropolitan University, and she is committed to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence within her team. Her leadership philosophy centres on mentorship and collaboration, empowering team members to excel and develop their skills. Lynne is recognised for her ability to build strong relationships, streamline processes, and implement strategies that enhance operational efficiency.