People: The right ethical chemistry

RESEARCH pharmacist Dr Sarah Connolly will be keeping an eye on ethical and regulatory standards at Bio-Images Research after being promoted to the board.

Connolly, who has been with the Glasgow-based company for the past four years, becomes director of regulatory affairs and will also take responsibility for manufacturing practice at the firm.

She joined the specialist provider of clinical studies for the pharmaceutical industry after completing her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Strathclyde in 2007.

Scottish Life’s Sarah Scott is also celebrating a promotion. Scott, who joined the pensions specialist arm of the Royal London Group in June 2001 as a sales consultant, had made her way through the ranks to become head of sales training. She now becomes head of regional distribution for the north and Scotland.

Sales director Jim Smith said: “I know the skills she has developed in the training environment will help Sarah be successful in her new role.”

Meanwhile Scotland’s specialised food and drinks communications company has developed a taste for expansion.

Siobhan Mathers is joining Taste Communications as a senior consultant with responsibility for growing and developing the business. A former food lobbyist in Brussels, she was director of public policy at law firm McGrigor’s and has extensive experience of the food and drink sector.

Also joining the business is Charlotte Gosling, a PR with experience across several agencies working on high profile food business accounts including Waitrose and Starbucks.

Taste was established last summer by former STV broadcaster Stephen Jardine, ex-VisitScotland boss Peter Lederer and former BBC journalist Jim Duff, who has now left the business.

Jardine said: “We’ve had a great start, attracting ten clients in our first five months. But as we further expand we needed to bring on board the right talent to cope with development. Siobhan and Charlotte will be great assets.”