Kate Aylett joined HDR UK as Programme Director – Strategy in January 2026. She brings nearly two decades of experience at the interface of health research, science policy, and organisational strategy, with a track record of translating complex ideas into clear direction and decisive action. In her role, she works closely with the Senior Leadership Team to shape HDR UK’s strategic priorities, develop high-impact partnerships, and position the organisation effectively within a rapidly evolving UK health data landscape. Kate’s work spans institutional and programmatic strategic development, senior stakeholder engagement and the crafting of compelling narratives that make the case for trustworthy health data research.
Before joining HDR UK, Kate held senior strategy roles at the Medical Research Council (MRC), where she led the development of scientific and organisational strategies that shaped the UK’s biomedical research landscape. She has deep expertise in navigating the intersection of research infrastructure, cross sector partnership, and public policy. Her ability to distil complexity into actionable insight has made her a trusted voice at board level and with external stakeholders including government departments, funders, charities and life sciences industry partners.
Kate believes that even the most complex ideas must be explained simply to have impact — and that achieving that simplicity is the hardest, most important part of strategy. She holds a BA in History and Politics from the University of York and is committed to building a HDR UK that is both ambitious in its vision and practical about how to get there.
