Thursday 8th November 2012, morning

Professor Peter Dobson is the Director of Oxford University's Begbroke Science Park where he has the responsibility of setting up new research institutes that combine University activities with company R&D facilitating the rapid transfer of technology and knowledge.

In 1999 he spun-off a company, now called Oxonica, that specialized in making nanoparticles for a wide range of applications. In 2000, with colleagues in Chemistry and Engineering, he spun-off Oxford Biosensors Ltd that made a hand-held medical devices. He is also currently the Strategic Advisor on Nanotechnology to the Research Councils in the UK.     [download]

Thursday 8th November 2012, afternoon

Andrew Humphries is a Dealmaker for the Global Entrepreneur Programme at UK Trade & Investment and he leads the work supporting entrepeneurs at the Tech City Investment Organization (TCIO).

Previously Sales & Marketing Director of Siemens Computer Systems, Andrew was also one of the founding team at Adeptra. He additionally formed his own technology business, Strength 5.

Thursday 8th November 2012, early evening

Paul Farrer is an accomplished TV and film music composer who has been working in the music industry since he left school at 16 and started his own music company.

Paul composed the music for the BBC's most successful ever TV export - The Weakest Link, as well as numerous other TV shows including music for Top Gear, The Chase, Ant & Dec's PokerFace, The Academy Awards, The Krypton Factor, The Iraq Commission for Channel Four, The IT Crowd, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and ITV's Dancing on Ice.

Thursday 8th November 2012, evening @formal dinner

Tim Harper is an international innovation strategist, technology entrepreneur and investor in emerging technologies. A former engineer with the European Space Agency’s R&D centre (ESTEC) in Nordwijk, the Netherlands, his career has spanned aerospace, display technology, nanotechnology, venture capital and corporate strategy.

At Cientifica, Tim has written and published highly cited reports on the economic potential of nanotechnologies and life sciences at Cientifica, the World Economic Forum and World Gold Council.

Friday 9th November 2012, morning

Luke Johnson is the Chairman of Risk Capital Partners LLP, Chairman of StartUp Britain, and was the past Chairman of Channel Four Television Corporation from 2004 to 2010.

Luke grew PizzaExpress from 12 owned restaurants in 1993 to over 250 when he sold out in 1999. He has since been involved in numerous restaurant and food-related businesses, including Patisserie Valerie and the Baker and Spice bakery chain. He is also Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts and writes a regular column on entrepreneurship for the Financial Times. He is author of  Start It Up: Why Running Your Own Business is Easier Than You Think

Friday 9th November 2012, morning

Charles Morgan is the Chairman of the Morgan Motor Company, and grandson of H.F.S Morgan, the original founder of the iconic motor brand. Charles's father managed the company before it was passed on to him.

Charles is also a motivational speaker, focusing on topics such as change management, people management, export and sales, and marketing. Previously, Charles worked in the publishing industry and was a cameraman for ITN for ten years.

@cyber security seminar, Thursday 8th November 2012, morning

Colonel (retired) John Doody is Director of Interlocutor Services Ltd, a company that promotes information assurance and cyber security both nationally and internationally. Prior to this John served at CESG/GCHQ as Head of Information Assurance Customer Services. He was a major contributor to CESG’s move to a commercial business footing and promoted a strong external customer relationship and marketing effort.

John has also had a major role as a Non Executive Director within two security companies as well as providing Strategic Advice to a number of major UK and US IT Security companies. John is currently the Global Strategic Cyber Security Adviser to Ultra Electronics Limited.

@digital media seminar, Thursday 8th November 2012, afternoon

Dr Jennifer Sheridan is CEO and Founder of TOGEVA Ltd, a startup in Tech City formed in July 2011 and finalists in the first Tech City Entrepreneur Festival. Togeva was recently featured by the UKTI as one of the UKs talented, early-stage technology businesses with outstanding intellectual property and innovation. She has over 20 years experience in functional prototyping and design for global clients ranging from Nokia and the Technology Strategy Board to the Science Museum London.

