A member of the company’s Senior Executive team, Mene has overall responsibility for the company’s pharmaceutical discovery research and early development activities. Since joining AstraZeneca in 2010, Mene has been instrumental in rebuilding the company’s commitment to science and scientific excellence. He has led the transformation of R&D productivity; driven deeper collaborations with academic, biotech and peer organisations; pioneered programmes to promote Open Innovation and fostered a science driven culture that rewards great science and truth-seeking behaviours. Mene retains an active interest in neurodegenerative disease and neuropharmacology and continues to mentor post docs and PhD students. Mene has published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals and is an internationally renowned expert in neuroscience and drug discovery. He is a leading figure in UK science, serving on several Boards including the Medical Research Council, the National Centre for Universities and Business Council, the Ministers and Industry Strategy Group and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus Strategy Board. Mene is also overseeing the creation of AstraZeneca’s new £330 million research centre in Cambridge – a state of the art facility designed to stimulate collaborative scientific innovation and which will play an important role in the future success of the UK life science industry.

 Drug Discovery