Christopher Evans (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Professor Sir Christopher Thomas Evans, OBE
, PhD
, is a biotechnology
entrepreneur in the United Kingdom
.
Originally from Port Talbot
, Wales
, he was educated in microbiology at Imperial College London
then obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Hull
, followed by a research fellowship at the University of Michigan
. He was the founder of Chiroscience
(now merged with Celltech
), Celsis, Enzymatix, and a number of other companies.
Sir Christopher runs Merlin Biosciences (founded 1996), which manages investments in the biotechnology industry, and lives in Bibury
. He has established 20 science companies during his career, and was twice elected "Cambridge Businessman of the Year".
He was awarded the OBE in 1995 and knighted in 2001. He made a £1 million loan to the British Labour Party
during 2005. In March of that year, he was appointed by Gordon Brown
to the UK Stem Cell Initiative.
In the Sunday Times Rich List 2006 Evans was listed in 364th place with an estimated fortune of £158 million.
He was arrested on 20 September 2006 as part of police enquiries into the "Cash for Peerages
" allegations, but on the 19 July 2007 the UK Crown Prosecution Service
announced that there was insufficient evidence to bring the case to court.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, is a biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
entrepreneur in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Originally from Port Talbot
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, he was educated in microbiology at Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
then obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Hull
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
, followed by a research fellowship at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He was the founder of Chiroscience
Chiroscience
Chiroscience Group Plc was a British-based biotech company, founded by Christopher Evans. The company was taken over by Celltech, which was acquired in 2004 by UCB....
(now merged with Celltech
Celltech
Celltech Group plc was a leading British-based biotechnology business based in Slough. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
), Celsis, Enzymatix, and a number of other companies.
Sir Christopher runs Merlin Biosciences (founded 1996), which manages investments in the biotechnology industry, and lives in Bibury
Bibury
Bibury is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is situated on the River Coln, about northeast of Cirencester.The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary is Saxon with altar additions...
. He has established 20 science companies during his career, and was twice elected "Cambridge Businessman of the Year".
He was awarded the OBE in 1995 and knighted in 2001. He made a £1 million loan to the British Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
during 2005. In March of that year, he was appointed by Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
to the UK Stem Cell Initiative.
In the Sunday Times Rich List 2006 Evans was listed in 364th place with an estimated fortune of £158 million.
He was arrested on 20 September 2006 as part of police enquiries into the "Cash for Peerages
Cash for Peerages
Cash for Honours is the name given by some in the media to a political scandal in the United Kingdom in 2006 and 2007 concerning the connection between political donations and the award of life peerages...
" allegations, but on the 19 July 2007 the UK Crown Prosecution Service
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
announced that there was insufficient evidence to bring the case to court.