Philip C. Keevil, MA (Oxon), MBA, FRSA, became involved with focused ultrasound in 2019 when he became an advisor to the United States Focused Ultrasound Foundation after he and his wife sold their New York apartment and bought a house in Charlottesville. He now serves as Chairman of the newly formed UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation (UK FUSF). Mr. Keevil spent more than 40 years in investment banking, in New York and London, specializing in cross-border mergers and acquisitions. He is a dual British and American citizen and was formerly vice chairman of the British American Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the advisory council of the London Symphony Orchestra, was a founding member of the Business Advisory Forum of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, and previously a director of Americans for Oxford. He has been a governor or trustee of two schools in the US and one in England. Mr. Keevil is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Freeman of the City of London, and a former master of one of its livery companies. He holds an MA degree with honors from Oxford and an MBA degree with high distinction from Harvard.
How did you come to be involved with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation?
My son Adrian introduced me to Dr. Neal Kassell, as he probably felt that I didn’t have enough to occupy my time! Like so many who meet Neal and learn about the amazing potential for focused ultrasound technology to save lives, I was inspired to do my bit to advance the cause. I already knew a fair amount about the pharma industry, as I had several pharma clients, and I could see how focused ultrasound could fit into the picture, provide solutions and save – or improve the quality of – many lives. I became an advisor for the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in 2019.
Why are you passionate about leading the UK FUSF?
We have an unrivaled opportunity to move the needle in UK healthcare and issue in a new dawn by aiding in the treatment of intractable diseases of the brain, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and saving or improving the lives of many cancer sufferers.
What are the primary goals of the UK FUSF?
Like the Foundation in the US, our mission is to accelerate adoption of focused ultrasound as the standard of care for many diseases. I am focused on building on advances in UK research by increasing local support for the many leading researchers and clinicians here. We are also actively establishing partnerships with UK-based, disease-specific charities and generally spreading the word.
What do you tell others who are interested in focused ultrasound?
I provide them with basic information via the website and tell them what focused ultrasound is and what it can do. I try to ascertain which diseases most concern them and then direct them to specific information about the stages of focused ultrasound treatment for those diseases (e.g., research, clinical trials, or actual treatment).
How can others get involved and support the UK FUSF?
By supporting our work financially or by simply spreading the word. Our biggest challenge in the UK is lack of awareness, not just among patients and their friends and loved ones, but even among physicians and consultant specialists.