Former ABPI President Nigel Brooksby is to represent the life sciences industry on the Cogent Board, and has also been appointed Chair of the Cogent Life Sciences Skills Strategy Board.

Booksby has had a 38-year career within the pharmaceutical industry, starting as a medical representative and culminating in the position of Chairman and Managing Director of sanofi UK/Ireland.

He also holds several life sciences, academic and government positions at senior board level.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining the Cogent Board, to represent the life sciences industry, and support Cogent’s work in growing vocational skills as well as developing the right kind of undergraduate and post-graduate courses to satisfy the strategically important science-based sector.

“The UK is a world leader in life sciences, and it is a sector vital to the future prosperity of the country. Cogent is driving a coordinated approach to workforce development in the sector; this means enhancing the skills of existing workers and developing new talent.”

Cogent is the UK’s industry skills body for chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer businesses.

Cogent CEO Joanna Woolf commented that the organisation is “privileged” to be able to benefit from Brooksby’s experience and “vision for the sector”.