Hall remembers Sir David Cooksey

St Edmund Hall is sad to announce the passing of Aularian and Honorary Fellow Sir David Cooksey GBE, FRS (1959, Metallurgy) on Sunday 28 January 2024.

He started his career as an industrial engineer, was educated at Westminster School and came to the Hall in 1959 to read Metallurgy. During his time here, Sir David played a crucial role in establishing the Middle Common Room (MCR) and was the Hall’s first MCR President. His career spanned across business, venture capitalism and policy work with highlights including Founder of Advent Venture Partners, director of the Bank of England and his Cooksey Review of UK Health Research Funding strongly influenced the establishment of the first biomedical research centre in the UK, the Francis Crick Institute.

Sir David was a long-standing and very generous supporter towards several areas within the Hall, and particularly towards the fellowship and the new Norham St Edmund development. He was supportive of the College’s Materials teaching, and in 2019 set up the Cooksey Early Career Fellow in Materials. He was also a member of the St Edmund Guild and the Floreat Aula Legacy Society, in addition to his Honorary Fellowship. Sir David was also deeply involved and engaged with the College, as both an advocate and an advisor, and he regularly returned to Queen’s Lane for College events.

He was knighted in 1993 and appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 2007 both for public service. In 2020, he was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society for helping cement the UK’s place as a global leader in life sciences research. The translation of scientific discovery into economic and health benefit has been the driving force behind Sir David’s working life. He recognised that this can only be achieved with a high-quality science infrastructure populated by world-class scientists.

David will be very sadly missed by all that knew him at the Hall, past and present.