Fiona Cruickshank OBE

Community Foundation, Chair

A renowned entrepreneur, business angel and philanthropist, Fiona has over 25 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry having established, grown and exited several businesses.

Today, Fiona chairs the Community Foundation, the largest in the UK, which over the last 30 years has given away over £100m to people and communities in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. Alongside this, Fiona is also a trustee of the International Centre for Life.

Having started her career as a pharmacist before establishing The Specials Laboratory, which in less than ten years was sold to United Drug Plc for over £20m, Fiona later became non-executive chair at SCM Pharma.

An active angel investor, Fiona founded Gabriel Investors in 2011 and to date has invested in several healthcare, consumer goods and food manufacturing businesses. Most recently, Fiona invested in global pharmaceutical PR, digital and design agency, remarketing and is now working to support its growth ambitions in the US.

A former North-East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, David Goldman Visiting Professor of Business Innovation at Newcastle Business School and Fellow of the School of Pharmacy UCL, Fiona received an OBE in 2010 for her services to business in the region.