Archive
To view information about previous EMA awards dinners, please select the appropriate year below:
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we were unable to meet in person and a digital campaign announcing the winners was held in 2020.
2020 Shortlist and Winners
Best Communication Award
Sponsored by | Optimum Strategic Communications
Shortlist
- WINNER: Abcam plc
- argenx SE
- Calliditas Therapeutics
- Ergomed plc
Breakthrough of the Year Award
Sponsored by | FTI Consulting
Shortlist
- Amryt Pharma plc
- Genmab A/S
- WINNER: Novacyt
- Silence Therapeutics plc
Best Technology Award
Sponsored by | MC Services AG
Shortlist
- WINNER: Abivax SA
- argenx SE
- Oxford BioMedica plc
- Renalytix AI plc
Mediscience Commentator of the Year Award
Sponsored by | Instinctif Partners
Shortlist
- Lucie Ellis/In Vivo
- WINNER: Stephen Hansen/BioCentury
- Sabah Meddings/The Sunday Times
- Nuala Moran/BioWorld
Capital Market Transaction of the Year Award
Sponsored by | SP Angel
Shortlist
- Amryt Pharma plc
- WINNER: Galapagos NV
- Genmab A/S
- MorphoSys AG
Most Significant Contribution to the Mediscience Sector Award
Sponsored by | Covington
Shortlist
- Steve Bates/BIA
- WINNER: Clive Cookson/Financial Times
- European Investment Bank
- Andreas and Thomas Strüngmann
The Emerging Star Award
Sponsored by | Design Portfolio
Shortlist
- Achilles Therapeutics
- Artios Pharma
- WINNER: iTeos Therapeutics
- Quanta Dialysis Technologies
Chief Executive of the Year Award
Sponsored by | Panmure Gordon
Shortlist
- Renée Aguiar-Lucander/Calliditas Therapeutics
- WINNER: John Dawson/Oxford BioMedica plc
- Onno van de Stolpe/Galapagos NV
- Jan van de Winkel/Genmab A/S
Company of the Year Award
Sponsored by | WG Partners
Shortlist
- WINNER: argenX SE
- AstraZeneca plc
- Galapagos NV
- Genmab A/S
Voting Panel

Ian Restall
Flathill Communications Group plc
(Voting panel Chairman)

Vadim Alexandre
SP Angel

Victoria Darbyshire
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Eva Haas
Optimum Strategic Communications

Nooman Haque
Silicon Valley Bank

Max Herrmann
Stifel

Ulrich Kinzel
Goetzpartners

Morag Peberdy
Covington & Burling

Tara Raveendran
Shore Capital

Julie Simmonds
Panmure Gordon

Linden Thomson
AXA Investment Managers UK LTD

Dominic Wilson
Bryan Garnier & Co.

Mette Kirstine Agger
Lundbeckfonden Ventures

Nigel Barnes
WG Partners

Amber Fennell
Consilium Strategic Communications

Stefan Hamill
Numis Securities

Anne Hennecke
MC Services AG

Tony Jones
One Nucleus

Geraldine O'Keefe
LSP

David Pinniger
Polar Capital

Nick Rodgers
Destiny Pharma

Sachin Soni
Third Eye Healthcare Fund

Melanie Toyne-Sewell
Instinctif Partners

Rob Winder
FTI Consulting

Ian Restall
Flathill Communications Group plc(Voting panel Chairman)

Vadim Alexandre
SP Angel

Victoria Darbyshire
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Eva Haas
Optimum Strategic Communications

Nooman Haque
Silicon Valley Bank

Max Herrmann
Stifel

Ulrich Kinzel
Goetzpartners

Morag Peberdy
Covington & Burling

Tara Raveendran
Shore Capital

Julie Simmonds
Panmure Gordon

Linden Thomson
AXA Investment Managers UK LTD

Dominic Wilson
Bryan Garnier & Co.

