Steve manages Oxford University’s portfolio of spin out companies and helps to create new ventures from the intellectual property generated by researchers, with a particular focus on life sciences ventures.  This involves shaping and forming new businesses, working with boards and management to help grow the companies, raising capital, and making investment and divestment recommendations for the University’s portfolio.  Steve also represents the University in the wider investment community.

Prior to arriving in Oxford, Steve was based in New Zealand where his experience included working for an IP investment company that specialised in university spin outs, generating and growing eight new ventures from lab based technologies to Series A fundraising rounds, working across three Universities.  Steve mentored academics through the initial stages of forming their ideas and shaping them commercially.  He is also a former incubator manager, helping entrepreneurs from all walks of life progress their ideas into genuine business opportunities. His particular focus was student entrepreneurs for whom he founded and ran a range of start up programmes.

Steve is an experienced manager and director in high growth companies, as CEO, Executive Director, Non Executive Director and Board Chair, having taken companies through rapid growth phases to exits.   Steve has a degree in Biology, is a Chartered Accountant and has an MBA.