The Team
We are a specialist agency headquartered in London with a global reach as part of the Baird’s CMC network. Markets covered include: US, LatAm, APAC and EMEA.
We are a specialist agency headquartered in London with a global reach as part of the Baird’s CMC network. Markets covered include: US, LatAm, APAC and EMEA.
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CEO & Founder
Jenny is a recognised leader in healthcare communications and patient advocacy. She began her career as a journalist and has created numerous high-profile campaigns in-house and agency-side for some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Some of her achievements for clients include securing additional investment in dementia R&D, recognition for brain cancer patients, improved access to medicines for rare disease patients and policy change in the field of cell & gene therapies.
Prior to launching OVID Health in 2018, she successfully built up an award-winning healthcare communications practice at another agency. She is a former political adviser to a UK government health minister where she advised on national policies covering topics such as suicide, social isolation, dementia, ageing, mental health and social care.
Jenny previously led the public affairs function at the NHS Confederation and there led a number of high-profile campaigns – including an award-winning campaign on social care. Other roles included working at a social affairs policy think tank. Jenny is a thought leader on topics such as political strategy, patient engagement and policy-making. One of her proudest achievements is founding the Patient Partnership Index in 2020 – a pro bono initiative which has led to a step-change in how patient programmes between third sector organisations and pharmaceutical companies deliver impact across the globe.
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CEO & Founder
Jenny is a recognised leader in healthcare communications and patient advocacy. She began her career as a journalist and has created numerous high-profile campaigns in-house and agency-side for some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Some of her achievements for clients include securing additional investment in dementia R&D, recognition for brain cancer patients, improved access to medicines for rare disease patients and policy change in the field of cell & gene therapies.
Prior to launching OVID Health in 2018, she successfully built up an award-winning healthcare communications practice at another agency. She is a former political adviser to a UK government health minister where she advised on national policies covering topics such as suicide, social isolation, dementia, ageing, mental health and social care.
Jenny previously led the public affairs function at the NHS Confederation and there led a number of high-profile campaigns – including an award-winning campaign on social care. Other roles included working at a social affairs policy think tank. Jenny is a thought leader on topics such as political strategy, patient engagement and policy-making. One of her proudest achievements is founding the Patient Partnership Index in 2020 – a pro bono initiative which has led to a step-change in how patient programmes between third sector organisations and pharmaceutical companies deliver impact across the globe.
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Partner
Roudie has worked in public policy and campaigning for over 15 years. She is the former Head of Government Affairs at the ABPI and previously led Pfizer UK’s corporate public affairs function.
She worked for Boris Johnson across policy and strategic development in the health, life sciences, tech and charity sectors at City Hall, securing £200m for life science and digital health hubs in London. Roudie began her career as an Oxfam campaigner and has advised life sciences, health and technology clients
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Director & Head of Public Affairs
David leads OVID’s Public Affairs practice. David has spent over a decade in public affairs, advising a wide range of life science companies in the UK and globally. He has delivered strategic communications and public affairs campaigns for several leading pharmaceutical companies, including clients in the oncology space. He advised Novartis Oncology for two years, including on campaigns on ‘How to retain the Cancer Drugs Fund’ – a key revenue pipeline for their portfolio. He also worked with them to raise parliamentary awareness of neuroendocrine cancers. He helps clients navigate and shape an increasingly complex UK healthcare landscape.
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Senior Director
Camilla has over 20 years of experience as a senior healthcare communications executive at national, regional and global levels. With proven delivery across multiple corporate structures: start-up, not-for-profit, PR agency & FTSE 100. She was a Global Comms Director for GSK’s Consumer Health Supply Chain where she managed a team of regional hub leads spanning 30 sites across the world & chief comms counsel to the leadership team. Camilla’s expertise spans from navigating multi-functional matrices, coordinating networks to global priorities, and delivering C-suite/founder/Board level counsel.
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Operations Director
Richard is responsible for ensuring the agency runs smoothly. Over the past five years Richard has created bespoke platforms for OVID which mean we have some of the best systems in the business including industry-leading IT and data security. As a degree-qualified professional engineer, Richard has a strong background in technology, finance and project management. Prior to OVID, Richard worked as Vice President of R&D at a global engineering firm, leading major infrastructure projects as well as roles in the manufacturing and transport sectors. He has a passion for STEM education and is experienced handling procurement with large and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies.
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Senior Counsel
Joe is the founder of Deltapoll and is the architect of online political polling in the UK. He was previously Head of Political and Social Research for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at YouGov, having begun as a research director at the very start of the company back in 2000. He has been an affiliated lecturer at the University of Cambridge, is a visiting professor at the University of Sheffield and a visiting Research Fellow at the University of Manchester.
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Senior Counsel
Prof Salisbury was Director of Immunisation at the Department of Health until the end of 2013. He was responsible for the National Immunisation Programme and led the introduction of many new vaccines. He is the chair of the WHO Global Certification Commission for Polio Eradication and an Associate Fellow at Chatham House’s Global Health Programme. He previously chaired the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, the WHO committee that sets global immunization policy. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 2001.