Mette Kirstine Agger
Lundbeckfonden Ventures

Nigel Barnes
WG Partners

Amber Fennell
Consilium Strategic Communications

Stefan Hamill
Numis Securities

Anne Hennecke
MC Services AG

Tony Jones
One Nucleus

Geraldine O'Keefe
LSP

David Pinniger
Polar Capital

Nick Rodgers
Destiny Pharma

Sachin Soni
Third Eye Healthcare Fund

Melanie Toyne-Sewell
Instinctif Partners

Rob Winder
FTI Consulting

Ian Restall
Flathill Communications Group plc(Voting panel Chairman)

Vadim Alexandre
SP Angel

Victoria Darbyshire
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Eva Haas
Optimum Strategic Communications

Nooman Haque
Silicon Valley Bank

Max Herrmann
Stifel

Ulrich Kinzel
Goetzpartners

Morag Peberdy
Covington & Burling

Tara Raveendran
Shore Capital

Julie Simmonds
Panmure Gordon

Linden Thomson
AXA Investment Managers UK LTD

Dominic Wilson
Bryan Garnier & Co.

Mette Kirstine Agger
Lundbeckfonden Ventures

Nigel Barnes
WG Partners

Amber Fennell
Consilium Strategic Communications

Stefan Hamill
Numis Securities

Anne Hennecke
MC Services AG

Tony Jones
One Nucleus

Geraldine O'Keefe
LSP

David Pinniger
Polar Capital

Nick Rodgers
Destiny Pharma

Sachin Soni
Third Eye Healthcare Fund

Melanie Toyne-Sewell
Instinctif Partners

Rob Winder
FTI Consulting
Ian Restall
Flathill Communications Group plc
(Voting panel Chairman)

Throughout his career, Ian has been involved in the quoted growth companies sector. His early career was as a stockbroker, analyst, broadcaster and financial journalist in this area and, since founding Design Portfolio in 1991, he has been active in helping many companies in this sector with their investor communication and corporate reporting requirements. Ian is also Chairman of Flathill Communications Group plc, President of The Design Portfolio Marketing Services Inc. and a member of the Investor Relations Society.
Vadim Alexandre
SP Angel

Vadim leads the Healthcare Team at SP Angel, after having established a strong reputation for supporting growing and developing healthcare companies in the UK. Prior to joining SP Angel in February 2019, he led the Healthcare Team at Northland Capital Partners in over twenty transactions in which over £140m of capital was raised. Vadim previously held roles at Daniel Stewart & Company, achieving a top Hemscott ranking, as well as other healthcare analysis roles in Montreal, Canada.
Victoria Darbyshire
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Victoria joined J.P. Morgan Asset Management in the European Research team covering the healthcare sector more than ten years ago. She also contributes to the J.P. Morgan Global Healthcare Fund. She became a CFA Charterholder in 2009 and has a BSc in Chemistry from Durham University.
Eva Haas
Optimum Strategic Communications

Eva has 20 years’ experience in fund management and company analysis across the global healthcare sector. She lived in New York for seven years covering the US. She was at Schroder Investment management for over a decade where she was responsible for the analysis and valuation of publicly listed and about-to-be-listed healthcare companies in medical devices and supplies, diagnostics, biotechnology, pharma, life sciences tools, healthcare distribution, pharmacy benefit management, hospitals and health insurance. More recently Eva has worked in Investor Relations and Communications with Optimum Strategic Communications.
Eva has a PhD in Biochemistry from Bristol University. She is also a fluent German speaker.
Nooman Haque
Silicon Valley Bank

Nooman is Head of life sciences and healthcare for EMEA at Silicon Valley Bank. He leads a team focused on supporting innovative and high growth companies with banking and financing solutions. Previously he was head of direct investments at a sovereign wealth fund and has also worked in Government as an economic advisor.
Max Herrmann
Stifel

