Clare Wareing: The entrepreneur who promised her grandfather she would tackle cancer

Scottish Business Network

When Clare Wareing was growing up in Yorkshire, one of her friends lost her father to cancer at a very early age. The experience had a big impact on Clare and, when her grandfather was later diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, she promised him that she would devote her life to cancer research. And that is exactly what she has done – while also proving to be an astute entrepreneur. Having founded and developed the research business Nexus Oncology, and steering it through two acquisitions, Clare dabbled with early retirement. But it didn’t suit her and, in 2017 she launched Cumulus Oncology – a ‘hub and spoke’ business with a plan to launch a minimum of five spin-out companies within the next three years, all with the continued theme of fighting cancer. Clare, who made Scotland her home after studying for her PhD at the University of Edinburgh, also reveals the influence of Jacques Cousteau, a rare talent for extreme flat-pack furniture assembly and her love for the music of Two Tone Records. Recorded on 26 February 2021.