Technical Advisory Board
The London Technology Fund is also supported by a network of experts from industry and academia, including:
Professor Hamid Aghvami
Professor Aghvami is Professor in Telecommunications Engineering and Director of the Centre for Telecommunications Research at King's College London. He has been a member of the academic staff at King's since 1984 and now leads a research team working on numerous mobile and personal communications projects. He carries out consulting work on digital radio communications systems, is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the IEE, and Fellow of the IEEE, and has been Visiting Professor at NTT Radio Communication Systems Laboratories and Senior Research Fellow at BT Laboratories.
Professor Anthony Barrett FRS FMedSci
Professor Sir Michael Brady FRS, FREng, FMedSci, FIET, FInstP, FBCS is BP Professor of Information Engineering at the University of Oxford, which he joined from MIT in 1985. His research has for the past 15 years concentrated on medical and molecular image analysis, previously robotics. He was awarded the IEE Faraday Medal for 2000 and the IEEE Third Millennium Medal for the UK. He was awarded the Henry Dale Prize (for "outstanding work on a biological topic by means of an original multidisciplinary approach") by the Royal Institution in 2005. Mike was knighted in the New Year's honours list for 2003 and has honorary doctorates from 5 UK universities and from Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse. Mike has a strong commitment to entrepreneurial activity. He serves as a non-executive director and Deputy Chairman of Oxford Instruments plc, until December 2003 he was Senior Independent Director of AEA Technology plc, and he is a director of Isis Innovation (Oxford University's intellectual property company). Mike is a founding Director of the start-up companies Guidance, which develops navigation systems for mobile robots and for dynamic ship positioning as well as electronic tags for offenders, and Mirada Solutions Limited, which develops medical image analysis software, in particular Reveal MVS for multimodal image fusion. Mirada Solutions was acquired in 2003 by CTI Molecular Imaging Inc (NASDAQ) and CTI was acquired in turn by Siemens in April 2005, becoming Siemens Molecular Imaging. Most recently, Mike became Senior Independent Director of the start-up company Ixico, which provides image analysis services to the pharmaceutical industry, and is Director of Dexela, which is developing a novel 3D mammography system for more reliable and early detection of breast cancer. Mike is Chairman of the Science Advisory Board of Technikos.
Professor Sir Michael Brady FRS
Professor Sir Michael Brady FRS, FREng, FMedSci, FIET, FInstP, FBCS is BP Professor of Information Engineering at the University of Oxford, which he joined from MIT in 1985. His research has for the past 15 years concentrated on medical and molecular image analysis, previously robotics. He was awarded the IEE Faraday Medal for 2000 and the IEEE Third Millennium Medal for the UK. He was awarded the Henry Dale Prize (for "outstanding work on a biological topic by means of an original multidisciplinary approach") by the Royal Institution in 2005. Mike was knighted in the New Year's honours list for 2003 and has honorary doctorates from 5 universities and from Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse. Mike has a strong commitment to entrepreneurial activity. He serves as a non-executive director and Deputy Chairman of Oxford Instruments plc, until December 2003 he was Senior Independent Director of AEA Technology plc, and he is a director of Isis Innovation (Oxford University's intellectual property company). Mike is a founding Director of the start-up companies Guidance, which develops navigation systems for mobile robots and for dynamic ship positioning as well as electronic tags for offenders, and Mirada Solutions Limited, which develops medical image analysis software, in particular Reveal MVS for multimodal image fusion. Mirada Solutions was acquired in 2003 by CTI Molecular Imaging Inc (NASDAQ) and CTI was acquired in turn by Siemens in April 2005, becoming Siemens Molecular Imaging. Most recently, Mike became Senior Independent Director of the start-up company Ixico, which provides image analysis services to the pharmaceutical industry, and is Director of Dexela, which is developing a novel 3D mammography system for more reliable and early detection of breast cancer. Mike is Chairman of the Science Advisory Board of Technikos.
