Richard Venables, head of the Oxford office for CBRE, introduced an audience from across the Oxfordshire business, cultural and scientific sectors to the fascinating world of Professor Helen McShane, Director of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), at Experience Oxfordshire’s annual Cultural Platform.
Professor McShane, recently accepted the Freedom of the City of Oxford on behalf of the BRC for their work producing the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, and across many other diseases.
Taking place at the award-winning Clerici Building on Oxford Brookes Business School’s Headington Campus, the event was introduced by Joanna Davidson CBE, Chair of Experience Oxfordshire, and attracted leading figures from Experience Oxfordshire’s Partner network, Oxford’s arts and culture sector, Oxfordshire businesses and the local scientific community. The event was sponsored by long standing supporter of the Cultural Platform, Richardsons Chartered Accountants, an Oxfordshire based company who work within a variety of sectors across the county and beyond.
An engaged and inspired audience heard first-hand of the BRC’s researchers’ efforts to pivot, address the challenges and develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine; breakthroughs in medical science in the coming years including AI, big data and gene and cell therapy; addressing the pressures on the NHS via digital tools and Hospital at Home; and how world leading research in the city, including the BRC’s, strengthens the reputation of Oxford to a global audience.
After the event Joanna Davidson CBE, Chair of Experience Oxfordshire said: “The annual Experience Oxfordshire Cultural Platform is part of our continuing commitment to promoting the county and its assets. This is the first in-person Cultural Platform to be held since the pandemic, so it was fitting, as well as an honour, to have Professor Helen McShane, representing the team of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, as our speaker. It was inspiring to hear of her team’s critical work in the development of a covid vaccine and of their ongoing work in combatting disease. It was also a reminder of the important contribution our research and scientific community make to the Oxfordshire brand as a top destination in which to live, work, visit and do business.”
Professor Helen McShane, Director of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre said: “It’s been a pleasure to attend Experience Oxfordshire’s annual Cultural Platform and fly the flag for Oxfordshire’s scientific community. The success of our work at the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre is a testament to the support we receive from the residents of Oxfordshire and the very constructive spirit of cooperation which thrives here.”
After the interview, Richard Venables MRICS DL, head of the Oxford office for CBRE commented: “The Cultural Platform event and the insights shared by Professor McShane are a reminder of the interconnectivity within the Oxfordshire community and our co-dependence. As our county continues to recover from the negative impacts of the pandemic, the innovative thinking, cooperation and collaboration espoused by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre provides an inspirational template to follow.”
Jemima King of Richardsons said: “As a company who provides services to the scientific community and as supporters of Experience Oxfordshire’s work across culture and the visitor economy, Richardsons is delighted to be associated with the Cultural Platform event once again. It’s been such a privilege to hear of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre’s life-saving work.”
Giles Orr of Oxford Brookes Business School said: “Here at Oxford Brookes Business School we pride ourselves on providing inspirational training. We’re delighted to have hosted Experience Oxfordshire’s Cultural Platform with their guest speaker Professor Helen McShane in our award-winning Clerici Building.”
Following the interview Experience Oxfordshire Partners, businesses and invited guests had the opportunity to connect with Professor McShane and the event speakers and network at a drinks reception.
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NOTES TO THE EDITOR:
Images: available via the following link.
Image 1: Professor Helen McShane, Director of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and Richard Venables MRICS DL, head of the Oxford office for CBRE
Image 2: Professor Helen McShane, Director of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and Richard Venables MRICS DL, head of the Oxford office for CBRE
Image 3: Experience Oxfordshire’s Cultural Platform with Professor Helen McShane
Image 4: (L to R) Giles Orr, Head of Business and External Engagement, Oxford Brookes Business School; Jemima King, Partner, Richardsons Chartered Accountants; Professor Helen McShane, Director of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre; Joanna Davidson CBE, Chair of Experience Oxfordshire; and Richard Venables MRICS DL, head of the Oxford office for CBRE
Image 5: (L to R) Lesley Wright, Experience Oxfordshire Marketing Manager; Roy Probert, Senior Communications Manager, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre; Professor Helen McShane, Director of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre; Hayley Beer-Gamage, Experience Oxfordshire CEO
Image 6: (L to R) Christopher Wigg, Experience Oxfordshire Director & Trustee; Councillor Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council; John Hoy, Hoy Consultancy; Andy Woodward, ACP Associates.
