Dr Ederyn Williams (Director) E-mail: ederyn.williams@warwick.ac.uk PA: Judith Bodenham, j.bodenham@warwick.ac.uk, +44 (0) 2476 575 501 After doing his MA (Natural Sciences) at Cambridge, and his D.Phil in Psychology at Oxford, he spent seven years as a researcher at University College London, Cambridge University and Johns Hopkins. He then joined British Telecom, where he spent 13 years managing new businesses in software, cable television, online data retrieval and telephone information services. In 1991 he became Managing Director of University of Leeds Innovations Ltd, which grew to a £7 million company with 30 associate and spin-off companies under his management. He joined the University of Warwick in April 2000, to found Warwick Ventures.
"Myths & Pitfalls" Dr. Ederyn Williams	"Crossing the Valley of Death," Dr. Ederyn Williams	"Too Few Spin-out Companies?" Dr. Ederyn Williams

Dr Suzanne Evans (Business Development Manager)
Tel: 024 7655 0239
E-mail: suzanne.evans@warwick.ac.uk

Suzanne read Microbiology at the University of Dundee and then undertook a PhD in anaerobic digestion (Essex). She has worked in the Cabinet Office in Whitehall, the Science and Engineering Research Council and managed research programmes for the DTI. For the past 11years Suzanne has been working in environmental consultancy, specialising in business development, strategy and government policy work in the area of alternative energy.

Kevin Marks (Business Development Manager)
Tel: 024 7657 5491
Email: k.t.marks@warwick.ac.uk

Kevin received his BSc in Engineering Science from Warwick before joining Lucas as a Graduate Apprentice. He then moved to the Wolfson Research Laboratories at the Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre, Birmingham to design and develop blood analysers, and became a Chartered Engineer and member of the IEE. After 7 years he progressed to the University of Birmingham as a Lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering having research interests in sensing systems and Automotive Electronics. At this point he gained his MPhil in short range identification systems.

He was then asked to set up an Automotive Electronics development department at T&N Plc’s central research facility in Rugby which migrated into a team developing control systems for novel production processes and machine tools. After specialising in Aluminium gravity foundries, Kevin became a chartered foundryman and led the Group’s development programme across 160 manufacturing sites throughout Europe, US and South Africa.

Kevin then became Manufacturing Director of Lec Refrigeration plc, who at the time manufactured some 400,000 domestic refrigerators per year. Despite building a new factory and introducing a new environmentally friendly product range, Kevin was finally forced to outsource production to China and close the factory. During this period Kevin successfully completed a Warwick distance-learning MBA and became a fellow of the RSA.

Kevin left Lec to join the MBO of the commercial refrigeration trading company Caravell (UK) Ltd. By the middle of 2008 the company was sufficiently viable to be sold to the Austrian trans-national AHT. Kevin joined Warwick Ventures in March 2009.

Dr Viraj Perera (Business Development Manager)
Tel: 02476 575485
E-mail: v.n.perera@warwick.ac.uk

Viraj is a biotechnologist with a B.Sc. (Microbiology), a Graduate Diploma (Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology) and a PhD (Molecular Microbiology & Biotechnology) from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in Melbourne, Australia. Following a short contract as a postdoctoral researcher at RMIT University, he co-founded a biotechnology start-up (Diagnostic Array Systems Limited) to develop molecular diagnostic tools for pathology laboratories for the rapid detection of bacterial pathogens. He managed the company as the CEO and is thus experienced in raising capital from private investors and government agencies, IP management, business planning, R&D project management and start-up management. He’s also the co-inventor of a patent -‘Method for the detection and/or identification of a microorganism’- which has been patented in multiple jurisdictions including Australia, the US, Europe, Canada, Japan and China. Following a successful start-up venture in Australia, Viraj joined the InnovationXchange Australia and then the InnovationXchange UK as an innovation intermediary where he serviced clients from government, public and private sectors. Viraj joined Warwick Ventures in January 2009.

