Guiding the Conversation: Meet the PCMG26 Steering Group

Meet the PCMG26 Steering Group, the industry leaders shaping the clinical research programme for this year’s annual assembly. Bringing together experts from across clinical development outsourcing, the Steering Group makes key decisions on session topics, speakers, and interactive formats. Learn more about the people driving the PCMG26 eventand their expertise in delivering insights, best practices, and innovative strategies for the evolving clinical research and outsourcing landscape.

Steering Group Chair Lan Bandara

Lan Bandara

Franchise Sourcing Lead, argenx

Lan Bandara is a highly experienced R&D executive with a deep understanding of the drug discovery process from scientific research through to market approval. After gaining a PhD in molecular he worked for several years in the biotech sector managing early drug discovery programmes and external research collaborations. He started his career in clinical outsourcing initially with AstraZenca, followed by Eisai and is currently a Franchise Sourcing Lead with argenx. During this time, he has been responsible for implementing a variety of strategic global outsourcing models. Lan has also been an active member of the PCMG committee for many years supporting numerous projects.

Tim Bearkpark (Vice Chair)

Senior VP EMEA Business Development, Clinical Ink

Read Tim's Bio

I’m a science-driven executive with 20+ years in business development and sales leadership across pharmaceutical research and clinical trials. As SVP of Business Development, EMEA at Clinical ink, I combine a medical foundation with deep regulatory and scientific insight to drive commercial growth and clinical success.

I lead high-performing teams and build lasting partnerships with CROs, biotech, and pharma—delivering tailored, patient-focused solutions that deliver measurable value across the drug development lifecycle. My approach is grounded in strategic vision, transparency, and a commitment to improving patient outcomes.

Graham Belgrave

Managing Director, International and Global Head, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, Advanced Clinical LLC

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Graham Belgrave is an experienced clinical research professional with over 41 years’ experience in the clinical research industry, including Outsourcing and Vendor Management, clinical development and science and operations. He is a Chartered Scientist, Companion of the Chartered Management Institute, Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, Executive Coach and Mentor and an assessor for the UK Science Council as a member of the IBMS. He has worked in large pharma and biotech for over 32 years and in CROs for a further 9 years, spanning a variety of leadership, operational and commercial roles, across a wide range of therapeutic areas. Graham has been a Chair and Speaker at many conferences as well as member and supporter of PCMG and Institute of Clinical Research (ICR) for many years and has recently joined the the ICR Board in March 2025 to help drive the re-establishment of ICR as the foremost UK organisation for clinical researchers.

Christian Buhlmann

Chief Commercial Officer, COMAC MEDICAL

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I enjoy building and maintaining sales teams. With my 27+ years background in various CROs and the previous work in Dialysis and Diagnostics firms, I bring a variety of relevant healthcare expertise to the table. My success is driven by reliability, commitment, focus, organizational talent and a natural gift to click with people. Leading a team from the front is my approach to team building, having clients on my own is a benefit. I believe in scaling success by investing in my team members, getting “my hands dirty” and doing lot of field training. My track record demonstrates consistent sales growth that has been achieved through structured planning and execution, a vision and energy to build and lead teams from the front and a passionate commitment to the client. I add value not only via my personal skills but as well via my global network with clients and colleagues.

Natalie Fforde

Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Partnerships, Phastar

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Natalie Fforde is Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Partnerships at Phastar, renowned for her leadership in Biometrics and Data Sciences. With over 25 years in the industry, she has built an impressive career, spanning startups to multinational companies, and developed a vast global network in biopharma. Natalie’s expertise lies in growing and scaling profitable biopharma FSP businesses and managing large, diverse teams. Her deep understanding of the clinical trial process and her entrepreneurial success in founding and selling an international biopharma recruiting business showcase her versatility and business acumen. Known for her collaborative style and superior team-building skills, Natalie is adept at motivating and guiding diverse, cross-functional teams. Her transition from recruitment to CRO sales and operations highlights her adaptability and commitment to excellence in the biopharmaceutical services industry.

Tim Hardman

Founder and Managing Director, Niche Science & Technology Ltd

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Dr Tim Hardman is the Founder and Managing Director of Niche Science & Technology Ltd., a 30+ person UK-based contract research organisation (CRO) he established in 1998 to provide tailored support to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. With over 25 years of hands-on experience in clinical research, Tim has guided Niche from its origins as a niche consultancy into a trusted partner for companies navigating the complex challenges of early-phase drug development. Under his leadership, Niche has built a reputation for delivering high-quality, science-driven solutions that help start-ups and established firms alike advance their clinical programmes with agility and confidence.

Beyond his role at Niche, Tim plays a central part in shaping the wider early development landscape. He currently serves as Chairman of the Association of Human Pharmacology in the Pharmaceutical Industry (AHPPI), the UK’s representative body for early-phase clinical studies. In this capacity, he advocates for best practices in human pharmacology, supports industry–regulator dialogue, and champions the value of early clinical research in modern drug development. At the European level, Tim extended his influence as President of the European Federation for Exploratory Medicines Development (EUFEMED) from 2021 to 2023, helping to strengthen cross-border collaboration and harmonisation in exploratory medicine.

