Jonathan Van-Tam

Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam Kt, MBE, FMedSci, is a distinguished infectious diseases expert and science communicator renowned for translating complex medical information into clear, relatable guidance. As the UK's Deputy Chief Medical Officer from 2017 to 2022, he became a trusted public voice during the COVID-19 pandemic, steering vaccine strategy and delivering memorable Downing Street briefings using football analogies that resonated nationwide. Knighted in 2022 and awarded the Royal Society's Attenborough Award for exceptional public engagement, he now serves as Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham. His sessions equip organisations with practical insights on crisis communication, leadership under pressure, and building public trust through authenticity and clarity.

When Professor Jonathan Van-Tam stood at the Downing Street podium during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, his football analogies and pinstripe suits became as recognisable as the critical public health messages he delivered. Between 2017 and 2022, his secondment as the UK's Deputy Chief Medical Officer transformed him from an accomplished academic into a household name, trusted for his ability to translate complex scientific data into guidance that resonated with millions. His leadership extended far beyond the briefing room, playing a pivotal role in the strategic acquisition and rollout of vaccines and antiviral drugs that saved tens of thousands of British lives. Knighted by Her late Majesty the Queen in 2022, he also received the Royal Society's Attenborough Award that same year, recognising his exceptional ability to connect with the public on matters of science.

Jonathan's credibility stems from decades of rigorous academic and clinical work in infectious diseases and respiratory viruses. With a clinical background spanning emergency medicine, anaesthesia, and infectious disease specialties, he has contributed extensively to Public Health England, the World Health Organisation, and the pharmaceutical sector. His research portfolio includes more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and he has been instrumental in leading the world's largest and first human challenge studies of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 respectively. Since March 2022, he has served as Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham, overseeing four schools and continuing to shape the next generation of medical professionals. His partnership with Sir Chris Whitty during the pandemic remains a defining chapter in his varied career, one he describes as both a privilege and an inspiration.

Jonathan equips organisations and audiences with practical insights on crisis communication, leadership under pressure, and the importance of building public trust through authenticity. His approach demystifies the challenges of conveying scientific uncertainty whilst maintaining credibility, drawing on real-world experiences from one of the most scrutinised public health emergencies in modern history. Audiences leave his sessions with actionable strategies for communicating complexity with clarity, fostering resilience in teams during high-stakes situations, and understanding how relatability and directness can transform public engagement. Of mixed British-Vietnamese heritage and raised in South Lincolnshire, his personal journey informs his grounded, accessible style, making him a compelling voice for organisations navigating change, uncertainty, and the vital task of earning and maintaining trust.