Dr Shum Prakash (Business Development Manager)
Tel: 024 7657 4145
Email: s.prakash@warwick.ac.uk

After her BSc in Chemistry (Wales), Dr. Prakash read for her PhD in Biochemistry (Kent) and undertook R&D with Nihon Medi-Physics Co. Ltd and Johnson Matthey Plc to develop radiopharmaceutical drugs for cancer therapy and brain diagnosis. After her MSc in Science and Technology Policy (Sussex) and research fellowship in Innovation Policy at Canterbury Business School, Dr. Prakash influenced UK and European policy through consultancy projects at SQW Ltd, Technopolis Ltd, and at the European Parliament.

She joined Warwick Ventures in December 2001 as a Business Development Manager where she also managed the inaugural year of the HEIF funded Midlands Medici Programme at Warwick and led the DTI funded Mercia Biotech BEP (Biotechnology Exploitation Platform) Programme. Shum has taken a broad range of technologies from concept to royalty generating commercial licenses and to trading spin off companies, including the biosensor company, Sarissa Biomedical Ltd, and the business intelligence software company, Opscape Ltd.

Tim Blee (Business Development Consultant)
Tel: 024 7657 5495
Email: tim.blee@warwick.ac.uk

Tim Blee has recently joined Warwick Ventures having returned to UK after a twelve year tour in the USA, where he worked for TRW as Director of Systems Engineering, and the DANA Corporation as a consultant. Before going to America he was Managing Director of TRW Transportation Electronics in Cirencester He has a Mechanical Engineering Degree from City University in London. He has significant International Business and Technology Development experience in Europe, Japan, and Brazil, in the automotive sector.

David Calvert (Business Development Consultant)
Tel: 024 7657 5481
E-mail: d.j.calvert@warwick.ac.uk

David gained an, MA (Natural Sciences) at Cambridge, after which he returned to industry. Over most of his 25 years in industry, he worked in the advanced ceramics industry, working in technical, manufacturing, and product development roles, as well as in general management. He also gained a BA degree in business studies during this time. David joined Warwick Ventures as a part-time consultant in September 2000. David now splits his time between Warwick Ventures working in Engineering and Physical Science area and also with Connect Midlands as Business Development Manager.

David now splits his time between Warwick Ventures working in Engineering and Physical Science area and also with Connect Midlands as Business Development Manager.

Mike McFarthing (Acting Head of Finance as of 19th Sept '08)
Tel: 024 7657 5490
E-mail: mike.mcfarthing@warwick.ac.uk

Mike joined the University of Warwick in 2008 following 14 years accounting in Industry and Commerce, the majority of which were spent at a Coventry based company acquired by Henkel (a £10billion company operating in 125 countries). Mike qualified with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 1999, gaining fellow membership in 2006, following a series of Company Secretarial and due diligence projects. More recently Mike has worked as a financial consultant for an Edinburgh based brand realisation company and a short spell at Advantage West Midlands as an Interim Programme Team Leader.

Corine Bowell (Senior Finance Assistant)
Tel: 024 7657 5490
E-mail: corine.bowell@warwick.ac.uk

Corine is an AAT qualified accountant with over 13 years financial experience. Having joined the University in 2000 in accounts payable got to know SAP well. She moved to Warwick Ventures in 2005 Managing customers and vendor queries, preparation of management accounts and Maintenance of balance sheet accounts. Corine's role further covers management of approximately 30 live spin out files and associated documentation including share certificates and storage of legal documentation.

Chris Buck (Marketing Manager)
Tel: 024 7657 5480
E-mail: c.buck@warwick.ac.uk

Chris graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BA (Hons) in Philosophy & Politics in 1997 afterwhich he undertook an MA in Marketing at Coventry Business School. Since then he has worked in several marketing and account management roles within the automotive industry, internet services consultancy and, latterly, a design consultancy - all in London. Chris joined Warwick Ventures in July 2002 and is responsible for co-ordinating all marketing efforts for the department and providing marketing consultancy for our spin-out companies.