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Dr Alex Rhys OBE FIoL FRSA is a British charity leader, scientist, and executive coach. He is Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Science and Technology, a position he took up in March 2026. He was awarded an OBE in the 2026 New Year Honours for services to healthcare and the LGBTQ+ community.
Early life and education
[edit]Rhys studied biochemistry at the University of Bath, graduating in 2012 with an integrated Master's degree (MBiochem).[1] During his time at Bath he served as elected Education Officer in the Students' Union, as well as holding roles including Chair of the Academic Executive and Senate Member.[2]
He went on to earn a PhD in Molecular Oncology from the Barts Cancer Institute at Queen Mary University of London, where his doctoral research examined how cancer cells adapt to survive in the presence of supernumerary centrosomes.[3] His research contributed to a 2017 paper published in The Journal of Cell Biology examining centrosome amplification as an adaptation mechanism in cancer.[4]
Career
[edit]Nursing and Midwifery Council
[edit]Rhys joined the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in April 2018 as Head of Education and Quality Assurance, later becoming Assistant Director of Professional Practice (Operations) in November 2019, a role he held until July 2024. During this period he led the regulatory education arrangements that enabled the emergency deployment of 43,000 student nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic across all four nations of the United Kingdom.[5]
Infection Prevention Society
[edit]In August 2024, Rhys became the first Chief Executive Officer of the Infection Prevention Society (IPS), a professional membership organisation with over 2,050 members working to reduce healthcare-associated infections and improve patient safety. During his tenure he led a period of organisational transformation, strengthening governance, modernising operations, launching a veterinary special interest group, and introducing an early career network.[6]
Foundation for Science and Technology
[edit]In January 2026, the Foundation for Science and Technology announced the appointment of Rhys as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Gavin Costigan. He joined the organisation on 16 March 2026.[7] The Foundation for Science and Technology is a UK charity established in 1977 that provides an impartial platform for debate and discussion at the intersection of policy, science, and technology, bringing together Parliamentarians, civil servants, industrialists, and researchers.
Lord Willetts, Chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology, said that Rhys "brings a wealth of experience in science, technology and healthcare" and was chosen "from a strong field of excellent candidates."[8]
It Gets Better UK
[edit]In 2017, Rhys founded It Gets Better UK, the national chapter of the global It Gets Better Project, creating a platform to share positive LGBTQ+ stories to support young people at vulnerable moments. Under his leadership, the charity grew to reach more than 2.5 million people through digital storytelling, crisis intervention content, and community support programmes. It Gets Better UK has twice been named one of the top ten charities of the year at the British LGBT Awards.[9]
The Leadership Nook
[edit]Rhys founded The Leadership Nook in 2025, an executive coaching practice specialising in sustainable leadership and burnout prevention for senior leaders in purpose-driven organisations.[10] He holds an NLP Diploma and is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership (FIoL) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).
Publications
[edit]- "Dividing with Extra Centrosomes: A Double Edged Sword for Cancer Cells", Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2017[11]
- "Loss of E-cadherin provides tolerance to centrosome amplification in epithelial cancer cells", The Journal of Cell Biology, 13 November 2017[12]
Honours and recognition
[edit]Rhys was appointed an OBE in the 2026 New Year Honours for services to healthcare and the LGBTQ+ community.[13][14][15]
He was also awarded the British Society of Cellular Biology Presentation Award (2016) and won the public engagement competition I'm a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here! in 2014, both during his time at the Barts Cancer Institute.
Governance and voluntary roles
[edit]Rhys serves as a trustee of the Quaker Mental Health Fund.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "University of Bath alumnus awarded OBE in 2026 New Year Honours". University of Bath. 29 December 2025.
- ^ "Former SU Officer has been awarded an OBE!". University of Bath Students' Union. 5 January 2026.
- ^ "Queen Mary staff and alumni recognised in 2026 New Year Honours". Queen Mary University of London. 29 December 2025.
- ^ "Loss of E-cadherin provides tolerance to centrosome amplification in epithelial cancer cells". The Journal of Cell Biology. 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Queen Mary staff and alumni recognised in 2026 New Year Honours". Queen Mary University of London. 29 December 2025.
- ^ "IPS Chief Executive Dr Alex Rhys awarded OBE in New Year Honours". Infection Prevention Society. 2026.
- ^ "The FST appoints Dr Alex Rhys OBE as Chief Executive". Foundation for Science and Technology. 9 January 2026.
- ^ "The FST appoints Dr Alex Rhys OBE as Chief Executive". Foundation for Science and Technology. 9 January 2026.
- ^ "Founder of It Gets Better UK, Dr Alex Rhys, Awarded OBE for services to healthcare and the LGBTQ+ community". Consortium. 5 January 2026.
- ^ "About – The Leadership Nook". The Leadership Nook.
- ^ "Dividing with Extra Centrosomes: A Double Edged Sword for Cancer Cells". Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 2017. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-57127-0_3. PMID 28600782.
- ^ "Loss of E-cadherin provides tolerance to centrosome amplification in epithelial cancer cells". The Journal of Cell Biology. 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Founder of It Gets Better UK, Dr Alex Rhys, Awarded OBE for services to healthcare and the LGBTQ+ community". Consortium. 5 January 2026.
- ^ "Queen Mary staff and alumni recognised in 2026 New Year Honours". Queen Mary University of London. 29 December 2025.
- ^ "University of Bath alumnus awarded OBE in 2026 New Year Honours". University of Bath. 29 December 2025.
- ^ "University of Bath alumnus awarded OBE in 2026 New Year Honours". University of Bath. 29 December 2025.