Jennifer has a PhD in Computer Science, MSc in Human-Computer Interaction, and BA in Rhetoric and Professional Writing with a Computer Graphics specialization. Passionate about producing highly creative design solutions and in delivering cutting-edge, easy to use interfaces that meet customer requirements.

@materials @ devices symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, morning

Del Stark is the CEO of Del Stark Technology Solutions, a company formed to assist innovative and technically driven companies. Recent projects he has been involved in include: Engineered Nanoparticles Review of Health & Environmental Safety (ENRHES), European Space Agency Review of nanomaterials for space missions, IRGC Risk Panel for nanomaterials, UK NanoSafety Forum. Previously Del was the CEO of the European Nanotechnology Trade Alliance (ENTA).

Del is also involved in a number of committees and panels, including DEFRA’s Nanotechnology Stakeholders Forum, Institute of Nanotechnology’s Advisory Board for SMEs and Industry, Institute of Nanotechnology’s /IET joint venture Board and National Physical Laboratory’s steering committee on Micro and Nanosensing.

@sustainability & environment symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Dr Andrew Powell is the Chief Executive Officer of Asia BioBusiness Pte Ltd Singapore / Centre for Risk Communication Asia. Andrew was educated in Scotland at Ayr Academy and Edinburgh University and obtained his PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has held research and academic positions in Crop Science at the University of Guelph, the National Institute of Human Sciences, Tokyo, the Medicinal Plant Research Station, Tsukuba, and the National University of Singapore.

Andrew has been working as a consultant for both the public and private sectors since 1994 and founded Asia BioBusiness with Professor Paul Teng in 2005. Clients include APEC, USDA, the US State Department, the Inter American Development Bank, the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, the Asia Productivity Organization, and Tate and Lyle’s Open Innovation group. He is also trained in Risk Communication and is establishing a network of centers in the field in Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, Asia and the EU.

@sustainability & environment symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Michael Goodfellow-Smith is director of QUEST For Future Solutions, and has international experience helping numerous inductry sectors to be more sustainable. He has expertise across low carbon economy/technologies; sustainable construction and community development; carbon capture, use and storage programmes; quality, health and environmental management systems; economic development frameworks and masterplanning.

Previously he was strategic advisor to Scottish Power and E.ON and worked for Yorkshire Forward as Assistant Director of Strategy. He is Coordinating Committee Member at Transition Malvern Hills, Committee Member for Malvern Community Forest, and sits on the Sheffield City Sustainable Development and Design Panel. 

@cyber security symposium, Thur 8th November 2012, morning / early pm

Elliott Atkins is Head of Cyber Intelligence at QinetiQ, managing day-to-day operations of a team which includes a wide range of technical and psychological disciplines, and looks to understand the varied and ever-changing threats to QinetiQ's customers from malicious actors in cyberspace.

Prior to joining QinetiQ, Elliott was Head of GovCertUK, the UK Government 24x7 Computer Emergency Response Team, based at GCHQ in Cheltenham.

@cyber security symposium, Thur 8th November 2012, morning / early pm

Dr Simon Wiseman is the Chief Technology Officer for Deep-Secure Ltd. Simon joined Deep-Secure Ltd in 2010 following over 30 years working in the security field for the UK Ministry of Defence in its Research Establishments, including the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE), Defence Research Agency (DRA), Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) and QinetiQ Ltd, Malvern.

Simon was the prime technical focus behind the development of the Domain Based approach to security that was adopted by the Ministry of Defence and then incorporated into HMG Infosec policy. He was also the Technical Architect for QinetiQ’s SyBard range of desktop and guard security software and hardware.

@cyber security symposium, Thur 8th November 2012, morning / early pm

Ian Whiting has been working with leading global organizations and government agencies to help improve computer security for more than a decade. He has been accredited by CESG for his security and team leading expertise for over 5 years.

In 2009 Ian Whiting founded Titania with the aim of producing security auditing software products that can be used by non-security specialists. Today Titania’s products are used in over 40 countries by government and military agencies, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, national infrastructure organizations and auditing companies, to help them secure critical systems.    [download]

@cyber security symposium, Thur 8th November 2012, morning / early pm

Nick Tudor is Business Director of D-RisQ Ltd which was set up in 2012 to develop and exploit automated formal methods based validation and verification tools for systems and software.

