Belfast AI precision medicine firm appoints new chairman to its board of directors

With a track record in precision medicine and genomics, Paul brings extensive experience and strategic insight to the company.

As chairman of the board, Paul will support Sonrai’s aim of accelerating drug discovery and development of diagnostics and personalised therapeutics through AI-driven technology. His appointment marks a significant milestone in Sonrai's journey to advance the field of AI precision medicine.

Paul currently serves as the chief executive officer of Vortex Biosciences, where he is leading a new service-based strategy to capture and isolate circulating tumour cells from blood to support the development of personalised medicines, guide therapy selection and monitor cancer. He has previously worked as head of population Genomics at Illumina, Inc. He led the team that created, developed, and actively managed large-scale programmes across more than 50 countries.

Paul was the founding CEO of Genomic Enterprises, the arm of Genomics England responsible for all commercial aspects of the 100,000 Genomes Project. He has also been director and leader of Global Life Sciences at Cisco and head of global eMarketing and eSales at Novartis.

Prof. Darragh McArt, CEO-founder, Sonrai Analytics, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Paul to Sonrai. He has a distinguished career in the life sciences industry characterised by visionary leadership and a commitment to advancing healthcare through cutting-edge technologies.

"His appointment reflects Sonrai's dedication to driving innovation and excellence in precision medicine and will provide valuable insight as we continue to expand our global footprint.”

Luke Smith, investment partner at Forward Partners, a leading venture capital firm in London specialising in the tech sector, who led Sonrai's seed plus funding round, continued: "We're delighted to welcome Paul as chairman of Sonrai. Paul has been at the forefront of data-driven and precision healthcare, making him a brilliant fit for the exciting opportunity at Sonrai.”

Paul added: “I am delighted to join Sonrai’s board of directors as chairman. I see tremendous potential for us to make a significant impact. The convergence of advanced AI technologies and precision medicine offers unprecedented opportunities for improving patient care, and Sonrai is exceptionally well-positioned to lead in this space. I look forward to working closely with the team at Sonrai to propel its mission to advance precision medicine and, ultimately, make a positive difference in the lives of patients worldwide."