The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced the appointment of prominent business leaders, Lord Hintze and Shane Thakrar, as the initial members of its new network of Patrons.
Lord Hintze, an influential business leader, established the hedge fund CQS in 1999 and currently serves as its group executive chairman and senior investment officer.
In addition, he is the founder and Trustee of the Hintze Family Charitable Foundation, which supports important causes in the fields of health, education, and the arts.
Shane Thakrar, CEO of Dallas Holdings, a company established to own and operate franchised food and beverage brands, has a family with a long history of supporting the BHF.
Dallas Holdings is a proud partner of Pret A Manger, with franchises in several UK counties and development rights for Southern California, as well as plans to expand Pret’s existing locations in New York.
The Thakrar Foundation, established by Thakrar’s family, has been supporting medical research for many years, including the research conducted by the BHF.
Lord Hintze and Shane Thakrar have reportedly agreed to take on voluntary roles to support the BHF.
These prominent philanthropists will use their positions to raise awareness about the BHF’s life-saving work, expand the network of supporters, and fundraise for innovative areas of scientific research.
Regarding the appointment of Lord Hintze and Shane Thakrar, BHF Chair of Trustees, Wendy Becker, is reported to have said in a statement on the BHF site, “Our ground-breaking research is only possible thanks to the generosity of volunteer supporters like Lord Hintze and Shane. We’re delighted to welcome them as Patrons, and I look forward to working with them closely in helping to build significant support for world-leading science that has the potential to revolutionise heart treatment and care within the coming years.”
Additionally, BHF Chief Executive, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, is quoted as saying, “We’re delighted to appoint Lord Hintze and Shane Thakrar as Patrons – a vital ambassadorial role that will inspire greater support for our lifesaving work.
“In the wake of the pandemic, people with heart and circulatory diseases have never needed us more. But with leading philanthropists like Lord Hintze and Shane Thakrar supporting us, our aim is to accelerate the pace at which our researchers turn cutting-edge areas of science into new lifesaving treatments and cures. We’re extremely grateful for their continued and ongoing support.”
As Patrons of the BHF, Lord Hintze and Shane Thakrar will reportedly promote and support some of the organisation’s most innovative and transformative areas of research, including artificial intelligence, gene editing, and regenerative medicine.
Speaking about his new role as Patron of the BHF, Shane Thakrar reportedly said, “Heart disease affects nearly all of us and has had a profound impact on my family and I. It’s therefore a privilege to help the British Heart Foundation raise awareness of its cutting-edge research in areas such as AI, gene editing, and regenerative medicine so that it can continue to raise the funds needed to power urgently needed scientific progress. I look forward to using the role to open up new opportunities for this unique charity that will help with its mission to save and improve lives.”
Both individuals have reportedly already made significant contributions to BHF’s cause by hosting events and supporting fundraising efforts for their £30m CureHeart programme – which brings together a world-class team of scientists who are at the forefront of gene-editing techniques that hold the potential to cure inherited heart muscle diseases.
“I’m honoured to become one of the British Heart Foundation’s first Patrons – an organisation I am in no doubt shares my passion for supporting truly cutting-edge science with the potential to save and improve countless lives. I look forward to using the position to help the BHF increase support for transformational areas of research, such as artificial intelligence, which could rapidly accelerate how we tackle some of the world’s biggest health challenges,” Lord Hintze said about his appointment.
The BHF is the UK’s largest non-commercial funder of cardiovascular research, funded solely by the generosity of the public and its philanthropic partners.
