Prizegiving: Guest Speaker Iain Ross

Guest Speaker at the event was Old Boy Iain Ross (Class of 1972). After leaving Bolton School, Iain studied Biochemistry at Royal Holloway, University of London, and has since enjoyed a 40-year career in the international life sciences and technology sectors, holding significant roles in a variety of multi-national companies. He is currently the Chairman of Silence Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ); Reneuron Group plc (LSE); BiVictriX plc (LSE) and Kazia Therapeutics Limited (ASX and NASDAQ); a qualified Chartered Director, fellow of the Institute of Directors, a former Vice Chairman of the Council of Royal Holloway, University of London and an Honorary Fellow of the same university. In his highly entertaining keynote address, Iain shared stories and anecdotes from his career. Reflecting on the lessons he has learned throughout life, he advised the boys in the audience always to keep their options open and to remember that, “whilst timing is everything, sometimes it’s the wrong time”. He encouraged them to “embrace failure and move on” as “sometimes you can learn from your mistakes better than you can learn from your successes”. He exhorted them to “stick their necks out” and to be bold in their decisions, remembering that “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”. Finally, he suggested that rather than go out and do what they love, they should love whatever they eventually choose to do. A few weeks before Prizegiving, we caught up with Iain via Zoom, as he reminisced about his School days and their impact on his later life: “In 1966, my family moved down to Bolton from Scotland for my father’s work – I joined the Third Form and my sister went into the Sixth Form of the Girls’ Division. My first year was fantastic; I was a novelty from Scotland, so I made lots of friends. I remember Mr Kirk teaching me Physics; through him I learned to love science. I also remember Mr Coghill, who was my first Form Master and taught me French, Mr Eames who took us for History, and Mr Sharples, who taught me English – he always said it was a great challenge teaching English to a Scot! “In the Fourth Form, I was badly bullied. I didn’t confide in anyone, until one day Alan Mitchell, then the Lower School Master, took me to one side and asked me what was going on – he had noticed I wasn’t myself. After that, my whole life at School changed for the better. I was very grateful for that intervention; Mr Mitchell was an amazing man, a real inspiration. I learned from that incident not to hide from problems, but always to face up to them. I also realised that you should not let one bad incident or experience define your view of the present or the future. “Highlights of Bolton School have to include the camps. I went to the Third Form and Fourth Form camps in Wales and Devon, where Roger Kirk discovered my knack for cooking on an open fire (honed through Scouting in Scotland before I moved to Bolton). I was then invited to go as the Senior Boy on School camps to Italy and to the Outer Hebrides. I also played tennis for School, which I loved.

“I applied to study Medicine at the University of St Andrews, but my A Level results were not what I had hoped. I considered resitting them, but my parents were moving back up to Scotland. David Baggley, the Headmaster at that time, advised me: ‘Look, perhaps things didn’t work out academically, but you’ve had a great School career; if you come back you’re going to be bored out of your mind – so don’t. Look forward and keep all your options open.’ I took his advice and went to study Biochemistry at Royal Holloway, which was probably the best career move I ever made. When I moved down from Scotland I was quite a nervous chap, but Bolton School gave me self-belief and a willingness to seek new challenges, to try things without being afraid of change, and Mr Baggley’s advice set me off on the right path. “At Royal Holloway, I became involved in student politics and took a sabbatical as Vice President Services of the Students’ Union, running the student bars and all social events on campus. After university, I took a graduate trainee job with Bass, the brewery, and subsequently ran a pub in Brixton for four months. That was an amazing learning experience, seeing the human condition in all its forms and how to manage it. I then moved from booze to drugs, starting in pharmaceutical sales and marketing and working my way up at various firms including Hoffmann La Roche. In 1991, I joined the board of Celltech, one of the UK’s first biotech companies, following which I have been Chairman and CEO of numerous biotech companies ever since.

“Ironically, I suppose Mr Kirk and Mr Prince must take some of the credit for my career path, as their enthusiasm and excitement for science really stuck with me. I love the fact that there is so much still to achieve in science and so many conditions and diseases to be treated. The science behind the drugs my companies are developing is endlessly fascinating, and these drugs have the potential to do enormous good and improve patients’ lives. I’ve had a great time and I hope I am still making a difference.”

Iain with Nic Ford, Head of Boys’ Division