Shane McKenna

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT SHANE MCKENNA

I’m an extremely passionate, efficient and hard‑working synthetic/process chemist who tackles difficult problems with first‑principles and systems‑level thinking. I thrive in matrixed teams, bringing chemistry, engineering, analytics and operations together to move programmes from IND‑TOX through to commercialisation, safely, robustly and right‑first‑time.At Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), I lead biocatalysis and established Chenical Process Development-Chemistry in the UK. I set the strategic vision for biocatalysis, leveraging internal resources and external partners to introduce high‑selectivity, sustainable enzymatic solutions where they deliver step‑change performance. That includes building governance, technical standards and collaboration frameworks that translate promising enzyme ideas into plant‑ready steps.Catalytic adoption at scale: integrate biocatalysis and chemocatalysis where they deliver step‑change performance, and apply continuous processing when flow genuinely improves safety, selectivity or productivity.I drive continuous improvement in operations, creating step‑change gains in productivity through better project management, technology adoption, stakeholder alignment, and disciplined delivery against timelines and milestones. I’m also passionate about AI adoption in process chemistry and personal productivity, exploring agentic AI frameworks to optimise workflows, automate decision‑making, and accelerate process improvements. This includes embedding data‑driven insights into route selection, risk modelling and operational efficiency.Technically, my experience spans organic synthesis, biocatalysis, chemocatalysis, continuous processing and batch manufacturing.