Are Site Networks the Solution to the Industry Productivity and Recruitment Challenge?

Paul Evans, PhD has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 30 years. He is currently President and CEO of Velocity Clinical Research, which owns and operates investigator sites across multiple therapeutic areas in the US and Europe. From a private equity start-up in 2018 Velocity has grown to be the largest SMO (Site Management Organisation) in the world under Dr Evans’s leadership and is focused on solving the delays caused by the inherent inefficiencies of the clinical research process. This was particularly critical during Operation Warp Speed to develop the COVID19 vaccines in which Velocity contributed more patients than any other organization. He started his career establishing and managing research sites in the UK and was a founder of one of the first European SMOs. Dr Evans joined the CRO sector in 2005 building global site networks that partnered strategically rather than being selected tactically by the CRO and continued to work on innovative patient recruitment campaigns in some of the most challenging environments across all continents. In two of the world’s largest CROs he has led global functions that have included site intelligence, study start-up, feasibility, site contracting, patient recruitment and Investigator payments. Few people have had the opportunity to spend so much of their careers working both on the investigator and sponsor sides of the GCP divide and this breadth of experience gives him a unique insight into the challenges faced by the drug development industry.

Mark Scullion is the CEO of Atlas Clinical Research, a therapeutically driven clinical research site network built on centralized process excellence and integrated technology. Mr Scullion has spent more than 17 years in the clinical research industry. Before Atlas, Mr Scullion was most recently the Global Head of Trial Monitoring for Novartis AG, and also previously held leadership roles at Syneos Health and IQVIA, where he developed novel approaches to clinical trial design and execution. At Novartis Mr Scullion led a group of clinical professionals delivering over 300 clinical studies in partnership with 14,000 investigative sites across the world.

Nick Slack, MBE, is the Chairman and CEO of The START Center for Cancer Research, bringing nearly two decades of leadership experience to the clinical research industry. He is a transformative healthcare executive with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation, all while focusing on the mission, vision, and values an organization delivers to the broader research community. Most recently, Mr Slack served as an Executive in Residence at Warburg Pincus. During this time, he was a member of Warburg's Healthcare Team, where he worked on life sciences and pharma services strategy. In this role, he supported Warburg's portfolio companies as an advisor, contributing his extensive knowledge and experience to enhance their strategic initiatives and operational efficiencies. Before joining Warburg Pincus, Mr Slack was the President of WCG Clinical. During his decade-long tenure, Mr Slack was responsible for developing and growing WCG’s relationships with the industry’s leading sponsors, CROs, and hospital systems. Mr Slack worked with partner-clients to design and implement solutions that accelerate the activation of clinical trials, eliminate the duplication of efforts in research, and promote the highest standards of safety for research subjects. Throughout his career, Mr Slack has provided guidance to more than 150 sponsors, CROs, and sites. He was previously the director of consulting services for HRP Consulting Group and the Associate Director of Accreditation for AAHRPP. A trained ethicist, Mr Slack earned a master’s degree in bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mark Travers, Ph.D., MBA is Vice President, Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO) Regions and Regional Operations (RRO).Mark has over 30 years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical and Device industry with increasing responsibility at country, region and global level focusing on both People management and clinical trial operations for several companies and industry initiatives.Mark earned a B.Sc. (hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (Scotland), Ph.D. in Bioengineering again from the University of Strathclyde and an MBA from the University of Sussex in Brighton (UK).