Nick has a background in aerospace software certification and was a key contributor to the recently issued DO178C software standard for civil aerospace. With D-RisQ, Nick has also established links into other sectors such as automotive.        [download]

@cyber security symposium, Thur 8th November 2012, morning / early pm

Lt Col Ian Buchanan was commissioned in to the Infantry in 1984, undertaking periods of duty in BAOR, UK and several operational tours to Northern Ireland, Bosnia and more recently to Sierra Leone. He has also served in various staff roles including Procurement and as the primary user representative for a major IT/IS project.

In 2001 he undertook a MSc in the Design of Information Systems (DIS) before transferring to the Royal Signals in 2003. In 2008 he was posted to DSTL as SO1 Cyber and Influence within the newly formed Cyber & Influence Science and Technology Centre. In January 2011 he was posted to the Ministry of Defence and now works in the Defence Cyber Security Programme Office.

@digital media symposium, Thur 8th November 2012, afternoon

Alastair Shortland founded Textlocal as a bedroom start-up and built "version 1" of Messenger. His driving vision was to introduce the power of mobile messaging to the mass market – simple, low cost instant communication for any business, service or community group. He now leads a team of technology experts at the Malvern Hills Science Park, managing the flow of more than 30 million SMS texts per month, customer support and product development.

Alastair studied Computer Science in Nottingham before working for the Defence giant QinetiQ, and then on several projects for The Met Office and European Air Traffic Control. He is now a mobile marketing expert and evangelist and is happy to talk at length any time about the subject with anyone who will listen!

@digital media sympoisum, Thur 8th November 2012, afternoon

Mark Stanger is the Commercial Director at Serious Games International. He has been working in the European Computer Games, New Media and Interactive Entertainment sector for almost 20 years. Mark has developed many years’ knowledge and experience in the development of digital media across all major platforms. For example, Mark has worked with Warner Bros, Nokia, Eidos, Samsung, Vodafone, BBC and Freemantle.

[download]

@digital media symposium, Thur 8th November 2012, afternoon

Dr David Hardman MBE is Chief Executive Officer of Birmingham Science Park Aston (BSPA). At BSPA the focus is on ICT, digital media and clean technologies, reflecting the strengths of the city region, driving the concept of the ‘science park without walls’. 

As a PhD microbiologist, his research interests were directed towards the application of microbes in what would now be called ‘clean technology’. As part of this work he co-founded a start-up biotech venture based on the application of biocatalysts to the paper industry. David spent 10 years based in Cambridge leading the commercial development of the healthcare and biotech Babraham Research Campus. David was awarded an MBE for services to science in 2009.

@digital media symposium, Thur 8th Novmber 2012, afternoon

Danny Meaney is Managing Director of New Media Partners; owner of Beechwood Ventures; co-founder of InsporTV and TripleSEE; and Chairman of Four23 and Six Dinners Later. Previously he was CEO in a ground-breaking online B2C download channel joint venture with Nokia. SideloaderTV was one of the first experiments in the delivery of short-form content across a mobile platform.

He was the lead adviser to the City of Manchester and the BBC in the development of MediaCityUK over the period of 2004 – 2011, including developing the detailed financial model for Media City Studios – the biggest and most complex studio complex in Europe.

@materials & devices symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, morning

Rowena Innocent is the Engineering Director for Malvern Instruments. The company provides a range of particle analysis and rheological instrumentation that delivers inter-related measurements reflecting the complexities of particulates and disperse systems, nanomaterials and macromolecules.

Rowena has 20 years’ experience developing new products and managing large multi-disciplined R&D teams. She studied Physics with Astrophysics at Leicester University before working for Druck Ltd designing novel pressure measurement devices and subsequently General Electric in technical leadership and product management. Rowena moved to Malvern Instruments in 2011 and leads a team of over 100 engineers and scientists.     [download]

@materials & devices symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, morning

Cliff Jones is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of ZBD Displays. He is a physicist who has worked on liquid crystals and displays for over 28 years and is a co-inventor of the zenithal bistable display technology.