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Account Executive
Miriam is a Neuroscience and French graduate who joined OVID from a medical communications agency where she conducted regulatory writing for clinical trial protocols and literature reviews. Miriam already has a good understanding of the regulatory and clinical landscapes and has excellent analytical skills gathered through various client projects. She previously worked as a healthcare assistant where she supported vulnerable patients with complex needs. Miriam also played an active role at the University of Sussex, where she was the President of the Ghana Society and wrote her dissertation on improving disease awareness campaigns for those with Dyspraxia and Dyslexia.
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Account Director
Jack joined OVID from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), where he led on workforce policy. He has extensive experience working with clinicians and NHS leaders to develop solutions to complex policy challenges and translating those solutions for wider audiences. He led the production of several RCGP publications and was instrumental in preparing guidance to support the delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations in primary care. Prior to this, Jack worked in charities and membership organisations across the health and higher education sectors.
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Senior Account Manager
Oliver is a Biotechnology and Enterprise graduate with experience in health policy, social media comms and public affairs. He joined OVID from Freuds where he supported COVID-19 vaccine awareness campaigns for the Cabinet Office (liaising with social media influencers and content influencers); as well as working for Public Health England on an obesity awareness programme. Oliver spent a year in Pfizer’s policy and public affairs team working across multiple therapy areas, including rare diseases. He also operated as an enterprise consultant to a MedTech start-up in Far-UVC products after graduation.
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People & Culture Advisor
Sharon creates and implements strategies to help transform OVID. Her natural energy and enthusiasm drives her desire and joy in seeing others succeed. She is fluent in Japanese, with a working law degree and has worked as a Human Resources Director in several multimillion companies operating in the USA, Japan, Europe and the UK. In addition to her legal experience, she is also a qualified Project Manager, Accredited Mediator and Executive Coach and has experience in the Technology sector.
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Senior Account Manager
Joanna previously worked at global health communications consultancy Syneos Health. Over the past three years, Joanna has supported global pharmaceutical firms and other healthcare clients – where she has specialised in media strategies and launch communications. During her time in agency, Joanna has managed media relations activities for clients and has also developed web and social media content. Before entering consultancy, she worked at a specialist HIV hospital in London where she wrote website articles and supported patients.
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Account Executive
Charlie joined OVID from a medical communications agency where he helped to deliver a range of medical affairs projects for a large pharmaceutical client in aesthetics. His work included organising large scale symposia, advisory boards and roundtable discussions. He also supported with the production of materials for HCPs, helping to improve the standard of care for patients. Prior to working in medical communications, Charlie acquired a degree in Biochemistry from Swansea University, and a postgraduate diploma in Politics and Contemporary History from the University of Nottingham.
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Senior Account Executive
Robbie joined OVID from a medical communications agency where he worked on their largest global client account in gene therapy – managing ad boards, congresses, symposiums and web content. Before that Robbie worked in the PR team of this agency working across multiple campaigns, internal comms, social content and corporate engagement. Before entering healthcare communications, Robbie worked as a healthcare assistant in an NHS intensive care unit and as a marketing intern. He has a degree in Human Geography from the University of British Columbia.
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Account Director
Alex has a wealth of experience across consumer and pharmaceutical as well as clients such as Public Health England and global health coalitions. Alex led Specsavers’ busy press office account and has spent the past decade at two major global agencies, Virgo Health and Freuds. She has delivered everything from press campaigns, large-scale social media campaigns, HCP influencer projects and disease awareness in areas such as breast cancer and dementia. She has worked on some of the most notable campaigns of the past five years, including ‘Fellowes Work Colleague of the Future’ (most awarded PR health campaign in 2020), the Dementia Friends campaign, Estée Lauder’s Virtual Self-Check Breast Cancer Campaign, Nurofen’s Gender Pain Gap and the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition.
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Junior Account Executive
Maddy is an Arts and Sciences graduate with a background in genetics, bioinformatics and science communication. After returning from her Erasmus year at the University of Seville, she interned at Genomics England as a content writer supporting the communications, marketing and engagement teams. She wrote her final year dissertation on the implementation of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service for paediatric rare diseases, and also played an active role in the UCL Musical theatre society as a performer, production team member and events officer. She Joins us as part of OVID’s inaugural internship scheme!
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Senior Account Director
Kat brings over 15 years of experience within both charity and agency environments, as well as her love for storytelling and demystifying complex science. She started her career at Jeans for Genes before moving to MEND – a charity providing support for overweight children – and consolidated her expertise at Ogilvy Healthworld and Chandler Chicco Agency, among others. Kat has considerable expertise in messaging, narrative development and running award winning disease awareness campaigns, including in the areas of atrial fibrillation (Boehringer Ingelheim), pulmonology (Boehringer Ingelheim) and psoriatic arthritis (AbbVie). Growing up with two brothers with complex health needs, Katherine experienced first-hand the impact of clear and precise health messaging and the importance of a patient-centric approach.