Max joined Stifel in September 2013 as Head of European Healthcare Equity Research. Prior to joining Stifel, Max was Chief Financial Officer of Silence Therapeutics plc. He possesses more than 25 years of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry experience, having held key management positions with leading development-stage companies, as well as establishing several highly rated equity research teams at a number of investment banks. He has also been involved in raising over $700m in funds for biotech companies.
Max holds a BSc in Microbiology from the University of Kent and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen.
Ulrich Kinzel
Goetzpartners

Uli is a Managing Director at goetzpartners. He is responsible for the Industry Group Healthcare. He is a founding partner of Code Securities Limited, a specialist life science investment bank which was formed in 2003, acquired by Nomura in 2005 and continued as Nomura Code Securities until late 2013. As Director, Corporate Finance, Ulrich Kinzel was instrumental for building the continental European M&A and Equity Capital Markets business. He was previously a Director of WestLB Panmure’s Life Science Team. He has advised leading international live science companies in more than 50 successful M&A and ECM transactions, including cross-border European, Asian and US public and private takeovers as well as IPOs and secondary off erings on all major European Stock Exchanges. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Munich University.
Morag Peberdy
Covington & Burling

Morag joined Covington & Burling in 2009 and has more than 20 years' experience as a life sciences lawyer. Her practice focuses on life sciences collaborations and IP counselling work, as well as participating in corporate transactions, joint ventures and royalty monetisations. Her clients range from public companies to SMEs and VCs, primarily in pharma and biotech. She has led on a number of major patent and know-how licences, collaboration and R&D agreements for European mediscience clients. Covington is the only law firm recognised by Chambers as a “Band 1” firm for Life Sciences in their Europe, UK, USA, China and Global surveys. She sits on the PLC Life Sciences Consultation Board and has been a member of the BioIndustry Association IP Committee for nearly two decades. She has a BA in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford, and subsequently worked on the EMBO Journal and obtained post graduate qualifications in law.
Tara Raveendran
Shore Capital

Tara has a BSc in Biochemistry and a PhD in Structural Biology, both from Imperial College London. She worked with the top-ranked European Healthcare Equity Research team at Lehman Brothers/Nomura. She then moved to Jefferies, where she spent several years as part of the European Biotechnology and Life Sciences Equity Research team. Prior to her role as the healthcare analyst at Shore Capital, Tara set up her own life sciences consultancy.
Julie Simmonds
Panmure Gordon

Julie joined Panmure Gordon in November 2015 from Canaccord Genuity. She has 20 years’ experience in life sciences research, covering both UK and continental European companies across a wide range of healthcare subsectors. Julie has a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Kent and experience in industry in both Europe and the US. She is also a panel member for NIHR i4i (invention for innovation), assessing early-stage medical technologies.
Linden Thomson
AXA Investment Managers UK LTD

Linden has specialised in healthcare equity since starting her career at Goldman Sachs in 2003.
Following a passion for biology she completed her degree in Medical Microbiology at Edinburgh before joining GS on the sell side. She now leads the Healthcare team at AXA Framlington, one of the longest running (dedicated long only) specialist healthcare franchises in London managing c.£1Bn. She has been lead manager of the AXA Framlington Biotech Fund for the last eight years.
Linden has two children and since the birth of her first seven years ago she has adopted a flexible working structure.
Dominic Wilson
Bryan Garnier & Co.

Dominic is a Managing Director in Equity Sales, with a broad and varied experience having previously worked at Greig, Middleton, Nomura and Piper Jaffray.
His recent deals include the £10m Private Placing for Blueberry Therapeutics and the £22m Follow-on Funding for 4D Pharma Plc.
Dominic holds a BSc in Genetics from the University of Liverpool.
Mette Kirstine Agger
Lundbeckfonden Ventures

Mette is Managing Partner of Lundbeckfonden Ventures and a Board member of Cydan Development, Imara, Psioxus, scPharmaceuticals and Tiburio Therapeutics.
Mette has a broad international experience within biotech and life sciences, covering business development and licensing, management and financing. Mette has been appointed to numerous board positions in both private and public companies. She was previously co-founder and CEO of 7TM Pharma A/S. Prior to founding 7TM Pharma, Mette was part of the management team of NeuroSearch A/S, responsible for business development and licensing.
She started her career as a patent agent and, over the years, has co-founded several biotech companies. Mette Kirstine Agger graduated as a biologist from the University of Copenhagen and has an MBA from Henley Business School.
Nigel Barnes
WG Partners