Experience Oxfordshire is the official Destination Management Organisation (DMO) for Oxfordshire. We are the trading arm of the parent charity, Experience Oxfordshire Charitable Trust, and are a not-for-profit partnership organisation that is committed to the promotion, management, and development of Oxfordshire as a great destination to live, work, visit and do business whilst improving growth and productivity across the visitor economy. The DMO provides essential business advice and support to visitor economy businesses across Oxfordshire.
For more information on Experience Oxfordshire go to https://experienceoxfordshire.flywheelstaging.com/partner/
Contact: Lesley Wright, press@experienceoxfordshire.org T: 01865 686433
You can keep up to date with Experience Oxfordshire’s activity by following:
LinkedIn – Experience Oxfordshire
Twitter – @ExperienceOxBiz and @ExperienceOx
Facebook – Experience Oxfordshire
Instagram – @experienceoxfordshire
Professor Helen McShane
Professor McShane has been Director of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre since September 2018. Professor of Vaccinology at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute, she is also Deputy Head of the University’s Medical Sciences Division, where she provides leadership around clinical translational research and personnel. Her own main area of research is the development of effective new tuberculosis vaccines and developing controlled human infection models for TB and SARS CoV2. Professor McShane is also an Honorary Consultant Physician in Infectious Diseases at Oxford University Hospitals.
The Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is based at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and run in partnership with the University of Oxford.
It was one of the first five BRCs funded by the NIHR in 2007 and on 1 December 2022 it began its fourth round of funding – £86.6 million to support healthcare research over the next five years.
NIHR BRCs are collaborations between universities and NHS organisations that bring together academics and clinicians to translate scientific breakthroughs into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies that benefit patients, improve the delivery of care by the NHS and support the wider economy.
Richard Venables MRICS DL
Richard is head of the Oxford office for CBRE, global property advisor and has extensive experience advising in the science and technology markets in Oxfordshire. Richard dedicates considerable time and energy to economic and cultural development in Oxfordshire. He was a board member of Experience Oxfordshire (2009-2020), Oxfordshire Youth (2019-2022, where he is now an Ambassador) and Active Oxfordshire (2017-2022, where is now a Patron). He is also a Vice Patron of the Oxford Civic Society, a member of the Oxford City Council Economic Growth Steering Group and Oxford Strategic Partnership and was board member of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (2014-2018). Richard was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire (2016) and was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire (2018/19). He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 for services to economic development and community services.
Joanna Davidson CBE
Joanna Davidson has been Chair of Experience Oxfordshire since June 2017 and has a background of senior leadership in the public and voluntary sectors, having previously been Chief Executive of two local authorities and a national charity. She spent ten years as Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council and has a love of the county’s heritage and tourism offer. She is now an independent consultant and coach specialising in change management in the third sector, and regularly chairs cross sector leadership programmes in a voluntary capacity.
Her professional background is in housing and regeneration and she has been an advisor to the Local Government Association and a member of a range of government advisory groups on housing.
Joanna previously chaired the Board of Oxford Brookes University and has been a trustee or non-executive director of a range of organisations including the former Government Office for the South East. She was awarded the CBE for services to local government in 2011 and an honorary doctorate from Oxford Brookes University in 2014.
Richardsons is a firm of Chartered Accountants and business advisors based in Thame. ICAEW accredited and established for over 30 years, they provide specialist accounting advice for small and medium companies, large corporates, and individuals. Communicating regularly with clients, they like to form a close relationship built on trust. In addition to core services, they specialise in setting up tax-efficient structures for start-ups, and tax planning for existing businesses and individuals. Richardsons work within a variety of sectors and have a strong reputation in dealing with Research & Development Tax Credits and grant audits. https://www.richardsons-group.co.uk/
Oxford Brookes Business School’s Business and External Engagement team works to support organisations through enabling engagement with their research, training and consultancy services.
Upcoming courses include Help to Grow Government funded 12-week leadership development programme for SMEs. Executing Strategy an intensive one week course in implementing and executing strategic decisions and Optimising Motivation for Long Term Performance for optimising productivity, job satisfaction and effectiveness. www.brookes.ac.uk/business/business-engagement