Professor Deborah Smith
Gillian Fairfield
Professor Smith succeeds Professor Peter Holland, who has rotated off the Board after five years as a Trustee Director. Gillian Fairfield’s appointment was confirmed in December and she will apply her extensive non-executive and legal expertise to the organisation’s governance.
The Earlham Institute is led by the Board of Trustee Directors, which comprises experienced individuals with backgrounds in science, finance, legal, and commercial areas relevant to the Institute’s work. The Board is supported by the Institute’s Director, Executive Team, and the Senior Management Team.
Professor Deborah Smith joined the Earlham Institute’s Board as a Trustee Director in 2021. She has a research career spanning molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, and genomics – with a focus on the translation of fundamental research to drug and vaccine development.
Gillian Fairfield is a corporate lawyer and experienced non-executive director, with over 25 years of working in corporate finance and helping companies with their growth, development, and strategy. Her current executive role is as General Counsel at Cancer Research UK along with their research innovation engine, Cancer Research Horizons.
