Greig Rooney is an accomplished life sciences leader with over 20 years’ experience across pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biomanufacturing. He joined CPI in January 2026 as Managing Director for Pharma and HealthTech, becoming a member of the Executive Leadership Team to drive innovation, scale-up and impact across the UK health ecosystem.

What attracted you to CPI?

Its unique position at the intersection of innovation, manufacturing, policy and patient need. It brings together academia, industry and the third sector in a way that allows us to deliver meaningful impact.

The opportunity to help shape CPI’s pharma and HealthTech portfolio at a time of significant change across the sector was incredibly compelling. It’s a chance to contribute not only to scientific and industrial progress, but ultimately to better outcomes for patients and for the UK economy.

What’s the current direction of travel for the pharma and HealthTech sectors?

Globally and in the UK, manufacturing’s share of GDP has declined significantly over the past 50 years, from around 30% in the 1970s to roughly 8% today. Despite that, it still contributes over £200 billion annually to the UK economy, so it remains critically important.

From a policy perspective, the UK government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out an ambition to position the UK as a leading life sciences economy in Europe by 2030 and third globally by 2035, behind the USA and China.

There is a clear national ambition to strengthen advanced manufacturing, attract investment and translate world-class research into economic and societal impact. That’s something I’m keen for CPI to play a key role in supporting and delivering.

How does CPI contribute to this growth?

CPI plays a vital role in bridging the gap between innovation and commercialisation. We help companies de-risk scale-up, reduce time-to-market and build manufacturing capability that anchors long-term value in the UK. This includes supporting SMEs to become investable and scalable, as well as enabling larger companies to establish and grow advanced manufacturing capabilities.

We also work closely with government and funding bodies to translate policy ambition into real-world industrial outcomes. Ultimately, our work drives job creation, economic growth and faster access to new products and technologies for patients, strengthening the UK’s global competitiveness.

How important is patient advocacy in shaping innovation?

Patient advocacy is absolutely central. Innovation should always lead to improved patient outcomes or accessibility, and if it doesn’t, we need to challenge whether we’re truly delivering on our purpose.

At CPI, we can embed patient-centric thinking early in the innovation process, considering usability, adoption, sustainability and where unmet need is greatest. Even though we aren’t a clinical organisation, there’s always a patient at the end of the journey.

Through my role as Chair of the Scottish Patient Awareness Council, I’ve seen first-hand the value of bringing together industry, academia and the third sector around a shared focus on the patient. That collaboration has already created new opportunities and partnerships that might not have emerged otherwise.

How can CPI support Scotland’s growth in life sciences?

Scotland has an ambitious Life Sciences Sector Plan, aiming to grow revenue from £10 billion to £25 billion by 2035.

A key pillar of that strategy is scaling companies effectively. CPI, and particularly our Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, has a crucial role to play in supporting that journey.

We can help companies move from early-stage research through pilot and scale-up phases to full commercialisation, using our facilities, expertise and talent. By working alongside partners such as Scottish Enterprise, we can help turn that ambition into reality.

Why is CPI’s work so important?

CPI’s impact operates across three interconnected levels: economic, societal and environmental. Economically, we help build high-value, resilient UK industries by supporting company growth and skills development, attracting inward investment, and contributing to productivity and GDP.

From a health perspective, we enable the development and manufacture of better medicines and technologies, improving reliability, scalability and speed to market so innovations reach patients faster and more effectively. Environmentally, we seek to reduce solvent use, and minimise toxic materials and emissions. Together, these outcomes strongly underpin CPI’s core purpose.

Where are the biggest opportunities for CPI over the next 3 years?

There are several key areas of opportunity:

• Advanced therapies and novel modalities – including personalised medicines and data-driven healthcare solutions.

• Digital and AI-enabled health technologies – particularly in diagnosis and treatment optimisation.

• Sustainable scale-up and manufacturing – helping companies grow efficiently and responsibly.

• Access to infrastructure – providing facilities such as clean rooms and labs that reduce cost and time barriers for companies.

By offering both expertise and ready-to-use infrastructure, CPI can significantly shorten the journey from concept to market.

What does success look like for CPI over the next 3–5 years?

For industry and the UK, CPI is recognised as a trusted partner of choice, working with government, industry and funding bodies to deliver high-impact programmes that support growth, resilience and innovation.

For patients, innovations supported by CPI lead to measurable improvements: faster access to treatments, better health outcomes and improved quality of life.

For our people, we create an environment where talented individuals can thrive, develop and continue delivering outstanding results.

If we achieve all three, then CPI will have delivered on its mission.