Breakthrough T1D UK welcomes new Board appointments

Steve Bates OBE, David Bruce and Dean Sowman

We are delighted to announce the appointment of three new Board Directors to Breakthrough T1D UK. Steve Bates OBE, David Bruce and Dean Sowman will join us in October 2025, strengthening the organisation’s scientific research, communications and financial expertise within our existing Board.

This year, we also say goodbye to Wilson Leech, who stepped down as Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of our Audit and Risk Committee in early July. We would like to thank Wilson for his dedicated leadership and service, both to our organisation and the wider T1D community, in support of all those living with type one diabetes.

Phil Aird-Mash, Chair of the Board of Directors said: “I am delighted to welcome Steve, David and Dean to the Board. Their appointments come at a pivotal time here at Breakthrough T1D, following our recent re-brand and the release of our new 10-year strategy. As we transition into a new chapter, we are delighted to have on board the extensive expertise and skills of our new Board Directors to help bring us one step closer to a world free of type one diabetes.

On behalf of everyone at Breakthrough T1D, I would like to express our thanks to Wilson for his service. As Vice Chair, Wilson championed and helped cement key strategic goals around research, fundraising, and T1D support – all with unwavering enthusiasm and energy. We will continue to build on Wilson’s work and impact, which I am sure will still be keenly felt in future.”

Steve Bates

Steve Bates is a global life science industry leader who played a key role in organising the sector’s response to COVID-19 as a founder member of the UK Government’s Vaccine Taskforce. He will join the Office of Life Sciences as Executive Chair in September and is currently Chief Executive of the UK Bioindustry Association (BIA). BIA is a trade association for innovative life sciences and biotech companies in the UK.

Steve said: “Type 1 diabetes is ever present in both my work and home life, so I know that making practical change is a team sport that needs families, the NHS, companies and charities to work well together. I’m excited to volunteer my experience and networks as a Board Director to help drive toward curing type 1 diabetes, helping make everyday life better for the people who face it.”

David Bruce

David Bruce is a risk and compliance leader with significant experience of operating at a senior level, most recently as Ring Fenced Bank Risk Officer (SMF 18) since September 2023 and Head of Compliance since May 2017 at Santander UK.

David said: “I am both honoured and excited to be joining the Breakthrough T1D Board. As someone who lives with type 1, I know first-hand both the challenges of living with diabetes and the impact of the amazing work that Breakthrough T1D does. I am extremely passionate and motivated to support the organisation in delivering its mission statement of accelerating life changing breakthroughs to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes and its complications and can’t wait to get started.”

Dean Sowman

Dean Sowman is a senior government affairs and health policy leader, and consultant to major life science companies in medicines access and regulatory policy. He has been a Senior Partner, Head of Health, and Board Director at WA Communications since 2019.

Dean said: “I am honoured to join the Board of Breakthrough T1D UK at this pivotal moment for type 1 diabetes research and innovation. The pace of scientific progress is hugely exciting and means that a future where cures are possible feels both very real and closer than ever before. I am excited to play a part in helping to accelerate that ambition.”

We look forward to working with Steve, David and Dean.