Cliff is an Honorary QinetiQ Fellow, a Senior Member of the Society for Information Display, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragements of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.

@materials & devices symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, morning

Richard Horne is the Commercial Manager at Heber Ltd, having two decades of electronic design experience. He works closely with customers on bespoke custom projects, from initial product specification, through design and approvals to volume manufacture and ongoing support.

Richard’s skills and experience span a wide range of industries and markets such as white goods, security/POS, gaming and embedded real time controls.

@sustainability & environment symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Mike Woollacott is the Managing Director of Greenwatt Technology, an environmental and low carbon project consultancy based in South Warwickshire. He has worked extensively with local authorities, businesses and universities across a range of strategic, high technology and economic regeneration projects, providing feasibility studies, environmental assessments and low carbon action plans.

Mike is an active member of a number the Renewable Energy Association, The Renewable Energy Technology Alliance (RETA) and the Midlands Environmental Business Club. Nominated as a West Midlands Green Leader in 2011 by Sustainability West Midlands, Mike was recently awarded the Galileo Master Certificate in Low Carbon Management and Finance from the European Energy Centre. [download]

@sustainability & environment sympoisium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Tom has been involved in the supervision of a number of large scale and pioneering flood defence installations worldwide over the last 12 months and continues to work together with the research and development team to develop new product innovations.       [download]

@sustainability & environment symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Simon Bond is Innovation Centre Director at the University of Bath. His Centre helps accelerate the development of technology-based start-up companies both from the University's research base and from the private sector.

Simon is also the founder of Silicon South West, a network of 1,800 of the region's semiconductor designers and engineers;  the Low Carbon South West industry association, of which he is Vice Chairman; the open Mobile Innovation Camp, a network for mobile device application developers; and the Assisted Living Action Network for innovators and entrepreneurs in this sector. Simon also runs the Bath Entrepreneurship Programme for the Bath School of Management.

@sustainability & environment symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

John Turvill is an agricultural environmentalist being the founder member and Resource and Technical Director of CZERO Ltd. CZERO Ltd is an organic biomethane production platform rolling out sustainable industrial scale anaerobic digestion plants in strategic locations, nationally to inject biomethane into the gas main network.

John has a wealth of experience in commercial operations in agriculture and international business.

@sustainability & environment sympoisum, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Katy Boom has led the development of wide ranging sustainability initiatives at the University of Worcester. Focusing on the campus, working in the community and embedding sustainability in the curriculum the University consistently tops the nationally recognised University 'Green League' table and became the first English University to be awarded platinum EcoCampus status.

Overseeing the development of students as partners on major sustainability change programmes and building sustainability skills with students and student volunteers Katy’s work has won a number of national awards.       [download]

@innovation in business symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, morning

@innovation in business symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, morning

Ellie Runcie is Director of the Design Council’s Design Leadership Programmes. This comprises of the Design Council’s mentoring programmes for business, science and public services as well as co-ordination activities supporting the UK design industry. Ellie leads a national team to deliver these programmes across the UK, with partners in the private and public sector as well as a network of leading Design Associates.

Prior to this Ellie established and led the Design Council’s work in scientific innovation resulting in a new service for technology ventures, the results of which informed the key recommendations for design within the Sainsbury Review in 2007. Ellie has also co-ordinated projects for the design industry and small business sector including managing the annual Design in Business Week events between 1998 and 2000.      [download]

@innovation in business symposium, Friday 9th  November 2012, afternoon

Dawn Harford is the Managing Director of Artwork Creative, a company specialising in web design and build, and all aspects of graphic design and marketing to a portfolio of clients, including PLCs.

Dawn and her team develop and co-ordinate marketing strategies for a number of clients, delivering tangible success in an extremely challenging environment.      [download]

@innovation in business sympoisum, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Nigel Walker is responsible for Access to Finance at the Technology Strategy Board, where he heads the organisation’s support for innovative SMEs in gaining access to business support and private sector funding to accelerate the journey from concept to commercialisation.

