We are deeply saddened to report news of the death of Lawson Crawford, Director of Legal & Business Affairs and Company Secretary for UCL Business for the last nine years

Lawson was dedicated to and passionate about his role. He was instrumental in ensuring that UCLB’s legal and patent requirements were met to exacting standards and led a team responsible for creating and overseeing agreements to protect and commercialise intellectual property for some of the most important innovations and research from world-leading UCL academics. He played a pivotal role in some of UCLB’s most significant deals such as Apollo Therapeutics and UCL Technology Fund, which have brought life-changing benefits to people around the world.

Lawson had extensive UK and international leadership experience at board and senior management levels in matters including negotiating and advising on corporate and commercial issues, intellectual property, finance, investments, mergers, governance, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution.

As Company Secretary Lawson was a key part of UCLB’s governance, co-ordinating our performance reporting and liaising with the Board.

Lawson was a hugely warm and engaging character and went out of his way to make everyone feel valued and a part of the UCLB family. He not only brought professionalism and warmth of character to the workplace, but a tremendous sense of style too – he was always impeccably dressed no matter what the occasion.

Lawson was also great in front of an audience; the go-to presenter for informal staff awards ceremonies at Christmas parties or as a great host at social events. He was no stranger to performing and such was his talent that he made a number of memorable TV appearances road testing technologies in Series 3 of Channel 4’s Gadget Man in 2014.

As well as generosity of spirit Lawson also devoted his own time to help causes that he was passionate about.  He was a Trustee of the Dulwich Picture Gallery and Treasurer of The Deanery of Westminster for the Diocese of London from 2016 to 2022.

In addition to extended family in the UK and in his birth-country of Jamaica, Lawson had an extensive network of loyal friends in London, and a close-knit family of work colleagues all of whom will miss his sunny smile, infectious laugh and his warmth of character.