Nigel is a Partner at the Specialist Life Science Investment Bank, WG Partners. Nigel has more than 35 years experience of working in the Life Science sector. He has a PhD in Pharmacology and has previously worked in the Pharmaceutical industry in both Research and Sales & Marketing. He moved into the City as an Equity Research Analyst in 1986 working for Hoare Govett and then Merrill Lynch from 1994 until 2005. He was a Founding Partner of Sudbrook Associates, a Corporate Advisory business with a Private Equity focus. He then joined WG Partners in 2012, shortly after the business was founded. He is a NED of a private biotech business, Avipero Limited. He is also a member of the External Commercialisation Board at the School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham where he also holds a Honorary Senior Lectureship at the Medical School. He is also a member of the 'Honorary Advisory Committee' at The Art Academy London.
Amber Fennell
Consilium Strategic Communications

Amber is a healthcare communications specialist and co-founder of Consilium Strategic Communications.
Amber has extensive experience in providing strategic communications support to some of the healthcare sector’s leading companies and has delivered successful PR campaigns, including significant sector IPOs, M&A and public and private fundraisings, across Europe and North America.
Prior to founding Consilium, Amber was a member of M:Communications’ healthcare team and the Pharma & Biotech team at Citigate Dewe Rogerson.
Amber also has a strong background in public affairs and lobbying, with experience from the European Parliament in Brussels, the United States Senate in Washington and work for the UK's BioIndustry Association. Amber has a degree in International History and Politics from Leeds University and a Masters Degree in War Studies from Kings College London.
Stefan Hamill
Numis Securities

Stefan is a Director of Equity Research in the Healthcare and Life Sciences team at Numis, which is currently the No.1 Extel (2019) ranked team in the UK sector. The Numis team provides broad coverage of over 30 UK-listed mid and small-cap healthcare and life sciences companies and acts as broker or adviser to around 20 listed and private companies in the sector. Stefan has over 20 years of City experience as an analyst and in strategy consulting and has helped to raise over £2bn for healthcare and life sciences companies. He has a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and is a CFA charterholder.
Anne Hennecke
MC Services AG

Anne has been Managing Partner of MC Services since 2011 and has over 20 years of experience in Financial and Strategic Communications. She was responsible for setting up the MC Services office in Düsseldorf and building the team and operations there. Prior to that, she held senior management positions in international pharma and biotech companies. She headed the Investor Relations and Corporate Communications department of Evotec AG for 10 years and was a member of the company’s Executive Committee. Previously, she was responsible for Investor Relations and Corporate Communications at Schwarz Pharma AG, where she initially held management positions in the International Marketing department. During her career she managed Evotec’s IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, multiple M&A programs and major financial transactions. Anne is a pharmacist and marketing expert by training. Her sector expertise includes pharma and life sciences with experience in all major indication areas.
Tony Jones
One Nucleus

Tony undertook several years of post-doctoral research in the oncology field prior to moving into Technology Transfer in 1997. He was Director of the London Biotechnology Network from 2003 before leading its merger into ERBI in 2010, creating One Nucleus. Tony became CEO of One Nucleus in 2017 in order to lead the organisation through its next stage of development.
Geraldine O'Keefe
LSP

Geraldine joined LSP in 2008. She became a Partner of the firm in 2010. Geraldine’s prime focus and responsibility within LSP is to invest in listed securities. Prior to joining LSP, she held the position of Senior Healthcare Analyst at Fortis Investment Banking. In that position, she researched a wide range of innovative life sciences companies, both in Europe and the US. Geraldine brings strong analytical and investment skills to the LSP team. Before joining the financial community, she worked within the Life Sciences industry for a number of years, gaining first-hand product development experience in a commercial setting. Prior to working in the industry, she lectured in Biomedical Sciences for several years at the Dublin Institute of Technology. Geraldine has a very strong scientific background, including a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology from University College Cork and a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from University College Galway. She also conducted post-graduate research, inter alia at the prestigious Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, Germany. In addition, Geraldine is also a graduate of the Dublin School of Business.
David Pinniger
Polar Capital

