Dr Nicholls has worked in the life science sector for over 30 years, with a focus on genomics and biomedical science in government, pharmaceutical, biotech and academic clients. He has broad experience of building partnerships and collaborations in translational research, driving innovation and change in organizations, from start-ups to quoted companies.

He joined CABI as Chief Executive in 2005 an has led the organization to focus on its core skills of knowledge delivery, integrated crop management and the protection of biodiversity, exemplified in Plantwise, CABI's flagship initiaitve to improve food security and farmer incomes. He is also a non-executive.

Prior to this, Trevor was Chief Commercial Officer for Affymetrix Inc. and founder CEO of Oxagen Ltd, a spin-out from Oxford University, securing venture finance, major commercial partnerships and an extensive network of academic collaborations. Trevor’s early career was with Amersham International (now part of GE Healthcare