BDO techbio drive brings senior hire in Paul Hughes

Paul Hughes joins BDO as Managing Director, Life Sciences & Technology, and brings a wealth of experience in the sectors and the Cambridge market, having spent more than 30 years acting as a senior business leader, entrepreneur, consultant and mentor to bioscience and technology businesses at various stages of growth and development.

Over the past six years, he has been the COO and CFO of a world-leading DeepTech health business headquartered in Cambridge. During his career he has also launched and led a CleanTech biofuels startup and an impact accelerator.

Hughes also supports University of Cambridge spin-outs as a Cambridge Enterprise mentor and is a coach on the Cambridge Judge Business School/Barclays Scale-Up programme and the Hexagon Sixth Sense Intelligent Manufacturing accelerator programme.

At BDO, Hughes will be based in the firm’s Cambridge office but will take on a national role focusing on life sciences and technology hubs across the UK, including London, Reading, Bristol and Manchester. He joins from BIOS Health, a neural digital therapy technology company. Hughes will initially focus on developing BDO’s life science and technology offerings in Cambridge across its Tax, Advisory and Business Services & Outsourcing businesses.

Peter Harrup, Head of BDO in East Anglia, said: “Paul’s appointment demonstrates our commitment to building a dedicated life sciences and technology team in the region – one that is perfectly placed at a local level to support thriving and innovative businesses, while being able to tap into BDO’s regional, national and global life sciences and technology network.

“Having spent a significant part of his career in the life sciences and technology sectors in Cambridge, he has an acute understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the market and we’re confident his unique approach will add a different dimension to our already talented team.”

Hughes added: “Cambridge is Europe’s – and one of the world’s – leading life sciences and technology ecosystems. I’m really looking forward to helping BDO shape its strategy and accelerate its position in such an influential market.

“By capitalising on the firm’s global sector experience and expertise, while adopting a business-led approach, we will be able to support some of the most exciting businesses in the sector.”

The appointment follows the arrival of tax partner, Richard Watson who will be responsible for helping to grow the firm’s tax business in the East of England, with a particular focus on the life sciences and technology sectors in Cambridge.