At present, he is the Scientific Director of the Cancer & Ageing Program, Deputy Director of the Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, and Director of the Queensland Centre for Drug Discovery, all at the Queensland University of Technology. Derek says that he has been fortunate to benefit from mentors who were open about their own missteps and decision-making processes, and this has strongly influenced how he approaches mentoring.
Professor Derek Richard proudly Scottish by birth and began his scientific career in the United Kingdom before relocating to Australia in 2004, a move that proved formative both professionally and personally. He completed his PhD at the University of Dundee, where he developed a solid foundation in rigorous experimental science and independent thinking, and subsequently held a fellowship at the University of St Andrews. These early experiences shaped his approach to research: intellectually ambitious, technically disciplined, and grounded in first principles.
After moving to Australia, his career evolved beyond a single disciplinary track into a portfolio of roles spanning discovery research, translation, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Rather than following a linear pathway, he actively sought opportunities that required stepping into uncertainty, establishing new research programs, building teams, and taking responsibility for outcomes. These experiences reinforced the idea that impact is rarely accidental; it is built through persistence, judgment, and the willingness to learn from failure as much as from success.
A defining feature of Derek’s journey has been operating across the academic–industry interface. He has co-founded four companies: Repluca Pharmaceutical, Carpe Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Rapid Genetic Testing (as Director), and Nadair Skin (as Director), each with distinct challenges, time horizons, and risk profiles. Through these ventures, he gained practical experience in translation, regulation, quality systems, financing, and governance, while balancing scientific ambition with commercial and societal constraints.
In parallel, Prof Richard has held senior academic leadership roles that have demanded strategic thinking, people management, and a commitment to creating environments where others can thrive.
As a mentor, Derek focus on helping others navigate complexity, career transitions, competing priorities, leadership challenges, and aligning personal values with professional goals. Derek reflects, that his aim while mentoring, is to provide grounded, experience-based guidance that supports sustainable, impactful careers rather than a single definition of success.
Visit the Ethos Forum Podcast (on SoundCloud) to hear Mark Douglas interviewing Derek Richard about his approach to research leadership.