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Chief Executive

Harpal Kumar CEO of Cancer Research UKHarpal S Kumar MA MEng MBA DSc

Harpal Kumar gained a Masters in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge and an MBA as a Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Manchester in October 2011. After a brief period working as a research scientist with the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Harpal worked for four years in the London office of McKinsey and Co, specialising in advising pharmaceutical clients on strategic issues. He then became CEO of The Papworth Trust, which focuses on pioneering rehabilitation and housing services for people with acquired and congenital disabilities.

Harpal left Papworth in 1997 to become founding CEO of Nexan Group, a venture capital-backed medical device company, creating and marketing novel cardio-respiratory monitoring technologies to reduce premature mortality in patients with congestive heart failure.

Harpal joined Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cancer Research UK) as Chief Executive in October 2002 to drive forward the charity's technology transfer and early drug discovery activities. In addition to his role with CRT, he became Chief Operating Officer of Cancer Research UK in July 2004, responsible for strategic direction and day-to-day operational management, before coming Chief Executive in April 2007.

Harpal is Chairman of the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Glasgow and is a Trustee of the Institute for Cancer Research in London and the UKCMRI Limited. He also serves on the Boards of the National Cancer Research Institute, the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, and the NHS Innovation Council. He co-chairs with Professor Mike Richards the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative and is Deputy Chair of the Advisory Board for the Cancer Reform Strategy in England. He also serves on the Steering Groups for the National Cancer Intelligence Network and the Manchester Cancer Research Centre.