Nigel has a background in the financial services industry, having spent over 10 years at each of Deutsche Bank and GE Capital in roles covering export and project finance, M&A and privatisation advice and raising finance for growth companies internationally. Nigel is a graduate of Queens’ College, Cambridge and qualified as an accountant with Ernst & Whinney.

@innovation in business symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Carolyn Parkinson is a Technology Transfer Specialist at the University of Warwick’s International Institute for Product and Service Innovation. She has extensive experience at the interface of academia and business, both as a technology entrepreneur and as an advisor to businesses on behalf of universities.

Carolyn was founding CEO of Paraytec Ltd, a specialist instrumentation company which spun out of York University in 2005. She currently works with SMEs accessing university resources for business growth purposes.      [download]

@innovation in business symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Steve Dunn works for Growth Accelarator, having extensive sales and marketing experience working in and supporting SME businesses across a number of sectors.  In particular, he has first hand experience of managing and developing teams within a commercial environment.

Steve has an MBA and is currently developing his capabilities within digital marketing by studying for a Digital Marketing Diploma.    [download]

@innovation in business symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Linda Smith is Head of International Trade for UKTI Herefordshire & Worcestershire and responsible for the strategic delivery of the UK Trade & Investment contract in the two counties. She and the team of advisors work with local companies to develop export sales opportunities and commercial international relationships to create and improve new business overseas.

Linda's background in industry includes holding directorships for manufacturing and technical companies with extensive export sales experience to over thirty markets. Thermal imaging and surveillance sector product experience and preparing for international launch and sales channel development are also areas of expertise.         [download]

@innovation in business symposium, Friday 9th November 2012, afternoon

Dr Mark Reilly heads the Physical Sciences team at IP Group plc, a FTSE 250 company that specialises in creating high-tech businesses based on university IP.

Mark sits on the board of several start-ups including Actual Experience Ltd, TheySay Ltd and Arkivum Ltd. He is also responsible for overseeing a wider portfolio of around 20 early-stage companies as well as identifying new opportunities from IP Group’s network of university partners. Mark holds a PhD in Engineering from the University of Cambridge, UK.

Chris Boulton has been investing in Private Equity and Venture Capital opportunities since the early 1990s, initially with 3i in the UK before moving to Japan to set up a team and fund to invest in LBOs. In 2001 he structured and led the first Western-style buyout of a Japanese company from Nissan. Moving to Singapore in 2003, Chris advised HSBC PE&VC Asian funds and continues as a Non Executive Director on the boards of investee companies.

An occasional lecturer at INSEAD he was also involved with Government initiatives to promote entrepreneurship including serving as Co-Chair of the SEEDs Fund Investment Committee. Chris now lectures part-time at Worcester University Business School. He has a BSc (Econ) from London, MBA from Warwick, and is a (rusty!) Chinese speaker.

Giovanni joined Midven in September 2010 as investment manager on the Early Advantage Fund. Prior to this, he spent almost four years with Connect Midlands helping early stage businesses prepare for raising equity investment.

Giovanni also has extensive sales and marketing experience within the SME environment, having held business development and marketing roles in five early stage businesses that were VC and business angel funded. Giovanni is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing having achieved the Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing.

Luke Johnson is the Chairman of Risk Capital Partners LLP, Chairman of StartUp Britain, and was the past Chairman of Channel Four Television Corporation from 2004 to 2010.

Luke grew PizzaExpress from 12 owned restaurants in 1993 to over 250 when he sold out in 1999. He has since been involved in numerous restaurant and food-related businesses, including Patisserie Valerie and the Baker and Spice bakery chain. He is also Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts and writes a regular column on entrepreneurship for the Financial Times. He is author of  Start It Up: Why Running Your Own Business is Easier Than You Think

Mark sits on the board of several start-ups including Actual Experience Ltd, TheySay Ltd and Arkivum Ltd. He is also responsible for overseeing a wider portfolio of around 20 early-stage companies as well as identifying new opportunities from IP Group’s network of university partners. Mark holds a PhD in Engineering from the University of Cambridge, UK.