Velocity appoints ICON exec Rachael Buck Ph.D. as Head of U.K.

DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Velocity Clinical Research (“Velocity”), the leading multi-specialty clinical sites business, today announces the appointment of Rachael Buck Ph.D. as Country Head in the U.K.

Rachael will lead the five sites Velocity currently owns and operates in the U.K. and will work with the rest of Velocity’s European executive team to expand the company’s footprint in the British Isles.

Rachael joins from Accellacare (ICON) where she was senior director of site networks. She has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, the majority of which has been in dedicated research site networks such as Synexus (AES), Medinova, and at some of the largest contract research organisations in the world, including Parexel. Rachael has a B.Sc. Hons. in Applied Biological Sciences and a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology, both from Manchester Metropolitan University, U.K.        

Dominic Clavell, Executive Vice President Europe at Velocity, said, “Velocity is proud to welcome Rachael as our new Country Manager, a testament to our commitment to attracting top talent from leading organisations in the clinical trials industry. We’re doing things differently at Velocity, changing the way the industry thinks about clinical research and streamlining the approach so that trials get done quicker. Rachael’s expertise will be instrumental in realising our vision of creating a cohesive network of high-performing clinical trial sites across Europe. Her leadership will significantly enhance our efforts to scale operations in what has traditionally been a fragmented landscape.”

With experience in driving the growth of numerous sites and partnerships, Rachael brings a wealth of expertise to Velocity’s U.K. team. She previously oversaw global quality assurance, project management, the EMEA medical team, project technology and operational finance as a senior director of site networks at Accellacare.

Her leadership experience across numerous regions and therapeutic areas, as well as her focus on patient-centric site operations, will help continue to expand Velocity’s presence and capabilities in the U.K.

Rachael Buck, Velocity Country Manager U.K., said, “I’m excited to be joining Velocity and taking on the new challenge. Velocity is changing the clinical trials landscape so not only are we competing with other players in the market, but we’re competing with a state of mind, changing the current status quo. And that’s really exciting.

“My career has focussed on how we can do things better. More efficiency, greater diversity and strategic collaboration are all key to that, which I look forward to bringing to Velocity.”

Rachael joins an executive team that has grown in recent months, including Agnieszka Gackowska, Velocity’s Poland country head who leads six sites, and Evelyne Newton who leads business development across Europe. Velocity will continue this expansion and is currently recruiting a country head in Germany.

In January, 2024, the company announced its accelerating growth across Europe, with 17 locations in the U.K., Poland, and Germany. The company is now one of the largest site organisations in Europe, and is the largest sites business in the United States.

Notes to Editors

About Velocity Clinical Research

Velocity is the leading integrated site organisation for clinical trials. With 90 sites and more than 220 investigators, Velocity partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to research new drugs, medical devices, diagnostics, and combination products that could improve human health and wellbeing. Velocity offers unified research site solutions to efficiently provide the right patients, investigators, and research staff for clinical trials across the U.S. and Europe.

The company also operates a technology hub in India, where it is unlocking a new era in clinical research by developing innovative systems to leverage expansive site, patient, and historical performance data. To learn more about how Velocity delivers high-quality data, exemplary patient care, and unprecedented efficiency for clinical trials at any scale, visit VelocityClinical.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aacc38f9-fce0-4d0d-a4b3-25ac5881f89f

CONTACT: Media contact

Katie Evans
Corporate communications
kevans@velocityclinical.com