Dr Simon Hirst

Simon is Sygnature Discovery’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Starting as a medicinal chemist at AstraZeneca, Simon has built a 30 year long career spanning the full spectrum of drug discovery programs and business leadership. After founding Sygnature Discovery in 2004, Simon has shaped the company into a world-class partner for tailored drug discovery services, fostering a strong scientific culture and driving significant growth. Under his leadership, Sygnature has expanded globally, secured strategic acquisitions, and established a reputation for scientific excellence and innovation, while maintaining the people-first approach that continues to drive its success. 

Simon holds a BSc (Hons.) in Chemistry and a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of Nottingham and undertook key post-doctoral research at the University of Pittsburgh. He has broad-ranging research experience from AstraZeneca and OSI Pharmaceuticals, as well Combi Pure Ltd. where he served as Managing Director and Director of Chemistry.