Rhona Cox (1993)
Senior Principal Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry
I have over 23 years’ experience in pharmaceutical research and development, having started my career as a synthetic organic chemist after studying chemistry at Oxford. I spent more than two decades at AstraZeneca, working across medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics and business development, and in both the UK and Sweden. I recently joined Orbis Medicines, a Copenhagen-based biotech, attracted by the opportunity to pursue high-quality scientific research in a very different environment. Having worked in both a large pharmaceutical organisation and a growing biotech, I can offer perspectives on different research cultures, career paths and ways of working.
I am an experienced mentor and coach with a real passion for developing people and helping them realise their potential. I would be happy to support graduates thinking about what comes after Oxford, whether that means pursuing research in industry or academia, exploring careers in the pharmaceutical sector, or considering less obvious directions.
Beyond scientific and career advice, I can also provide a sounding board for broader questions: how to identify your strengths, make career decisions when the options are not straightforward, build professional relationships, balance ambition with personal fulfillment, and respond constructively when things do not go as planned. I believe careers rarely follow a perfectly linear path, and that curiosity, reflection and a willingness to adapt are as important as technical expertise.
