Dr. Ronnie Palin
Member of the Board
Ronnie Palin is Regional Skills Planning Lead (Central) at Skills Development Scotland (SDS), where he works with partners across Central Scotland to align skills planning, economic development and workforce priorities with employer demand and regional growth ambitions.
Originally from Kirkby, Liverpool, Ronnie studied Pure and Applied Chemistry at Nottingham Trent University before completing a PhD in Organic Synthesis at the University of Strathclyde. He spent over a decade in the pharmaceutical industry with Merck and its predecessor companies, leading chemistry teams involved in the discovery of several candidate medicines. He is a named inventor of BRIDION® (sugammadex), the first-in-class medicine used to reverse muscle relaxation in surgical patients, and has received multiple industry and scientific awards, including the Royal Society of Chemistry's Malcolm Campbell Memorial Prize and the Nexxus Life Science Award for Innovation.
Ronnie later joined Redx Pharma as Director of Scientific Strategy, helping to grow the business and contributing to the development of a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor that was acquired by LOXO Oncology and developed into the approved cancer treatment Jaypirca® (pirtobrutinib). Since joining Skills Development Scotland in 2013, he has led strategic skills planning across key growth sectors and regions, working closely with employers, academia, industry bodies and public sector partners.
As a Board member, Ronnie is committed to supporting strategic leadership that strengthens opportunities for learners, promotes social mobility and helps communities thrive through education and skills development. Outside work, he enjoys golf, travelling and supporting his son at golf competitions across the UK.