Our voluntary Trustees bring expertise and experience from a wide range of fields to steer the strategic direction of the Charity.
Our Trustees are non-executive members of the Board and Directors of Alzheimer’s Research UK. They share collective responsibility for the effective governance and development of Alzheimer’s Research UK, setting its strategic direction and major policies with the Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team in accordance with the Charity's, vision, mission and values.
For full details of this critical voluntary role see the role description. Short bios for our current Trustees are set out below: we are hugely grateful for their time, support and expertise.
Gavin Patterson
Gavin is our Chair of the Board of Trustees and joined in January 2025.
Gavin has significant international senior leadership experience and has served on boards for companies across FTSE, NASDAQ, AIM and for private equity, as well as charities and educational establishments. He has worked across airlines, business services, consumer products, software, technology, telecommunications and the third sector.
His portfolio currently includes chairing Elixirr plc, Beamery Inc, Kraken Technologies and Kahoot!, while also serving on the boards of Wix Inc, Ocado Group, Fractal Analytics, X3T and Malt. He acts as a Senior Advisor to Octopus Energy, Celonis, CAA, Alix Partners and Blackstone. He chairs the British-American Business Association.
He completed his executive career as President and Chief Revenue Officer at Salesforce from 2019-23, overseeing a period when the business almost doubled its revenues. Previously, he served on the board of BT Group plc for 11 years including six as Chief Executive from 2013-19, leading the business through the acquisition of EE, its investment in sport, a major expansion of the fibre network, the creation of a market leading cyber security business and the championing the company’s approach to responsible and sustainable business. He started his career at P&G in Brand Management.
Gavin has also served as a Trustee of The British Museum, President of The Advertising Association and Chair of Business in the Community. He sat on the British Airways board between 2012-20. He has an MA, MEng in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge.
Gavin says: “Nearly everybody knows someone affected by dementia now, and it’s only getting worse because this condition has been neglected for too long. There has been a historic lack of funding and investment compared to other major health conditions like cancer.
As a result, the number of people affected by dementia is soaring. I cannot underscore the importance of tackling this issue enough. That’s why I’m proud to be joining Alzheimer’s Research UK as Chair of the Board, to drive forward the search for a cure, by raising awareness and rallying essential support.”
Divya Chadha Manek OBE
Divya became a Trustee of Alzheimer’s Research UK in 2021. She sits on the Nominations and Governance Committee.
Divya is currently Senior VP, Clinical Development at Eyebio, an opthalmology biotech company. In this role, Divya is responsible for the company’s clinical development strategy and execution.
Prior to this, Divya held various roles at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) having joined in 2007 most recently serving as the Clinical Research Network’s Director of Business Development and Marketing, leading a team responsible for increasing investment into UK health and social care research from both non-commercial and commercial research sponsors.
In 2020, Divya was seconded to the UK Vaccines Taskforce (VTF) which was set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to lead the UK’s search for a safe and effective vaccine. She was responsible for supporting global pharmaceutical companies to rapidly generate the evidence required for marketing authorisation of COVID-19 vaccines and played a pivotal role in conceptualising and developing the NHS Vaccine Research Registry.
Divya holds a degree in Psychology, Royal Holloway and following this, was awarded an India academic scholarship to study a Masters of Clinical Research at University of Birmingham.
Divya says:
“One of the greatest challenges we face as society is Dementia. Having started my career in clinical research, recruiting people with dementia and their families into studies, I have had first-hand experience of the devastation dementia causes families. Research is the way to fight this challenge. I am passionate about getting new treatments faster to patients through innovative research. ARUK is at the forefront of supporting innovative research and advancing science in dementia- I want to bring my skills and expertise to help.”
Prof Jeremy Chataway
Jeremy joined our Board of Trustees in 2024 and is a member of our Scientific Advisory Board. He is Professor of Neurology at University College London and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, University College Foundation NHS Trust.
After qualifying in medicine at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, and general medical training in London, he specialised in Neurology with posts in Edinburgh, Cambridge and London. He was awarded a PhD from Cambridge University in genetic epidemiology of multiple sclerosis and took up his post as a consultant Neurologist in 2001.
He has a particular interest in advanced clinical trial design and is the Chief Investigator of the MS-STAT, MS-SMART and OCTOPUS trial programmes in Progressive MS. He is a Programme Lead for Neurodegeneration at the MRC Clinical Trial Unit.
Jeremy says: “It’s a huge privilege to be chosen as a Trustee for Alzheimer's Research UK and I’m truly excited to get started. This moment really signifies a milestone in a personal journey to mark the memory of my mother Gill, who was affected by young-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As well as my own experience, I regularly see people with dementia in my general neurology clinic and know well, the ravages such a cruel condition can reap to the individual, the family and to society. That’s why I’m keen to support the search for a cure.”
