SACRA Year-End Gala Dinner 2026: Where Our Industry Comes Together

6 hours ago
4 min read

There are conferences where we learn. Workshops where we develop. Webinars where we connect through a screen.

And then there are those rare occasions where we simply get to be together as an industry.

On 5 November 2026, SACRA invites South Africa’s clinical research community to step away from the protocols, timelines, submissions, audits, enrolment targets and day-to-day pressures of clinical trials and join us for an evening dedicated to the people behind the industry.

More than a Gala Dinner

The SACRA Year-End Gala Dinner is not intended to be another formal industry function where you arrive, sit at your assigned table and leave.

It is about creating a space where Investigators, Research Sites, Sponsors, Biopharma, CROs, Pharmaceutical Companies, Laboratories, Technology Providers, Logistics Partners, Ethics and Regulatory professionals, and the many service providers supporting clinical research can meet as peers.

A space to reconnect with familiar faces.

To finally meet the person you have exchanged countless emails and Teams calls with.

To introduce yourself to someone new.

To strengthen a relationship, start a conversation, share an idea or simply enjoy an exceptional evening with people who understand the industry in which we work.

Because some of the most valuable industry conversations happen when there isn't an agenda on the table.

Ask anyone who attended in 2024…

Our 2024 Gala demonstrated just how much appetite there is for this kind of industry gathering. The planning records for the evening reflect approximately 250 guests, with representation spanning dozens of organisations and virtually every corner of the clinical research ecosystem — including pharmaceutical companies, CROs, investigator sites, laboratories, research organisations, technology providers and specialist clinical-trial service providers.

Names represented included organisations such as Roche, GSK, Sanofi, AbbVie, Syneos Health, Novotech, Fortrea, PPD, Ampath, The Aurum Institute, HCRISA, Newtown Clinical Research Centre, Rodon Global, nuvoteq, scigenix, Oximio, Biocair, Marken, Cytespace Africa Laboratories and many others.

And importantly, the evening SOLD OUT!

That tells us something.

People want opportunities to connect beyond formal meetings and conferences. Our industry is built on collaboration, yet there are surprisingly few occasions where the broader clinical research community can come together simply to network, celebrate and build relationships.

In 2026, SACRA wants to create that space again and make it even better.

Why should you be there?

Because clinical research does not happen in isolation.

Every successful clinical trial depends on an extraordinary network of people and organisations working together. Sponsors depend on CROs. CROs depend on sites. Sites depend on investigators and their teams. Everyone depends on laboratories, logistics, technology, ethics, regulatory systems and countless specialist partners.

We may work for different organisations, but ultimately we are part of one clinical research ecosystem.

The Gala gives us an opportunity to see that ecosystem in one room.

And whether you have worked in clinical research for twenty years or are building your career today, there is enormous value in being part of that room.

Come with your colleagues. Bring your team. Invite your industry partners. Meet the people you don't yet know.

SACRA is working to build more than events

Throughout the year, SACRA works to facilitate, educate, mentor, advocate and create opportunities for our industry to engage.

Workshops, education programmes, webinars and industry initiatives all have an important role to play. But strengthening an industry also requires something less formal and equally important: RELATIONSHIPS.

Creating an event of this nature takes considerable planning, investment and commitment. SACRA does it because we believe our industry benefits when its people know one another, communicate with one another and have opportunities to build genuine professional relationships.

But there is one thing SACRA cannot provide.

You.

We can create the venue.

We can set the tables.

We can bring together the programme, entertainment, sponsors and experience.

But the Gala only becomes an industry event when the industry shows up!

This event is only a success if you are there.

For organisations: don't just attend, be seen

The Gala also offers organisations an opportunity to position their brands within the clinical research community through a limited number of sponsorship opportunities.

From the exclusive Headline Sponsorship — with only ONE available — to Network Sponsorships, Supporting Table Sponsorships and supporting opportunities around elements of the evening, the packages have been designed to give organisations meaningful visibility while contributing directly to the success of an industry event.

This isn't simply about placing a logo in a room.

It is about saying: "We are part of this industry. We support this community. And we want to help bring it together."

Will you be there when the industry comes together again?

📅 05 November 2026📍 Gauteng – Confirmed

2024 sold out.

For 2026, we would love nothing more than to see the room filled once again with the people who make South African clinical research what it is.

Only so many seats will be available. Make sure one belongs to you. 🥂

Reservations & Sponsorships

Please note that seats, tables and sponsorship opportunities are only regarded as confirmed once full payment has been received. An enquiry, expression of interest or provisional reservation does not secure your booking.

Join us. Bring your colleagues. Meet your peers. Support your industry.