The charity, set up by three-times Formula 1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, raises and allocates funds for ground-breaking global research into new treatments and innovative preventions that will beat dementia.

Lydia says: “It is absolutely critical more is done to tackle this horrible disease. Sir Jackie’s charity aims to apply the same problem-solving approach seen in Formula 1 and other technology companies to the world of medical research. This disruptive approach is what attracted me to the role. I hope I can apply the innovative mindset and engineering knowledge I have gained at Dyson to help dementia researchers find a breakthrough quicker.”

Lydia left Loughborough University with a first-class degree in Industrial Design and Technology before working as a design manager for Proctor and Gamble. She went on to lead the international James Dyson Foundation to deliver charitable projects tackling the global shortage of engineers and the promotion of design engineering education.

Her work included major university gifts, the international James Dyson Award, run across 30 countries and establishing the Dyson Institute, an alternative university education for school leavers to obtain an engineering degree whilst working at Dyson. 

Race Against Dementia aims to discover a breakthrough in the prevention or treatment of dementia with the greatest of urgency. Today, more than 55 million people around the world are living with dementia. Unless a cure is found, one in three people born today will die with dementia.

A new person develops dementia every three seconds, and it is anticipated that by 2030 the global societal cost of caring for dementia patients will exceed US$2.8 trillion.

For more information, please see their website: www.raceagainstdementia.com