New appointments to Innovate UK board
Business Secretary Sajid Javid has appointed Tim Edwards and John Latham to the governing board of Innovate UK.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid has today (23 September 2015) appointed 2 new members to the governing board of Innovate UK, the UK government’s innovation agency.
Tim Edwards, an entrepreneur in the biotechnology and charitable sectors and John Latham, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Coventry University have been appointed for a 3 year term on the board.
The Business Secretary also reappointed Hazel Moore to Innovate UK’s board to serve a second 3 year term.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said:
We want to make the UK the best place in the world to innovate and grow a business. Innovate UK has helped more than 5,000 companies to grow and create jobs. As board members John Latham and Tim Edwards will bring a great deal of valuable experience to the important role driving the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy.
Chairman of Innovate UK and Chief Executive of Cisco UK and Ireland Phil Smith said:
I am delighted to welcome John and Tim to the board of Innovate UK. John’s understanding of the need to bridge the gap from research to commercialisation as well as Tim’s experience as an entrepreneur in a highly innovative sector will help ensure Innovate UK maintains its focus on its core role of supporting high potential UK firms.
I am also very pleased that Hazel has been reappointed to serve another 3 years on the board. Her experience in advising innovative tech companies has been invaluable to Innovate UK and her knowledge of the North West will be very useful as we look to take a more regional approach to our work.
Notes to editors
- Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Innovate UK brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy.
- These appointments have been made in accordance with the requirements of the Code of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. John Latham and Tim Edwards have declared that they have not undertaken any political activity in the last 5 years.
- Board members of Innovate UK receive remuneration of £9,180 per year.
Biographies
John Latham
Professor John Latham’s career of over 30 years has focused on digital technologies, innovation, knowledge transfer/exploitation and supporting SMEs. As Vice-Chancellor and CEO of the Coventry University Group, he is responsible for the overall academic leadership of the operations of the university and its related group of subsidiaries. He also holds an academic appointment as Extraordinary Professor of Stellenbosch University in the field of innovation and enterprise development.
John is a Member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee and also of the Universities UK Innovation and Growth Policy Network which have national roles in economic developments related to research, innovation and growth in UK universities. He is also a Design Council Advisory Board Member and an Advisory Network Member for the Connected Digital Economy Catapult (CDEC). Additionally John has been a Non-Executive Board Member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Ltd since 2010, chairing the European Structural Funds Committee.
Tim Edwards
Tim Edwards is an entrepreneur working in the biotechnology and charitable sectors. He is Executive Chairman of Atopix Therapeutics Limited, based in Oxford – a biopharmaceutical company developing a novel class of oral CRTH2 antagonists to treat atopic dermatitis and severe asthma. He is also a Non-Executive Director of the Cell Therapy Catapult and Chairman of Governors of Magdalen College School in Oxford – a day school for pupils aged 7 to 18 years old with a co-educational sixth form.
Tim was previously President and Chief Executive Officer of Cellzome Inc, a US-owned drug discovery company with a chemoproteomics technology platform which was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline in 2012. He is also a past Chairman of the UK BioIndustry Association and member of the Department of Health Ministerial Industry Strategy Group.
Hazel Moore
Hazel Moore is Chairman of FirstCapital, a technology-specialist investment bank which she co-founded in 1999. Her experience spans advising technology companies on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, as well as advising family offices, institutional and strategic investors on investments and portfolio strategies.
Hazel was formerly on the Investment Advisory Panel for the North West Fund – a £140 million evergreen investment fund focused on small and medium sized enterprises in the North West of England. She began her career with GEC Marconi and has an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst.