Researching Richard Sykes

In 1972, after gaining a first class bachelor's degree and a doctorate, both in microbiology, Sykes was appointed head of the Antibiotic Resistance Unit at Glaxo, where he helped develop the antibiotic ceftazidime. Subsequently he was recruited by the Squibb Institute, in the United States, where he then developed aztreonam, the first clinically effective monobactam, a term he coined in 1981 to describe a new group of monocyclic β-lactams produced by bacteria. He oversaw the merger of Glaxo with Wellcome, to form Glaxo-Wellcome in 1995 and became its chair two years later. He then oversaw the Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham merger and held its chair until 2001.

His other appointments have included being rector of Imperial College from 2001 to 2008, chairman of NHS London from December 2008 to July 2010, vice-Chairman of Lonza Group until 2013, and chairman of Imperial College Healthcare from 2012 to 2018.

He was the fourth son of Richard Sykes, owner of the Sykes Bleaching Company, and his wife Jane Hardcastle. He was born at Edgeley House, Stockport, Cheshire, and was known as Dick. He went to Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire where he was Captain of Rugby in 1857. The following extract is from the First 125 years Liverpool Football Club Rugby Union 1857–1982 by I R A Daglish.

In the Autumn of 1857, Frank Albert Mather, who had recently left Rugby School, wrote to his friend Richard Sykes the Captain of Football at Rugby School inviting him to take part in a game of football in Liverpool and bring with him one of the balls in use at the school, made by Linden a Rugby bootmaker. The game was arranged for Saturday 19 December 1857 on the Liverpool Cricket Ground at Edgehill. Fifty players arrived and they decided to play Rugby versus the World. Liverpool club was founded there and then.

Dick Sykes spent 18 months in Heidelberg, Paris and Geneva. He returned to England and helped to form the Manchester Football Club in 1860, being the club's first Captain. He was a partner in a textile firm in Manchester 'Callender, Sykes & Mather' until it failed in 1878. Then he went to America and over the years acquired considerable land holdings. He continued to live in England, but made annual trips to the States where he founded and named five North Dakota towns,* Sykeston, after his family* Bowdon, after his hometown* Edgeley, after his birthplace* Chaseley, after the English home of an old friend* Alfred, "because it was a good English name".He introduced rugby football to colleges and universities in the west of America and also introduced golf links to the northwest

In 1904, at the age of 65 he married Fanny Elizabeth Walton of Broughton, Salford, and sailed for the United States on their wedding day to make their future home, settling at Montecito, California. They had two sons. Sykes was the brother of Thomas Hardcastle Sykes and uncle of Sir Alan Sykes, 1st Baronet MP for Knutsford, Cheshire, and Sir Percy Sykes the geographer and explorer of central Asia.