David is Fund Manager, Biotechnology at Polar Capital. He joined Polar in August 2013 as a portfolio manager within the Healthcare team, to launch the Polar Capital Biotechnology Fund. Prior to joining Polar Capital, David was portfolio manager of the International Biotechnology Trust at SV Life Sciences.
Previously, David spent three years working at venture capital firm Abingworth as an analyst managing biotechnology investments held across the firm's venture and specialist funds, and four years at Morgan Stanley as an analyst covering the European pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sector. David received a first class honours degree in human sciences from Oxford University in 1999, he has 19 years of industry experience and is a CFA charterholder.
Nick Rodgers
Destiny Pharma

Nick has been Chairman of Destiny Pharma since 2019 and is also Chairman of SEHTA. Previously Chairman of Oxford Biomedica, 2004–2016. Director of other private healthcare companies.
Sachin Soni
Third Eye Healthcare Fund

Sachin is the co-founder and Fund Manager of Third Eye Healthcare Fund. Third Eye is an open ended long-biased long/short global healthcare investment fund. The Fund’s objective is to generate long-term returns for investors by investing in carefully selected publicly listed healthcare companies. The Fund’s performance should come primarily from long positions, with short positions providing protection in the event of market corrections. The Fund maintains up to 50% exposure to European Healthcare. Prior to incorporating Third Eye in 2016, Sachin worked as Director and Head of the Life Sciences team in the securities division of Kempen & Co, a merchant bank in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. During his eight years at Kempen & Co from 2008 to 2016, he led a team of five, was responsible for coverage of the European Healthcare and Life Sciences sector and won Extel and StarMine awards for stock picking. He has over fifteen years of experience in life sciences, with an exposure to both private (Venture Capital) as well as public market investments, and has been involved in multiple IPOs and secondary transactions, raising over €1.0bn for various life sciences companies.
Melanie Toyne-Sewell
Instinctif Partners

Melanie is a Partner, Life Sciences, at Instinctif and she leads on financial communications within the Life Sciences team. She has 20 years of experience advising life sciences companies on financial communications. Prior to joining Instinctif, she built and established the life sciences practice at the Hogarth Partnership. She was a Partner in the Financial Dynamics (now FTI) Life Sciences team and a Director at Merlin Financial PR. She has extensive experience of capital market transactions and corporate issues facing the pharma, biotech, medtech and healthcare industries, as well as advising specialist VC and IP commercialisation companies. Before entering business communications, she was at Price Waterhouse, where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant. She has a BA in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford.
Rob Winder
FTI Consulting

Rob is a Senior Director in FTI Consulting’s Strategic Communications Life Sciences and Healthcare team.
Rob advises on financial and corporate communications. He manages a number of retained and project accounts. He has worked on IPOs for PureTech Health and Medica Group; supported advisors on Shire’s acquisition by Takeda, the acquisition of Baxalta and the withdrawn acquisition by AbbVie; and advised clients on addressing the challenges from activist investors.
Rob has over 30 years’ experience working in the life sciences sector, spanning the professions of communications, journalism and academia. Rob joined from the BioIndustry Association (BIA), where he was head of communications.
Before joining the trade association in 2006, Rob spent seven years in journalism covering the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and chemicals sectors for trade publications.
Rob has a strong scientific background, having worked in research in the chemistry departments of the University of Surrey and Southampton University, after gaining his PhD and BSc from the University of Nottingham.
Rob’s clients include Chiesi Farmaceutici, Hutchison China MediTech, Medica Group, PureTech Health and Genomics plc