Annette Doherty wins presidential election
Dr Annette Doherty OBE FRSC has been elected to become the Royal Society of Chemistry’s president-elect, following an election process in which members chose between four presidential candidates. Annette will take up the role when Professor Gill Reid completes her term of office in July 2024.
Annette Doherty has almost 35 years of international experience in the pharmaceutical industry, most recently as Senior Vice President, Head of Product Development and Supply, GSK. She has been directly involved in leading the development and launch of many new medicines in a range of therapeutic areas. Annette has been Non-Executive Director of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2017. She was appointed to the Royal Society of Chemistry Board of Trustees in 2021, having also been an elected member from 2011-2015.
Read more about Annette’s career
Dr Doherty said: “This is such an incredible honour and I would like to thank everyone for their support and trust in me. I have long been passionate about the work that this important charity does for the entire chemical sciences community so I couldn't be more delighted.
“The selection process is one that makes you reflect deeply on the reasons why you want to apply to be the president of the Royal Society of Chemistry – it's a highly democratic process, an election via RSC members and you really have to lay out why you want this role and what you want to achieve.”
“I am very committed to maximising the impact of the RSC for the benefit of the entire chemical sciences community because we play such an important role in society today, and I know that we're going to transform our world for the future, so I want to be part of that.”
“I will be a dedicated and committed leader for all of the chemical sciences community that the RSC represents. So many talented people pursue education and careers in the chemical sciences and beyond, in academia and in industry, and they are our future. I want to dedicate my time as president-elect and president to ensuring that we have that right support and environment where innovative research and development and talented people can truly excel.”
Dr Helen Pain, CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry said: “Annette has played an important role as a trustee for a number of years, so I am looking forward to working even more closely with her during her presidency. She has already had an incredible career, from lab to boardroom, so her insight and acumen will be invaluable to our community.
“I would also like to pay tribute to the other candidates in this election, not only for generously giving up their time to support our democratic approach to choosing our president but also for their gracious well wishes to Annette on her success.
“I am really proud of the impact our community continues to have, the leadership we show on so many issues for both our members and the good of society as a whole, so I am excited to be involved as we see many more successes in years to come.”
Annette Doherty speaks to the Royal Society of Chemistry's media team about her reaction to winning the 2022 presidential election