Dr David Chiswell OBE
Dr Chiswell is the founder and former CEO of Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT), a life science start-up that was founded in 1990, grew to over 250 employees and listed on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. In June 2006 CAT was acquired by AstraZeneca for US$1.32bn. David retired from CAT in 2002 and since then has been a director of a number of start-up and early stage companies, including chairman of Arrow Therapeutics Ltd (acquired by AstraZeneca for US$150m in March 2007); non-executive director of Arakis Ltd and subsequently chairman of Sosei Company Ltd (Arakis was acquired by Sosei for US$150m in July 2005); chairman of DanioLabs (acquired by Vastox plc in March 2007 for £15m); and executive chairman of Nabriva GmbH, the specialist antibody research company spun out from the Vienna-based Antibiotic Research Institute and Sandoz in January 2006. He has served on the Board of the USA Biotechnology Industry Association's 'Emerging Companies Section' Governing Body, was chairman of the UK's BioIndustry Association (BIA) and was a member of the steering group of the Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team (which was set up by the DTI, the Department of Health and the BIA).
Peter Gibson
Peter Gibson has substantial experience in the medical device sector, with particular focus on orthopaedics, and has a particular interest in medical technology start-ups. From 1980-1985 he was Managing Director of Zimmer UK Ltd and International Vice President of Zimmer Inc, a subsidiary of Bristol Myers. In 1985 he founded Corin Medical Ltd and became Chairman and CEO. Corin is a specialist in reconstructive orthopaedic devices, with products that include a wide range of orthopaedic implants, together with surgical instruments, minimally invasive systems and surgical navigation support. Peter led the flotation of Corin Group PLC on the London Stock Exchange in 2002 and retired from Corin in late 2003. Since Corin, Peter has been involved with a number of companies in the medical device sector, both as Chairman and Non-Executive Director. He is a Companion Fellow of the British Orthopaedic Association.
Clive Hudson
Clive has many years experience starting and running technology companies. He was responsible for the launch of US Robotics in the UK and Germany and then as European Vice President, responsible for the running of the $500m+ a year business. He was also responsible for the European launch of Palm Computing, when US Robotics acquired Palm, and eventually oversaw the transition of both companies to 3Com Corporation when US Robotics and Palm were acquired in 1997. Clive became European Vice President of 3Com’s Client Access Business Unit with responsibility for approximately €2bn of annual revenues and 400 staff. Since then, Clive has been involved with several enterprises, including the start up of the specialist networking company Entrega Technologies, which was sold to Intel, the launch of US ADSL Company Actiontec Inc, and the European re-launch of MP3 manufacturer Rio Audio.
Nick Kingsbury
Nick has extensive experience in the global software industry, both as a venture capitalist and successful technology entrepreneur. He joined 3i in 1999 as a Sector Adviser and became a Sector Partner in 2006, leaving in 2007. His role at 3i involved setting the strategy for investment in software and he was a key member of the team reviewing all software investments globally. He also worked closely with the major IT corporates to ensure that 3i understood their strategies, and made introductions at very senior levels for 3i's portfolio companies. From June 2006 to March 2007 he was seconded to portfolio company Chronicle Solutions from 3i as CEO. Chronicle Solutions produce the world's first enterprise class Network Content Recorder. Nick led the fundraising in the spring of 2006, defined the strategy for the business and hired the core commercial team. Prior to joining 3i, Nick founded and ran a systems integration company and software house for over 10 years. He sold the business to a UK software company and helped take the company to an IPO on the London Stock Exchange. He has chaired an international standard body, the Workflow Management Coalition, and remains a lifetime fellow of this organisation.
Peter MacLean
Peter MacLean has more than 40 years experience of the IT software and services industry. He is currently chairman and chief executive of an IT services business, Impera plc where he is executing a buy and build strategy. Previously, as chief executive, he led Guardian iT plc through a joint venture, a management buyout and then a listing onto the main market of the London Stock Exchange. During a period of 14 years he grew Guardian from a turnover of £0.5 million to £120 million with 700 employees operating in 12 countries in Europe, South Africa and Japan. Prior to Guardian he was a main board director of a publicly listed software services group, Sherwood International plc, for 10 years and managing director of their insurance, financial services and local government subsidiaries.
