Advisory board

Learn more about our advisory board

Ana Avaliani

Head of Enterprise, Royal Academy of Engineering

Ana heads up the Enterprise Hub team at the Royal Academy of Engineering supporting technology entrepreneurs on their journey of setting up and growing innovative engineering companies. Ana started her career in a technology start-up overseeing the introduction of a number of innovative products and services to market. Ana’s most recent role before the Academy was with the technology and innovation consultancy, PA Consulting Group, where she worked with a wide range of clients on business growth, innovation and economic growth projects, including an assignment setting up a technology hub in Beirut, Lebanon.

Dr Michele Babour

CEO of Pertinax Pharma

Dr Michele Barbour is CEO and founder of Pertinax Pharma Ltd. The technology which forms the cornerstone of the company’s offering was invented and developed in Michele’s research group at the University of Bristol, and has now been transferred to the company to facilitate commercialisation and scale-up. Michele has a robust track record in biomaterials research as well as extensive leadership, strategy and management experience, all of which she brings to her role at Pertinax.

Dr Olivia Champion

CEO of BioSystems Technology

Dr Olivia Champion is the co-founder and CEO of BioSystems Technology and was named one of 50 entrepreneurs by world leading university business incubator, SETsquared, in 2017. She has been a research Fellow at Exeter University for over nine years and earlier in her career was a Clinical Scientist at Public Health England and an Intern with the World Health Organisation. During her career, she has published over 20 peer reviewed research articles, six book chapters and filed two patents

Professor David Gavaghan

Chair of University of Oxford Computer Science Equality and Diversity Committee

David Gavaghan is a Professor in Computational Biology. Along with being the Director of EPSRC-funded Doctoral Training Programme he also chairs the Department of Computer Science's Equality and Diversity Committee; and in recognition of his commitment to gender equality initiatives, the department gained a Bronze Athena SWAN award in April 2015.

Dr Katy Gearing

Head of Industry Engagement at the Royal Society

Dr Katy Gearing is the Head of Industry Engagement at the Royal Society. She previously studied biochemistry at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, graduating with a PhD in 1989. She has since worked extensively in industry in the fields of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. She joined the Royal Society in 2016 as Head of Industry Engagement and is leading on growing the Society’s links with industry.

Dr Hamish McAlpine

Head of Knowledge Exchange Data and Evidence at Research England

Dr Hamish McAlpine is Head of Knowledge Exchange data and evidence at Research England, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Hamish looks after data and evidence for knowledge exchange, including the HE-BCI survey and forthcoming KEF metrics exercise. He has a particular interest in EDI issues in University enterprise and entrepreneurship, and has extensive experience of the HE sector, most recently at the University of Bristol where he managed large, industrially engaged research projects.

Nicola McConville

Corporate lawyer and Partner at Taylor Vinters

Nicola is a corporate lawyer and Partner at Taylor Vinters. She has a passion for advising on spinouts from universities and other institutions which has been accrued over a 20 year career. She has personally advised over 100 spin outs and start ups from educational institutions, from spin-out stage and through several subsequent funding rounds and exit. Nicola has a real interest in driving diversity into teams. She is a director of Techtonic, a network which supports women in Oxfordshire wanting to establish or develop careers in tech-centric businesses.

Dr Sue O'Hare

Operation Manager European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre, Harwell Campus Didcot

Dr Sue O’Hare is a knowledge transfer professional working in innovation and enterprise, managing the European Space Agency’s UK business incubator at the STFC Rutherford Laboratory at Harwell, Oxfordshire. She is also a member of the Advisory Group at TeenTech CIC, an organisation to help young teenagers see the wide range of career possibilities in Science, Engineering and Technology.