Elspeth Drayson \\ Owner & CEO

Lady Drayson BSc MSc MPhil (oxon):

 

Born in 1960, Elspeth Jane Drayson was educated at Headington School, Oxford, Imperial College, London and Oxford University. In 1981, she took a BSc (Hons) in Physics at Imperial College, followed in 1982 by an MSc in Medical Physics and Electronics and in 1984 an MPhil in Management Studies at Oxford University.

Elspeth joined a start up medical device company in 1984 and then worked in the field of Technology Transfer. In 1993, she co-founded vaccine company PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc in Oxford and was Marketing and Finance Director until 1997 when PowderJect was floated on the London Stock Exchange. She remained a major shareholder until 2003 when the company was sold for £540 million having been built into one of the world’s leading vaccine companies with operations in the UK, USA and Scandinavia.

In 2009, Elspeth began overseeing the day-to-day administrative operations of Drayson Racing as the operation she owns with her husband, Paul, moved into an international array of races. Drayson Racing entered the full Le Mans Series schedule, debuted at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and at the 12 Hours of Sebring with an Aston Martin Vantage GT2. She then oversaw the switch to the Drayson Racing Lola-Judd at the Petit Le Mans, Laguna Seca and Asian Le Mans Series Japanese event. The team captured one pole position and two fastest race laps in Asia earning the Michelin ® Green X ® Challenge at the Okayama Circuit with drivers Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK) and Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK). In 2010, she continues her role moving the team into its first full season of LMP1 competition racing the full-season of the American Le Mans Series and entering its second 24 Hours of Le Mans and the first Intercontinental Cup Championship with races at the Petit Le Mans, Silverstone and in the Asian Le Mans Series.

Elspeth is married to Paul; they have five children and live in Gloucestershire and London, UK.