Dr Ian Ragan was educated at the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol and undertook postdoctoral research in biochemistry at Cornell and the State University of New York in Albany. After several years in academic research he joined Merck Sharp and Dohme's Neuroscience Research Centre in Harlow in 1986, eventually becoming Executive Director of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In 2000 he joined the Lilly Research Centre as Executive Director, Neuroscience Research, Europe and in 2004 added to this role that of Executive Director, European Scientific Affairs. He left Lilly in late 2004 and is now Director of CIR Consultancy Ltd providing consultancy services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, including Lilly for whom he continues in his previous Scientific Affairs role. He is a non-executive director and chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of Capsant Neurotechnologies, a non-executive director of Psynova and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Evotec AG. In addition, he is a member and ex-chair of the R&D Committee of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, a member of the Research Directors' Group of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, and Executive Director of the European Brain Council. His wife, Jude, is head of a school for autistic children.