Resilient Collective appoints Ted Smith to the Leadership Team as VP, People & Culture

Another founding expert steps up as the Collective continues to grow and strengthen

LONDON, 12.03.2026 — Resilient Collective is thrilled to announce the appointment of Ted Smith as Vice President of People & Culture and to welcome him to the leadership team. Ted is one of the Collective's founding experts and brings decades of experience helping biotech and life sciences organisations build strong, people-first cultures from the ground up.

In his new role, Ted will lead Resilient Collective's people and culture function, strengthening the Collective from within and ensuring that the relationships at its heart remain meaningful, not transactional.

"Some people join a Collective and wait to see what it can do for them. Ted did the opposite. From the very first day, he reached out to get to know every single member, offered his time freely, and gave advice without ever being asked. That generosity is rare, and it has shaped the culture of Resilient Collective in ways that are hard to put into words. As we grow and continue to build something genuinely different in the biotech world, having Ted lead our people and culture function feels not just right, but essential." — Nia Emami, Founder & CEO, Resilient Collective

“When I first met Nia, and he talked about Resilient Collective, I asked him what was in it for him. His answer was refreshing - he didn’t have an angle, he had seen a huge gap and wanted to fill it. I could not resist and have thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far. I’m honoured to be asked to take a leadership role in people and culture. All the team members I’ve met have been lovely, caring people who want to do their best for the life sciences world. And Nia is the most excellent Founder and CEO with a fabulous network of first-class expert consultants.” — Ted Smith, Vice President of People & Culture, Resilient Collective

Ted's path into HR is anything but conventional, which makes him a natural fit for a Collective that does things differently. He started out in science before becoming President of his university students' union, a pivot that set him on a path into human resources, a path he has never looked back from.

He went on to hold senior VP roles in R&D and IT at GlaxoSmithKline over a 14-year career, before leaving to set up as an independent consultant through UKHR.com Ltd. Since then, he has worked across people, culture, and organisation development at some of the most respected institutions and companies in the life sciences world, including the Medical Research Council, The Wellcome Trust, Immunocore, Vernalis, RiboTargets, Draig, and SPARTA.

Ted specialises in supporting start-ups through their early and most critical phases, often stepping back once the right in-house team is in place. He thrives on complex, board-level challenges and has helped organisations navigate disputes, define strategy, and build cultures that last. He also lectures with ALLOD and several universities, and mentors junior HR professionals in his spare time.

Ted is the author of several books, including HR titles such as 'Hidden Disabilities and Conditions' and 'Human Resources A to Z', as well as children's books, including 'Willie the Hippo'. When he is not working, you will likely find him touring the country in his VW campervan, chasing music festivals.

About Resilient Collective

Resilient Collective is a catalyst for the pan-European biotech ecosystem. We are a curated community of 80+ independent experts spanning scientific, technical, and business functions across more than 10 countries. Every member has lived experience within the biotech industry, and joining the Collective means passing through a rigorous application and interview process. There is no cost for clients or experts. Companies access the Collective directly, engaging individual consultants or building a tailored team as their needs evolve. The flexibility and agility of working with true independents, with none of the overhead. Resilient Collective exists to drive biotech innovation forward, especially for early-stage companies that need world-class expertise without barriers. Learn more at www.resilient-collective.com.