Giles Dennison
Giles joined the Board of Trustees in April 2017. He has formerly been a Partner and Head of the Corporate and Technology M&A Groups at the law firms Simmons & Simmons and Eversheds Sutherland. He is now a Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys.
Giles Chairs the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee and is also a member of its Legacy Committee and its Investment Committee, to which he brings valuable legal expertise. He is also a Trustee of Alzheimer’s Brain Bank UK.
Giles says: “Dementia touches the lives of so many of us, and yet until recently lagged significantly behind many other medical conditions in terms of public understanding and support, so I became a trustee of Alzheimer’s Research UK in the hope that I could play some small part in changing that situation and by so doing help in the search for an end to the devastating impact of dementia."
Dr Catherine Elliott
Catherine joined our Board of Trustees in 2024. She is a member of the Board’s Nominations and Governance Committee and our Scientific Advisory Board.
Catherine is Director of Research and Partnerships at Cancer Research UK, a post she took up in August 2021, with responsibility for academic science and clinical research funding and partnerships. Prior to this role, Catherine spent six years at the University of Edinburgh as College Registrar for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
Catherine completed clinical academic training, and is an Honorary Consultant Obstetrician, with a Masters in Medical Law and Ethics. After completion of her specialist training, she worked at the Medical Research Council for ten years, in a range of posts including Director of Clinical Research Interests, Head of Neurosciences and Mental Health and policy lead for research regulation and governance.
Catherine says: “I am passionate about the importance of medical research to improve people’s lives and dementia is one of the greatest heath challenges that we face. I think the current progress towards effective interventions is very exciting and provides real hope that the impacts of different forms of dementia can be reduced.”
Amanda Farnsworth
Amanda became a Trustee of Alzheimer’s Research UK in 2021. She is the Board’s Safeguarding and Whistleblowing Lead and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
She has held some of the most high-profile leadership roles in the BBC including Editor of the TV One and Six O Clock News, Deputy Editor, Newsnight and Bureau Chief in Washington DC.
As Project Executive London 2012 Amanda was involved in developing some of the BBC’s key external partnerships around the London 2012 Olympics including with The London Organising Committee and the London Mayor’s office. She sat on the BBC’s 2012 Steering Group, helping to formulate the BBC's vision, editorial strategy and plans to cover all the major 2012 events including the Olympic Torch Relay, the Cultural Olympiad and the Olympic Games.
Amanda’s last job at the BBC was as Head of Visual and Data Journalism bringing together journalists, designers and developers to produce high impact, highly visual and personalised news across all domestic and global outlets on TV, social media and the web.
Amanda has extensive board experience in the charitable sector and is currently a Trustee at Cats Protection. She was previously a Trustee at the Cambridge Arts Theatre, having spent six years on the board of the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. She was also a board member of the Global Editors Network and on the Advisory Board for a major piece of work on inequality at the Nuffield Foundation.
Amanda says “My family has been touched by dementia as have so many in this country and the world. Both my parents donated their brains to Alzheimer’s research and I too wanted to contribute to the cause of finding treatments and ultimately a cure for Dementia. I’m extremely proud to have become a Trustee at Alzheimer’s Research UK.”
Clive Gringras
Clive joined our Board of Trustees in 2024. He is Chair of the Board’s Nominations and Governance Committee and is also a member of its Legacy Committee.
Clive is a partner at the law firm Sidley Austin LLP. He is one of seven lawyers in the Legal 500’s Hall of Fame for TMT and was honoured as Best Lawyer’s Technology Lawyer of the Year in 2021. His book, Gringras: The Laws of the Internet, now in sixth edition, is the only UK judicially-acclaimed text on the subject.
His role as the Chair of Our Future Health’s Technology Advisory Board, underscore Clive’s dedication to advancing medical and technological research.
Clive says “I wanted to join Alzheimer’s Research UK as a Trustee because Alzheimer’s disease has personally affected my family, taking my wife’s grandmother, mother and recently her auntie. These painful experiences drove me to want to make a meaningful contribution to the charity and help find a cure before others are similarly struck. I can see the great potential of research into dementia, it’s key to unlocking the mysteries of this terrible condition.”
Hilary Jeffrey
Hilary joined the Board of Trustees in January 2025 and is a member of its Nominations and Governance Committee.
An advertising executive with more than 35 years’ experience, Hilary started her career in the UK working with leading brands such as NIKE and Apple before taking on an international media director role with Omnicom Media Group. In recent years as Executive Vice President, she has worked with marketing-led organisations such as Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and Volkswagen Group. For this diverse group of clients, she has helped them deliver on their marketing objectives, whether that be to drive awareness, increase sales, deliver leads or change consumer perceptions.
Hilary has experienced first-hand the digital transformation that has impacted consumers, businesses and in particular the marketing and media landscape. Additionally, she has played a significant role in helping her organisation expand, both in terms of staff numbers and services offered. Hilary is particularly interested in ways to develop and maintain a strong culture across the workforce.
Hilary says: “Having seen my mother suffer with Alzheimer’s over a 7 year period I realised how limited treatment options are and how little focus, relatively speaking, is given to dementia by the government, health service and medical science. I feel compelled to support this cause!
ARUK has made huge strides forward in the last few years; driving increased donations and supporting so many interesting research projects. I feel we are on the brink of some big discoveries that will help us cure Alzheimer’s and am very excited about being able to be a part of that story.”
Adrian Lovett
Adrian joined our Board of Trustees in January 2024 and is a member of its Audit and Risk Committee Adrian is Executive Director for the United Kingdom, Middle East and Asia Pacific, for ONE, an international non-profit organisation advocating for healthy lives and economic opportunities for people around the world, especially in Africa.
He was previously Chief Executive Officer of Development Initiatives and President and CEO of the World Wide Web Foundation.
He held earlier leadership roles at ONE, Oxfam and Save the Children, as well as the Make Poverty History and Jubilee 2000 ‘Drop the Debt’ campaigns.
Adrian says: “Dementia affects my own family very directly, as it does so many families across the country. While this condition can be incredibly tough, there are so many reasons to be hopeful, as research uncovers new opportunities to treat, diagnose and prevent dementia. I'm optimistic about the difference we can make, but it's vital that we keep up the momentum in the search for a cure.”
Dr Ruth McKernan CBE
Ruth joined as a Trustee in 2018 and is a member of our Scientific Advisory Board. As a neuroscientist with more than 25 years of research experience in the pharmaceutical industry, she brings valuable expertise to the Board particularly around our drug discovery work.
Her previous roles include Senior Vice President at Pfizer and Head of the Merck Neuroscience Research Centre.
She also spent three years as CEO of InnovateUK, the Government’s Innovation agency helping to create new businesses and drive economic growth. She is a Venture Partner with the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) and has co-founded four dementia-focused biotech companies in the last 3 years. She was awarded a CBE in 2013 for services to business, innovation and skills.
Ruth says: ‘"I am joining Alzheimer’s Research UK because we all know someone who has suffered from the disease. I just want to bring what I have to help".
Kulchetan Sanga
Kulchetan joined the Board of Trustees in January 2025 and is a member of its Investment Committee.
He is President of Three Ships UK, a digital marketing and publishing growth company headquartered in London. He was formerly Managing Director for one of the UK’s leading Price Comparison Websites, GoCompare as part of Future PLC and formerly Chief Commercial Officer of Look After My Bills as part of GoCo Group PLC. During his time with GoCompare, Kulchetan led an outstanding period of growth for GoCo’s Insurance and Energy switching categories and was instrumental in the acquisition of Look After My Bills.
Kulchetan has an extensive background in all channels of digital and above the line marketing. Kulchetan began his career in management consultancy with Deloitte followed by a stint in M&A Investment Banking with Robert W. Baird, with transaction experience spanning Europe and the US.
Kulchetan says: “I feel honoured to serve as a Trustee for Alzheimer’s Research UK. The ambition of ARUK is extremely energising, and the action it undertakes makes a real difference in people's lives. With recent experience within my own family I was moved to do whatever I can to support the ongoing search for a cure and the wider work of arming those living with dementia, as well as their families and friends, with the tools and information that can best support them through their experience.”
Dr David Spruce
David joined our Board of Trustees in January 2025. He is our Treasurer and a Director of Alzheimer’s Research Trading Ltd. David also Chairs the Board’s Investment Committee and is a member of its Audit & Risk Committee.
David began his finance career with Esso and Mars before joining the investment bank J.P. Morgan. He worked in various roles there, culminating as CFO of J.P. Morgan France, based in Paris. He was then CFO and CEO of a SunGard software business before joining the Australian-listed insurance company QBE. David was Finance and then Operations Director of the European Business before working for the Group Board on a significant global transformation project.
The ’Good Life’ called and David started a smallholding in rural Shropshire, where he raised pigs, sheep and poultry. Becoming stir-crazy, David returned to university, gaining a Master’s Degree in the history of the First World War. He then researched a history PhD on Britain’s early air force. His research won the RAF Museum’s prestigious Masters and Doctorate Academic Awards. He has been published in numerous academic journals and is now writing a book. He lectures part-time on air power.
David is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee at the Royal United Services Institute and has formerly been a Trustee and Finance Committee Chair at the Royal British Legion.
David says: “I have a desire to use my experience to ‘give something back’ now that I have sufficient time to dedicate to it. ARUK is focused on a cause close to my heart. I want to play my part in helping to find a cure. It will come too late for my own family, but research is at an exciting stage where hopefully millions of other families will have better options.”