Experience

Marches Local Enterprise Partnership

• United Kingdom
• Information Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Head of Business Development & Delivery

  • Jan 2023 - Present



University of Wolverhampton

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Project Manager, Brownfield Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC)

  • Sep 2018 - Jan 2023

  The Brownfield Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC) is a new research centre based at the University of Wolverhampton. BRIC is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund ERDF to offer a bespoke support services to Black Country SMEs who require assistance with all aspects of brownfield remediation and regeneration challenges. The Brownfield Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC) is a new research centre based at the University of Wolverhampton. BRIC is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund ERDF to offer a bespoke support services to Black Country SMEs who require assistance with all aspects of brownfield remediation and regeneration challenges.



Keele University

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• SEND Programme Delivery Manager

  • Nov 2017 - Sep 2018

  Keele University is working with businesses, graduates and academics to create Europe’s first ‘at scale’ Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND) – a living laboratory where new energy-efficient technologies can be researched, developed and tested in a real world environment. Keele University is working with businesses, graduates and academics to create Europe’s first ‘at scale’ Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND) – a living laboratory where new energy-efficient technologies can be researched, developed and tested in a real world environment.



West Midlands International Service (Nonsuchnetwork Ltd)

• Director

  • Jun 2015 - Sep 2018

  WMIS is now focusing on developing links with Chinese cities and regions. In May 2013 WMIS hosted a visit to the West Midlands by representatives from Chinese regions. This activity was funded through DG REGIO’s Chinese-European Training on Regional Policy (CETREGIO) Programme. With the support of CETREGIO a number visits were organised to Chinese cities (Wuhan, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Tianjin) to identify economic, civic and cultural links. The relationship developed with the city region of Tianjin has proved to be particularly strong, 6 cleantech companies travelled to the city region in December 2014. In 2015 WMES on behalf on the West Midlands became involved in CETREGIO’s successor the World Cities Programme (http://world-cities.eu/.) As a result links have now been established with the Guangzhou Development District (GDD).In the last 12 months WMIS has organised and participated in the following activities:A Mission to Guangzhou & Tianjin, 25th April – 1st May 2015A Joint Forum of European & Chinese Pilot Cities/Regions, Brussels, 23rd June 2015An EU-China Summit, Brussels, 29th June 2015A World Cities Tianjin and Guangzhou visit to the West Midlands 22-25 Nov 2015A visit by representatives from Tianjin's Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference to Staffordshire on 11th December



West Midlands European Service

• Head of Service

  • May 2010 - May 2015

  WMES was established in May 2010 to help West Midlands organisations bid for and secure European funding; the service was supported by ERDF money with match provided by West Midlands local authorities. WMES provided advice, support and training to those WM, based organisations interested in bidding for transnational (CIP, FP7, INTERREG, LLP etc.) European funding. To May 2012 the service has helped WM organisations including local authorities, universities, chambers of commerce, SMEs, 3rd sector organisations secure over 19 million of European funding. In June 2012 the focus of the service switched to the new European Structural & Investment Funds Programme (ESIF) and ensuring that the West Midlands was ready to take advantage of European Structural funding. WMES worked closely with a range of WM organisations including Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), local authorities, universities, businesses, chambers of commerce and the 3rd Sector provided advice, support and guidance on the ESIF programme.From June 2013 WMES concentrated on identifying common priorities and needs that exist across WM LEP boundaries that could be met by developing a shared approach using the ESIF. Given the key relationships and networks that have been built up since June 2012 WMES continued to facilitate cross LEP working. From the 1st June 2014 the match to the ERDF money was provided by 4 (Black Country, Stoke & Staffordshire, Worcestershire & Marches) WM LEPs.WMES worked with DG REGIO to support the delivery of the CETREGIO (Chinese European Training on Regional Policy) project in the WM and used the programme to develop a WM strategic economic relationship with the city/region of Tianjin in China. This included facilitating an inward mission from China, presenting at a Europe-China event in Brussels, participating in an outward mission to China and the successful delivery of business-to-business mission to Tianjin in December 2014.



