We are Searchlight

Our mission is to help Searchlight members increase their business through a structured, positive and professional program that enables them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with the most engaged stakeholders in key scientific communities.

What we do

Niche 
products

Niche
products

We create niche products for people who need access to timely information. Searchlight helps members to avoid common road blocks to scientific success so that they can move forward faster.

Life 
sciences

Life
sciences

Supporting and creating opportunity for the life sciences community underpins everything we. We offer our members the right insight to make all the difference.

Ready-made 
networks

Ready-made
networks

By creating ready-made networks of hand-picked peers working in a facilitated, structured but boundaryless way throughout the year

Accelerate 
performance

Accelerate
performance

We accelerate the performance of businesses and the delivery of better drugs to patients faster all around the world.

How we do it

Clarity

Hanson Wade gives life sciences leaders the clarity to see where opportunity lies. Helping companies to move forward faster is at the heart of everything we do.

Co-creation

Designed for the life sciences industry, for the life sciences industry. We work with the most engaged professionals in highly specialised scientific areas to co-create networks with purpose.

Custodians

We are the custodians of the Searchlight communities on behalf of our members; engaged in the constant pursuit of added value.

Communication

By focusing on emerging therapeutic areas where the quality of information is the difference between success and failure, we help get better drugs to patients faster.

Connection

Building strong relationships creates an environment of trust and support that yields opportunity and meaning.

Don’t just take our word for it…

“There is a huge benefit for all of us in the strategic exchange of what’s working - and what’s not - in the fast-moving fields in which we’re all engaged”
Oliver Kraemer
Oliver Kraemer

Head of Gene Edited Platforms Bristol Myers Squibb

“This network brings me such value because it allows me to work with brilliant people to tackle shared challenges together.”
Sally Paull
Sally Paull

Chief Human Resources Officer Regeneron

“It’s just not efficient for individual companies to work in isolation so solve the common problems we share, which makes this so vital.”
Steve Kelsey
Steve Kelsey

President - Research & Development Revolution Medicines

Our team

Gareth Pearce

Gareth Pearce

Managing Director

Gareth established and is responsible for developing the strategic direction of the Searchlight business within Hanson Wade, ensuring continues to add demonstrable value to every member as it scales. Gareth has successfully built and grown information businesses in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East during a 20 year entrepreneurial career. He holds a first class degree in Politics and earned a postgraduate Certificate in International Business Practice from the Mountbatten Institute in New York.

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James Milburn

James Milburn

Senior Community Development Director

James’s life sciences experience begin by helping key opinion leaders network and share ideas around the application of cutting-edge technology, the pursuit of novel pharmacochemical pathways and the development of new drug modalities. Prior to Hanson Wade, James completed an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences and followed this up with an MSc in Human Nutrition. In his free time, he enjoys endurance running and all types of outdoor activities.

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Tayo Mac Canna

Tayo Mac Canna

Project Development Director

Tayo is responsible for developing new Searchlight groups that deliver year-round insights and connections to members. Tayo has built and been at the forefront of running successful teams, managing multiple portfolios of small and large scale events whilst driving strategic growth across an 8 year career. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Southampton Solent University.

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Michelle Fanus St Hill

Michelle Fanus St Hill

Portfolio Development Director

Michelle develops and manages Searchlight within Hanson Wade and has a conference research and production career spanning 20+ years – designing and delivering events all over the world. She was a business owner and entrepreneur for 10 years, becoming a published and contributing author during that time and lecturing more than 300 students on Event Management degrees and several of her own private courses.

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Nathan Wilgoss

Nathan Wilgoss

Commercial Manager

The Searchlight groups seek new members who share the same forward-thinking mindset, so Nathan is responsible for facilitating new memberships. Prior to joining the Searchlight Networks team, Nathan spent 4 years helping to build the Gene Therapy Event Series at Hanson Wade. Amidst the rapid innovation in gene therapy, the portfolio grew from 2 annual events to 16 in 4 years. Nathan specifically focused on helping gene therapy solution providers to develop and deepen their relationships with drug developers.

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Matthew Bray

Matthew Bray

Portfolio DevelopmentDirector

Matt is responsible for developing new Searchlight Networks to complement Hanson Wade’s fastest growing events, in line with the goals of member companies and scientific communities at large. Matt’s commercially focused background includes experience in academic publishing as well as a Master’s degree in Bio-Business and undergraduate degree in Bioveterinary Science. Matt is passionate about the business of science and is also a keen Chicago Bulls fan.

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Amy Bamford

Amy Bamford

Portfolio Development Director

Amy is responsible for creating innovative year-round Searchlight networks for the most engaged stakeholders in key life sciences communities. Prior to joining Hanson Wade, Amy worked in academic publishing for six years, focusing on the expansion and revenue-generation of digital hubs devoted to specialised fields of science like regenerative medicine, bioanalysis, and oncology. She graduated from the University of Reading with a degree in Biological Sciences.

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<strong>Jonty Aldington</strong>

Jonty Aldington

Community Development Manager

Jonty achieved his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at Portsmouth university before joining Hanson Wade in 2022. Initially joining the company as a conference producer, he now works in Searchlight and delivers year-round value to network members. His work serves as a catalyst for drug developers in the allogeneic and RAS-targeted therapeutic fields,  bringing together highly invested companies to collaborate and share experiences.

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Grace Coogans

Grace Coogans

Commercial Lead

Following the completion of her degree in Nutritional Science at Newcastle University, Grace’s career at Hanson Wade originally began in Delegate Sales. Grace have now moved over to Searchlight where she is responsible for establishing new members to join a range of our Expert Networks. Grace is keen to help current and future members drive progress within their work and connect with the leading minds within their industry’s and to ultimately get the most value possible from Searchlight Networks.

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Karolina Hasiec

Karolina Hasiec

Community Development Manager

Karolina is dedicated to delivering year-round insights and connections to Searchlight members. She is excited to identify and apply the recent learnings to reimagine the institutions, policies, and tools we use across the Life Sciences to address global health needs for all. Prior to joining the Searchlight Networks team, Karolina completed an MSc in Applied Neuroscience and followed this up with a Neuroimaging course. In her free time, she trains boxing and enjoys playing volleyball.

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Prab Jaswal

Prab Jaswal

Community Development Manager

Prab is responsible for managing Searchlight networks within Hanson Wade and has a career background in conference production and content writing. He independently runs a digital content brand, interviewing CEO’s, investors and leaders across the technology landscape and beyond, offering services to startups with a focus on artificial intelligence. In his spare time he is a performing jazz musician and a personal trainer.

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Adam Daly

Adam Daly

Commercial Lead

As the Searchlight groups seek new members who share the same forward-thinking mindset, Adam is responsible for facilitating new memberships. Adam achieved his undergraduate degree in Environmental Sciences at Newcastle University, before he started his journey at Hanson Wade in Delegate Sales. Adam wanted to help grow and expand the Network with members dedicated to helping each other, this is what drew him to work in the Searchlight Team.

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Searchlight helps members move forward faster

Join the team

The extraordinary demand for the service we offer to the life sciences industry means we’re very much a growth business. If you’d like to join our dynamic team, we’d welcome the chance to hear from you. Send your details to [email protected]