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Associate Director
Rachael is our Deputy Head of Patient Partnerships and has over 10-years of policy and public affairs experience in the health and life sciences sectors. Prior to working in consultancy, Rachael held several in-house roles working with global pharmaceutical companies, biotech start-ups, medical research charities and academic organisations.
Between 2016 and 2018, Rachael managed the Bioindustry Association’s public affairs activities during the fallout of the EU referendum and the development of the 2017 Life Sciences Industrial Strategy. She also led the organisation’s policy development on rare diseases, cell and gene therapies and genomics, including establishing the UK’s Rare Disease Industry Group – a coalition of pharmaceutical companies which continues to advocate for better access to orphan medicines.
In 2019, Rachael moved to the Francis Crick Institute, a world-renowned biomedical research centre, to take on the role of strategic adviser to the Institute’s Director and Nobel Laureate, Sir Paul Nurse.
Rachael joined consultancy in 2021 and she particularly enjoys working with clients to make complex scientific topics easy for policymakers and members of the public to understand.
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Associate Director
Samina has 25 years of healthcare communications experience working in the pharmaceutical, advocacy and public health sector. She has worked on a number of award-winning disease awareness campaigns in obesity (Abbott/Men’s Health), glaucoma (Pfizer), epilepsy (UCB Pharma) and Hepatitis C (Gilead Sciences). Coupled to her extensive agency experience, Samina spent 3 years working at the Royal Marsden NHS Trust leading communications on a new electronic care record for London, supporting end of life care and urgent care planning. Her NHS work provided not only an inside view of the UK clinical commissioning environment but also the importance of patient centric care from the frontline.
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Senior Associate
Rachel leads OVID’s pharmaceutical PR services offer. She joined OVID from GSK, where she led global communications for the inhaled respiratory medicines team. An experienced and well-respected PR leader, she is the former UK Communications Director for GSK. Her background is in science communications and cancer, having previously been a Science Press Manager for Cancer Research UK, where she worked with all the leading national and trade health journalists on a regular basis.
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Associate
Helen has more than 25 years’ experience working in PR, medical communications and publishing and has held several senior positions in global healthcare communications agencies. She also headed up her own specialist healthcare consultancy for nearly 20 years. Having worked on UK, EU and global projects, she has in-depth knowledge across various therapy areas including immunology, oncology, gastroenterology, urology, neurology, reproductive and maternal health, as well as corporate comms. She has also led advocacy and employee engagement campaigns in immunology and dermatology and an award-winning fertility campaign.
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Senior Associate
Dr Sheuli Porkess is an experienced industry expert in medicines development, medical affairs and research policy within the UK and internationally, across multiple therapy areas. Sheuli has held Medical Director roles in industry and is the former Director of Research, Medical and Innovation at the ABPI, leading on policy work in innovation, clinical research, COVID, Brexit, bioethics, appropriate prescribing and patient involvement. As well as being an OVID Associate, Sheuli is the Vice-President Elect for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine and holds a number of other roles including membership of the Scientific Advisory Boards for C2-Ai, a healthcare analytics company, and the AGILE pandemic clinical trial platform and the UK Pandemic Ethics Accelerator, as well as being a member of the NIHR AI for Multiple Long-term conditions (AIM) Programme Steering Group.
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Senior Associate – Digital
Karina is an experienced senior leader with a deep knowledge of marketing and digital. She has worked with high-profile organisations in Australia and the UK. She has delivered award-winning and successful integrated campaigns and led digital teams and transformation programs. Karina has worked in the Health, Property, Public Services and International Development sectors. She is a Fellow of the RSA (the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Karina’s passion is enabling organisations to realise their potential by identifying the needs of customers and clients’ needs and then leading delivery teams to create exceptional campaigns.
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Associate – Insights
Working for over 25 years as a qualitative researcher with Board-level management experience, Lisa has a professional track record of building strong, collaborative relationships with clients and communicating strategic insight to them with clarity. In 2019, she established the healthcare charity Local Families with Bleeding Disorders (LFBD) to champion advocacy, fundraising and support, alongside undertaking extensive qualitative research in this area.
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Associate
Clare is a highly experienced public affairs, policy and communications consultant. She previously worked at the NHS Confederation in their policy and research team and has experience working in and alongside pharmaceutical firms on access to medicines. Clare used to manage the policy team for Alzheimer’s Research UK and was seconded to the Office for Life Sciences while in that role. She also worked for Bupa and Spire as a communications consultant.
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Associate – Design
Ace has extensive experience in graphic design, concept development and brand management across a variety of sectors. He has worked in China and the UK with brands on developing innovative and visually striking microsites, logos, event assets and brand identities. Ace believes that by working closely with both marketing and communication teams we can better integrate design into a client’s overall strategy and image. Ace has worked for a number of OVID’s clients in the charity sector and also designed our website – a great example of his creativity and attention to detail!
We are a growing agency looking for smart, kind and capable consultants at all levels who love to work on patient-centric programmes. If you’re interested please email your CV to [email protected].