Coventry University

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Business Development Manager

  • Feb 2007 - Apr 2010

  I was responsible for the identification, development and delivery of international business opportunities for academics involved in applied research. Specifically, support was provided to 12 Applied Research Centres that covered a range of academic disciplines from applied maths to sustainable urban regeneration. • Securing research funding: the identification of appropriate regional, national and European funding streams (FP7, CIP, INTERREG, etc), the identification of partners, and the writing and submission of proposals. • Profile Raising: raised the profile of the University, particularly in the area of the business in sport.• Industrial Links: the identification and creation of long-term industrial-academic partnerships to support research through funding and consultancy. • New International Markets: the development of new applied research opportunities for the University in Europe, South Africa, the USA and India. • Intellectual Property: the identification and development of IP opportunities within the university as the first step to licensing, spin-off or further research. • Academic Links: Developing relationships with National, European and International Universities• Developing AR Culture: the delivery of seminars, awareness raising and training to promote the benefits and opportunities offered by applied research• Business Experience: Director and chairman of the board of a company created jointly by the University with a waste disposal company to develop a patented idea into a prototype



Proton Europe

• Network Manager

  • Apr 2005 - Jan 2007

  The ProTon Europe Network was established by the European Commission as part of the Gate2Growth initiative. It was a pan-European network of 270 Technology Transfer Offices and companies affiliated to universities and other Public Research Organisations from 23 European countries. • Management: running the secretariat; assessing the progress of the project; ensuring tasks were delivered to the standards required by the European Commission; review of documents and reports to ensure they are of sufficient quality and of use to the network members; financial monitoring, control of the network and reporting on progress via 6 monthly cost statements to the European Commission. • Planning: coordination and implementation of the yearly ProTon Europe training programme and expert workshops; planning, coordination and implementation of the network’s annual conference; coordination and planning of the monthly network management board meetings and the 3-monthly meetings of network steering group.



Intrasoft International

• Senior Expert

  • Jul 2000 - Mar 2005

  The IRC-S provided training and services to the Innovation Relay Centre Network (IRC). In turn the IRC network, consisting of 71 centres across Europe, was engaged in supporting SME transnational technology transfer.• Management: coordinating 2 IRC experts and producing 3-monthly report for European Commission• Training: design, development and delivery of 3-day induction workshops for new IRC staff, these workshops were delivered every 4 months across Europe. They provided cradle to grave training in technology transfer • Network Contact: overseeing the day-to-day contact with the IRC network, (1000 people across Europe) • Network Quality: leading the development and implementation of a quality management system for the network. This helped to improve the performance of a number centres in the network • Network Procedures: the development and production of network procedures and guidelines.• Quality: development and implementation of detailed procedures to improve the quality of IRC-S services to the IRC network, including performance indicators and a Service Levels Agreement.• Network Professionalism: development and implementation of a code of conduct for the network.• Quality of Data Collection: the updating and introduction of new methods of data collection



Coventry University Enterprises Ltd

• Manager

  • Mar 1997 - Jun 2000

  The IRC network was funded by the European Commission to support the development of innovation and technology transfer in Europe. • Management: Coordinated the activities of 4 project officers, developing and delivering an annual action plan.• Delivery & Reporting: Submitted an annual report (activities, deliverables and financial) to the EC.• Regional Strategy: Developed a coherent regional import/export policy that was compatible with the aims of the IRC network and allowed UKTI technology transfer missions to delivered by the MIRC• Company Development: Visited companies, mainly SMEs, to promote the services of the IRC network and working with those companies to develop their products. • Technology Transfer: Identified European markets for West Midlands’ products and technologies and bringing innovative technologies and products into the West Midlands to be adopted by businesses. • Promoting Framework Funding: Provided advice on bidding for European research and development funding.• Developing Industrial Clusters: Formed SME sector based innovation clusters. • Technology Transfer Missions: Organised and delivered technology transfer missions, both into the region and to the rest of Europe. SME missions were organized to Belgium, the Netherlands and Slovenia.