Chief Executive Officer

City, Edinburgh
Perrett Laver

Edinburgh Innovations Limited, the commercialisation service of the University of Edinburgh, is delighted to be appointing its next Chief Executive Officer.

With a community of 16,000 staff and more than 49,000 matriculated students, the University of Edinburgh has a worldwide reputation for its excellence in research and is a leader in innovation. The QS World University Rankings 2024 ranked Edinburgh 22nd in the world. The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education’s REF power ratings), with 90% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Three quarters of the research areas in which Edinburgh was assessed were judged to be in the top five in the UK. A recent report conducted by London Economics estimated the University of Edinburgh’s economic impact in 2021/22 at £7.52bn, of which £3.2bn related to our research and knowledge exchange activities.

Edinburgh Innovations Limited (EI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Edinburgh, leads the University’s activities in industry engagement and business development, enterprise support for students and staff, and the identification, management and commercialisation of University intellectual property. We rank 5th in the world for ‘industry, innovation and infrastructure’ (THE Impact Rankings 2023) and we have climbed from 15th to consistently one of the top 5 universities for business engagement (HE-BCI Survey).

A prominent member of TenU, the international collaboration of ten leading technology transfer offices, EI is a critical vehicle through which the University can achieve the goals expressed in our Strategy 2030. The University is amongst the most entrepreneurial in the UK and EI has an enviable track record in this area. In 2022/2023, we launched 123 companies, across student and staff start-ups and staff spinouts. We secured £92m in income from industry and translational awards and £13m in consultancy income. £107m was invested in University-linked companies last year.

EI is now seeking a new CEO who can build on this very strong foundation to develop and implement a compelling, highly ambitious vision for industry engagement across the University reaching out globally to develop and capture commercial opportunities and partnerships, reflected by associated increases in direct income and indirect benefits through improved external assessments, domestic and global rankings and economic and societal impact. Reporting directly to the University’s Vice Principal, Corporate Services and working closely with the Vice Principal, Research & Enterprise and with the Chair of the EI Board, the CEO appointment coincides with a particularly exciting period of development for the University which offers excellent new opportunities for industry engagement and ongoing successful commercialisation of the University’s diverse and world class research-base.

A global commercialisation visionary, our next CEO will have held significant transformative and strategic senior leadership experience working with collaborative ventures (including joint ventures), across a range of different partners and stakeholders, ideally from a variety of international and/or cultural contexts. You will have a proven track record of successfully running an organisation, division or large projects related to commercialisation of the products of innovation or industry engagement and will have held budgetary responsibility. You will be a world-class stakeholder manager capable of fostering, developing and enhancing relationships with a myriad of partners both in the University and externally.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds with the qualifications, experience and potential to lead the University and its community of staff and students. Applications from candidates from under-represented groups are welcome.

Applications should consist of a covering letter, full CV detailing academic and professional qualifications, employment history, latest remuneration and relevant achievements.

Applications can be uploaded at . Please quote reference 7197.

The closing date for applications 09:00 GMT on Monday 15th April 2024.

Perrett Laver will conduct preliminary interviews with long-listed candidates in late April to early May, and the Appointment Committee will meet in May 2024 to decide upon a shortlist of candidates.

These individuals will subsequently be invited for interview on Friday 14th June 2024.

Salary: Competitive for the role.

Location: Edinburgh

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