Steven De Hertefelt

Senior Director, PSI CRO

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Steven De Hertefelt brings over 15 years of clinical research experience. He has a diverse background spanning Industry and Life Sciences, from medical device R&D and manufacturing to clinical trials in both Medical Device & Diagnostics and Drug. His clinical research career has included Business Development roles at both specialized third-party vendors—such as those in cardiac safety, spirometry, imaging, and eClinical solutions—and full-service CROs (both large and mid-size), supporting both early and late-phase trials across a wide range of therapeutic areas, with a particular focus on oncology.

Steven is also a long-standing and active member of the PCMG community, having served on the Assembly’s Steering Committee for over a decade.

Steven is currently Senior Director, Business Development for PSI CRO, a Swiss global full-service CRO specialised in Pivotal Trials.

Jo Humphrey

Senior Clinical Contract Specialist, Reckitt

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I’m a Senior Clinical Contracts Specialist at Reckitt responsible for ensuring compliance in our clinical studies through contract drafting, negotiation, consultation, and data protection oversight. My role is underpinned by a legal background and a certification as a Data Protection Officer, and I bring over 15 years of experience in the research industry.

I’m passionate about challenging the status quo in clinical outsourcing and shaping more agile, transparent, and collaborative approaches to research partnerships. I believe we can move beyond “business as usual” to create smarter models that truly support innovation. As a member of the steering group, I look forward to contributing my cross-functional experience and somewhat unique insight to help drive meaningful change in the clinical trials landscape.

Dermot Kelly

Director Clinical Category Management, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

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Dermot is Director of Global Procurement at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and leads the CRO category. In this position Dermot is responsible for the management and oversight of all commercial, business relationship and contractual aspects of the CRO partnerships. Dermot started his career working at a CRO in data management before moving to business development and ultimately switching to R&D procurement within pharma. He has worked in the industry for over 25 years across many companies including ICON, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Novartis and Regeneron gaining valuable insights on the diverse approaches that suit specific organisational requirements. Dermot has managed most categories across clinical development including clinical, biometrics, IRT and recruitment & retention. Dermot is particularly interested in the changing nature of clinical trial delivery to ensure more patients can benefit from improved treatments.

Tom Lazenby

Founder, Mayet

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Tom Lazenby is the Founder of Mayet, he has leveraged his 10+ years in clinical research to build a software company that solely services the clinical development sector. He and his business partners are actively using AI tools while also integrating them into their products. With a background in quality and compliance at UCL and GSK, Tom has leveraged this knowledge to share Quality and Regulatory guidance on AI and Software applications for the sector.

Stuart McGuire

Chief Business Officer, Veramed

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Stuart McGuire has over 20 years of pharmaceutical experience and leads Veramed’s growth as a premier biometrics CRO partner. As Veramed’s Environmental Ambassador, he drives the company’s B Corp certification and leads the cross-company Environment ‘Hive’. Additionally, Stuart is an active member of the PCMG ESG committee, where he supports sustainability initiatives and contributes to the PCMG Annual Assembly.

Inga Nachreiner

Senior Clinical Sourcing Manager, Global Sourcing and Alliance Management, argenx

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Inga Nachreiner holds a Diploma in Bioinformatics and a PhD in Molecular Biology and Applied Sciences. She has been actively working in the Pharmaceutical Industry as well as with PCMG for nearly two decades. Throughout her career, she has held several roles within the sourcing market. Starting as an Outsourcing & Contract Manager working with the decentralized sourcing approach, Inga progressed to a Strategic Sourcing Manager working with different end-2-end sourcing models. As an Alliance Manager she was leading several strategic relationships with important vendors. Becoming a Procurement Manager brought her closer to various sourcing tools and databases accelerating the efficiency in the sourcing market without loosing the close connection to clinical development and science.

Birant Osman (Vice Chair)

Executive Account Director Business Development, Thermo Fisher Scientific

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Birant is a dynamic and highly accomplished commercial leader with over 28 years of experience in global research and development. Throughout his career he has played pivotal roles at some of the world’s most renowned pharmaceutical companies and CROs, including GSK, Eli Lilly, Parexel, INC Research (now Syneos Health), PPD, IQVIA, and ICON contributing to the successful launch of groundbreaking therapies that have transformed patient lives around the globe.

As a strategic leader, Birant has led high-performing European sales teams and managed complex global partnerships, consistently driving innovation and value across the clinical development landscape. Birant is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a global leader in CDMO and CRO services, where he is dedicated to partnering with pharma and biotech companies to help them achieve their clinical and commercial ambitions.

David Webber

Independent

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Dave is currently an independent consultant at DW Partnerships focusing on team collaboration and effectiveness on outsourced projects. He has spent more than 35 years in the industry working for both Sponsors and CROs in roles spanning clinical operations, vendor compliance, outsourcing and business development. Dave is a long-standing member of the PCMG, a past Chairperson and recipient of the PCMG Lifetime achievement award. Dave is particularly interested in fostering more collaborative partnerships between sponsors and service providers.

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