Imperial College London is a leading research institution for the life sciences. It was here in 1928 that Alexander Fleming first identified penicillin, and the antibiotic age began. In November 2024, we were delighted to host our annual Global Innovation Summit at its South Kensington campus, giving 50 clients the chance to meet some of its star researchers and spin-out entrepreneurs, and to take an exclusive tour of its world-class laboratories.
Our host for the day was Professor Lord Ara Darzi, Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery at Imperial, the Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research. Lord Darzi is an esteemed surgeon who has pioneered the use of robotics in surgery and believes strongly in the power of technological innovation to improve patient care. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2007 and recently conducted a review of the National Health Service in England.
Salman Mahdi, Global Vice Chairman of the Private Bank, was our master of ceremonies, having organised the Global Innovation Summit event series since it began in 2017. We were also delighted to be joined by Claudio de Sanctis, Head of the Private Bank and Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bank, and Christian Nolting, our Global Chief Investment Officer.
How the 2024 Deutsche Bank Global Innovation Summit addressed global health challenges
Focused on cutting-edge science and technology in healthcare, the event featured discussions on the life science landscape for investors, artificial intelligence in healthcare research, the impact of climate change on public healthcare systems and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
Our guests visited laboratories such the Hamlyn Centre – at the forefront of research into medical imaging, sensing and robotics – and the Centre for Bio-inspired Design, which takes its inspiration from the natural world to drive healthcare innovation. They also got the chance to meet an array of entrepreneurs whose research began at Imperial, and whose companies are now developing cutting-edge innovations in cancer treatment, neural implants, gene therapy, and disease monitoring.
The day ended with a reception at London's Science Museum, where Salman Mahdi commented: “Today we brought the Innovation Summit to London for the first time, and I’m incredibly proud of what London, and Imperial College and Lord Darzi have delivered to us today. This event was about looking to the future with hope, and I think the incredible staff, students and entrepreneurs of Imperial have really shown us how we can act disruptively but responsibly to solve some of the world’s biggest problems.”
Discover more about the event and the insights of our speakers at the links below.
