
James Noble
Lead Independent Director and Deputy Chairman
James Noble has served as a non-executive Director since January 2007. Mr. Noble has extensive experience in the biotech industry and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc, a NASDAQ-listed company (ADAP) involved in T cell therapeutics. Mr. Noble was previously Chief Executive Officer of Avidex Limited, a private biotech company and, until March 2014, was Chief Executive Officer of Immunocore Limited. Mr. Noble qualified as a chartered accountant with PriceWaterhouse in 1983 and then spent seven years at investment bank Kleinwort Benson Limited, where he became a Director in 1990. He then joined British Biotech plc as Chief Financial Officer and secured the company’s IPO on NASDAQ and London in 1992.
From 1997 to 2001, he held numerous non-executive Director positions, including at PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc, Oxford GlycoSciences plc, MediGene AG, and Advanced Medical Solutions plc. Mr. Noble graduated from the University of Oxford in 1980. Our board of directors believes Mr. Noble’s qualifications to serve as a member of our board include his financial expertise, his extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry and his years of experience in his leadership roles as a director and executive officer.