Ola Björkman was appointed Associate Professor at Karolinska Institutet in 1985 and has worked in international marketing for over a decade, building an extensive network within the life science community, particularly in Sweden. After more than 10 years of working together, Ola and Richard founded 59North Communications in 2025. Ola is the primary contact for Scandinavian clients.

Richard Hayhurst has more than 30 years’ expertise in life sciences communications and heads our global team. He has widespread experience across life sciences, working with therapeutic, diagnostic and medtech companies as well as biotech hubs, research centres and advocacy groups.  Specialised in media strategy, he has a network of contacts in Europe, North America and Asia.

Janet Joy specialises in content creation from white papers to application notes, particularly for our life science services clients. With a degree in forestry and research and industry experience in the US, Europe and Australia, she has contributed to reports for international bodies such as WHO and EASAC.

Barnaby Pickering was previously Senior Writer at one of the leading international trade magazines. He has an extensive range of pharma, investor and regulatory contacts and is an expert moderator of roundtables. He has a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from University College London.

Jo Shorthouse has over 17 years of editorial experience across leading life sciences publications and brings deep industry insight to healthcare communications. Her extensive network of senior stakeholders, built over nearly two decades, reflects her reputation for integrity, precision and strategic acumen. As a seasoned host of both live and recorded podcasts and webinars, Jo excels at translating complex science into engaging, accessible narratives.