Hitesh Sanganee leads AstraZeneca’s Emerging Innovations Unit, which seeks to discover and catalyse new ideas that can benefit patients. Hitesh has been instrumental in establishing and leading AZ’s Open Innovation function , collaborating with academic institutions and funding bodies such as the MRC (UK) and NIH (US) to identify novel uses for AZ medicines. He has driven internal ideation and is known widely as a futurist, having a keen sense for predicting trends in science and technology that will impact the industry.

Previously his role was in the science function within AstraZeneca. His main role was as a chemistry cluster lead inputting into external and internal drug repositioning projects and potential in-licensing projects. Other roles also have included CDL (candidate drug leader) working on regenerative medicine, and a Team Leader in the respiratory & inflammation therapeutic area. He originally received his degree and DPhil from Oxford University in chemistry and subsequently held a postdoctoral research position at Florida State University. He joined AstraZeneca as a Medicinal Chemist in 1999 conducting research within respiratory & inflammation related disease areas and has led teams to successful milestone transitions in all phases of drug discovery. He has more than 40 patents and publications.