Meet the team

Hitesh Thakrar is an experienced investor in the technology sector, having spent over 25 years investing in public equities in the life sciences, information technology and innovation sectors. Since 2015, he has moved into early stage venture investing. Hitesh is currently a Partner at Syncona Limited (a Wellcome Trust backed early stage venture fund), a Governance Board Member of KQ Labs at the Francis Crick Institute, an accelerator with the Turing supporting next generation businesses in data science and life sciences, and the Chair of the Investment Committee for Newable Ventures (a pre-Series A deep tech fund). Hitesh is also an advisor to UKRI’s Science and Technology Funding Council (SFTC) that helps early stage companies spin out from UK universities, He recently joined as a Trustee of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Charity. Previous NED roles include work with Desktop Genetics and Tropic Biosciences, both companies using CRISPR technology in gene editing. Prior to 2015, Hitesh has worked at various public market institutions in global equity research and fund management including at ADIA (Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund), JP Morgan, Aviva Group, Dresdner Bank and New Star Asset Management. Hitesh has a degree in chemistry from Kings College, London, an MBA from Cranfield University and a CFA from the American Association of Investment Analysts and has previously held a position as Innovation Fellow at the University of Cambridge.

Rishi Das-Gupta is Chief Executive of the Health Innovation Network. He has worked to improve healthcare, patient experience and outcomes for over 20 years in a variety of roles focused on shaping and implementing government policy, working with health and care providers and redesigning services. He is passionate about the use of technology to enable clinical and operational change and to empower patients to manage their own conditions. Rishi’s experience spans UK and US healthcare systems and he is a fellow of the Sciana programme collaborating with German and Swiss healthcare leaders. Prior to this role he has held executive roles at NHS trusts as CITO, Director of Innovation and as Director of Operations and worked as a medical doctor. Rishi also has experience working as a strategy consultant at Oliver Wyman and McKinsey and Company. In addition to his primary medical qualification (M.B.,B.S.). Rishi holds an M.A. in law (University of Cambridge) and an M.B.A. (London Business School).

Dr Amanda Begley is interim Director of Digital Transformation, on secondment from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Amanda’s focus is on building partnerships and expertise to deliver innovation at scale and pace for patient, staff and population benefit. She co-founded the award winning NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA), and – whilst on secondment to OneLondon – helped establish the Health Data Research UK Hub for Cancer - DATA-CAN, where she worked as Director of Strategy and Partnerships. Following her PhD, Amanda joined the NHS as an Assistant and Trainee Clinical Psychologist. She has worked as a commissioner and senior manager across primary, community and secondary care in south East London, as Head of Innovation at London’s Strategic Health Authority and Director of Innovation and Implementation at UCLPartners.

Originally qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she advised health and social care clients such as GSK, Roche and Aventis; Anna has previously held number of senior NHS regional commercial and improvement roles, including Commercial Programme Director at the London Commercial Support Unit. Joining HIN in 2013, Anna’s focus has been building relationships between NHS and industry. A founder of DigitalHealth.London, she also developed the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator Programme.

Natasha is Medical Director at the Health Innovation Network & Consultant in Pain Medicine at University College London Hospitals. She leads the implementation and involvement team of the Applied Research Collaboration South London and is Vice Chair of London’s Clinical Senate. Natasha is an Expert Adviser to the NICE Centre for Guidelines and to the British Journal of Pain and Perioperative Medicine. She has previously served NHS England’s Clinical Reference Group for Specialised Pain and gained significant commissioning experience on Wandsworth Clinical Commission Group’s Governing Body. Her clinical and research interests are in the biopsychosocial field of complex pain.

Mark’s career has focused on health and social care improvement, with over 10 years management experience working with local, regional and national health bodies to drive improvements in service delivery. He has a keen interest in public health and has held various roles at the London Ambulance Service, South East London ICS, NHS England and the Department of Health before joining the HIN.