Professor Sandy Primrose PhD
Professor Primrose is a non-executive director of the Health Protection Agency and a senior partner of Business & Technology Management, a biotechnology and healthcare consultancy practice. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is an independent body that protects the health and well-being of the population. The Agency, which is accountable to the Secretary of State for Health, plays a critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals, poisons or radiation occur. Previously, he was an academic at Warwick University and then held posts as Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of European Operations of Azur Environmental, Technical Director of Amersham International, and Senior Director of Drug Development at Searle Research & Development. He is a non-executive director of a number of biotechnology companies and was on the Board of the Microbiological Research Authority. He is the author of a number of well-known textbooks including 'Principles of Gene Manipulation' and 'Principles of Genome Analysis and Genomics'.
Laurie Rostron
Laurie Rostron has extensive experience in the healthcare industry as an investor in start-up and early stage companies and as an adviser to venture capital funds, as a non-executive director and chairman and as an industrialist. He was previously a partner in funds managed by Alta Berkeley Associates Ltd and during his 13 years with Alta Berkeley he specialised in the healthcare industry in the Nordic region. He joined Alta Berkeley Associates in 1985 following a 25 year career in the healthcare industry. This included 11 years at BOC Healthcare, where he was Managing Director of Viggo, an international intravenous therapy product business, GD Searle & Co, where he was General Manager of the Hospital Division, and Johnson & Johnson, where he was Marketing Manager of the Hospital Division. He is currently an adviser to InnovationsKapital a specialist investor in science and research-based companies in the Nordic region.
Sir John Treacher KCB
After three years at sea during WWII he qualified as a Fleet Air Arm pilot and after commanding air squadrons and ships ended his naval career as Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet. In the Ministry of Defence, he set up management of the Polaris programme and later the mating of Rolls-Royce engines with the US Navy Phantom aircraft to enable UK procurement for the Fleet Air Arm and later the RAF. After leaving the Royal Navy in 1977 to follow a business career he joined the Westland Group which was pioneering the use of new materials, fly-by-wire controls, glass cockpits and unique rotor blade design which enabled a Lynx helicopter to capture the world speed record in 1985. As marketing director he was responsible for global sales of helicopters and hovercraft and their support. He was appointed Vice Chairman in 1981 and Executive Deputy Chairman in 1983. In 1989 he became a director of Meggitt plc, a major supplier to the aerospace industry and security services, focusing on access control at airports. In 1995 he became chairman of a start up company in the fast developing communications industry, which was floated on AIM in 1997. He served as a member of the advisory board of Ozonelink Ltd, a major building security specialist company from which a subsidiary, specialising in systems for the water industry, was spun off under his chairmanship. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1973, and served as a Director of the Society of British Aerospace Companies from 1982 to 1989 and as a member of the Press Council from 1978-81.
Professor Philip Treleaven
Professor Treleaven is Pro-Provost and Professor of Computer Science at University College London. He is also responsible for UCL International Relations with Asia. He is a European authority on electronic commerce (e.g. business on the internet, interactive TV and electronic kiosks) and on so-called "intelligent" systems (e.g. neural networks, genetic algorithms). He published the Sunday Times sponsored e-commerce entrepreneurship book 'E-Business Start-up' and has pioneered the use of "intelligent" computing techniques for data mining and forecasting in banking, insurance and retail. He has consulted for major American, Japanese and European high technology companies, banks and leading retailers. He was a member of the Retail & Distribution Panel of the Office of Science and Technology's Foresight Programme, and has led a DTI delegation to the US, Israel and East Asia to look at organisations and seed funding for helping high-tech start-ups. He is also an authority on the organisation of government industry programmes, such as Japan's FGCS project, the European Community's ESPRIT Programme and the UK's ALVEY/IED Programmes. He is also a co-founder of Bodymetrics, the fashion technology company.
David White
David White has experience of large companies and venture capital backed start-ups. He is currently chairman of the online medical website for doctors, Doctors.net.uk Ltd. He was previously non-executive chairman of the drug discovery company, Oxagen Limited, which is a spin-out from Oxford University/Wellcome Trust, and of Argenta Discovery (now merged with Etiologics), a drug discovery spin-out from Imperial College which was combined with an MBO from Aventis and advised by Company Guides Ltd. He was formerly Group CEO of Innovex and, following its acquisition by the US pharmaceutical and medical devices service company Quintiles Transnational, joined the board of Quintiles. He spent the first 30 years of his career in ICI, principally in the international pharmaceuticals business where his roles included being MD of Stuart Pharmaceuticals and General Manager of ICI Pharmaceuticals (UK).
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