With decades of experience across the life science industry, we excel at unlocking the potential of great health improving ideas, products and services that have been generated by innovators, consultancies, companies and service providers.
We work as an extension of your team to successfully deliver the insights and connections required to make your project a success.
Project Directors
Our team of directors each have 16 years or more experience in life science consultancy and pharmaceutical markets. They work collaboratively with you, our project team and our strategic insights team to ensure your projects are executed to deliver the greatest success.

Christie Harper
Managing Director / Co-owner
Over 20 years’ experience in life science consultancy and the creator of our unique account management approach - NIMBLE.
Specialist skills include:
- Business development
- Market Access and Health Economics
- Business development and KAM Training

Sarah Jones
Head of Projects
Almost 20 years’ experience in life science consultancy and pharmaceutical markets.
Specialist skills include:
- All aspects of market research including pre-licence interactions, advisory boards, and payer research.
- Specific expertise in the Welsh market access agenda and represents all ABPI member companies on the AWTTC Industry Forum.

Rachel Brunger
Head of Commercial
Over 16 years’ experience predominantly in the pharmaceutical sector.
Specialist skills include:
- Pharmaceutical market access
- Key Account Management skills
- Marketing and Value message creation
- Training
Project Management and Research Leads
Our experienced senior team of project managers and research leads have extensive experience in undertaking research projects in the most effective way and ensuring the projects you engage us on are delivered with efficiency, professionalism and to the highest standard.

Nicola Waddell
Project Manager & Research Lead
Over 16 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical sector.
Specialist Skills Include:
- Managing and conducting interview-based research projects
- Training
- Stakeholder identification value message creation
- Project Management

Hope Davies
Project Manager & Research Lead
5 years of experience leading business development and research projects across a range of consultancy, pharmaceutical and research organisations.
Specialist Skills include:
- Business development using the worlds largest business social media platform, LinkedIn.
- Project management
- People development and coaching
Research Analysts
Acting as an extension of your team, our Research Analysts will increase your capacity to ensure that your business development and research projects are delivered without a hitch, ensuring that your business gains the insights and connections desired to be successful.

Caitlin Birch
Research Analyst / Stakeholder Engagement Manager
Joined Gatehouse ICS through our entry level programme and has grown in skills and confidence.
Key skills include:
- Stakeholder Engagement- Identification and recruitment of experts for interview research
- Social media marketing management

Summer Goulding
Research Analyst
Joined Gatehouse ICS through our intern programme to build on her previous Psychology research assistant experience.
Key Skills include:
- Stakeholder identification for business development and market research projects
- Blog and report writing

Hayley Myles
Research Analyst
Joined Gatehouse ICS while she completed her studies in Social Care, which she passed with 1st class honours.
Key Skills include:
- Business development stakeholder engagement
- Desk based research
Strategic Insights Panel
When collaborating with Gatehouse ICS, you gain access to a group of life science industry experts with backgrounds from across the industry including HEOR consultancy and global pharmaceuticals. This group advises on Gatehouse ICS projects ensuring every approach considered is appropriate for the customer and market need, also providing advice on creating authentic and impactful content for both research questions and engaging content.
Operational Leadership Team

Christie Harper
Managing Director / Co-owner
Christie Harper, a former UK and US nurse, entered the life sciences consultancy field as a medical writer. Over a 20-year career she has managed and directed various market access projects, services and business units, operating at the shareholding director level of a global life sciences consultancy where she led sales teams and initiatives. She is passionate about releasing the potential of good ideas, people and products and to that end has developed a blended team of entry level and experienced staff congruent with her desire to improve access to life science careers for rural school leavers. The team is focused on supporting innovators from consultancies or industry and Gatehouse ICS has become a go-to boutique consultancy for interview-based research and business development support in the life sciences space.

Barny Harper
Director / Co-owner
Barny Harper is co-owner and Director of Gatehouse ICS with Christie, to whom he is married. Together they are involved in numerous community activities associated with Barny’s role as a pastor of a local Christian church. This ethos, community outworking and person-centred approach makes its way into everything we do at Gatehouse ICS, and is much of the driving force behind why we do what we do. As an independently owned consultancy, Barny and Christie have the freedom to make choices that align with these priorities; together they shape the business plans and major business decisions relating to the company. Barny also takes a role in overseeing equipment and facilities management, ensuring the team is well equipped to deliver excellent work, take care of staff and exert a positive social impact.

Anne Clay
Head of Operations
Anne Clay manages our contracts, internal systems and documentation. Coming from a background in IT, business and systems analysis; Anne has a keen eye for detail and is process oriented keeping contracts and systems efficient, compliant and accurate whilst ensuring optimal communication and understanding from all parties. Anne is driven by a commitment to excellence in our various workstreams.

Pam Williams
Chief People Officer
Pam Williams joined us as our first Chief People Officer and is responsible for all people-related aspects of our business. She is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and Fellow of the CMI. She holds an MBA and an MA in Coaching & Mentoring Practice. Pam has a deep interest in employee engagement, wellbeing and supporting people at all levels to develop their confidence, skills and knowledge so they can flourish in their future careers. She cares deeply about nurturing our unique company culture and values.

Sarah Jones
Head of Projects
Sarah Jones is the head of projects at Gatehouse ICS, where she draws on her background and experience encompassing biochemistry, rapid diagnostic testing, pharmaceutical sales, patient group engagement, market access and HEOR to support the introduction and expansion of medicines and innovations across many therapy areas for a variety of global companies. Sarah is ABPI qualified, BHBIA certified and skilled in delivering client projects, ranging from early due diligence and market feasibility, compliant advanced notifications and launch strategy planning, through to value message / proposition testing, patient identification and market expansion project opportunities.

Rachel Brunger
Head of Commercial
Rachel Brunger has 15 years of experience in various commercial roles aligned to the pharmaceutical sector. Her experience at Pfizer and Wilmington Healthcare centred around high-level account management capabilities and generating insight from data. This supports commercial organisations need to align to their customer and local patient population needs, guaranteeing the best outcome for the NHS, patients and the commercial organisation. Rachel leads our commercial business and is passionate about ensuring everything we do aligns with your organisation’s needs.