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The university’s natural predisposition to ‘disruptive thinking’, coupled with Celia’s vision to support the full breadth of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê’s academic disciplines with a comprehensive approach to innovation - ranging through partnership building, commercialisation, consultancy, social enterprise and development of the entrepreneurial mindset – has shifted innovation at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê from a commercialisation-dominated agenda to a broader, more holistic approach, and has delivered some exceptional results.Ìý

Under Celia’s leadership, many more staff and students have been inspired to engage in innovation and enterprise, helping Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê become one of the top three universities in the UK at translating its knowledge and ideas externally.Ìý

Celia and her team have developed Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê’s ability to build institutional level relationships with innovative external partners. Significant collaborations are as varied as Camden Council, the English National Ballet, Heathrow, Inner Temple, Innovate UK and the East London Innovation Zone (ELIEZ), the National Physical Laboratory and Servier.

The student experience has also mattered, and student entrepreneurship is flourishing. At BaseKX, and now of course remotely, our students are able to boost their entrepreneurial mindset and employability skills, create new enterprises and forge business links.Ìý Last year Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê’s student startup companies attracted more external investment than ever before (£60m in 2018/19), and together Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê’s spinout and startup companies collectively employed almost 3,000 people.

In commercialisation, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê has had four gene therapy spinout companies that have IPOed (listed via an initial public offering) in under four years, and last year, for the very first time, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê spinouts attracted more external investment than those of any other UK university (£579m in 2018/19). This is a real validation of the quality of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê technologies and research, as well as our expertise in creating and growing companies.

The relationship with Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊB, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê’s commercialisation company, has evolved and become more strategic, seeing the broadening of its offer to include non-patent commercialisation support (Portico Ventures) and social enterprise.

And it is through Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Consultants’ capacity to build bespoke short courses that Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê is now seen as a key provider of expert consultancy for UK government and other organisations.Ìý

Celia believes that every area at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê has the potential to make a difference for good through entrepreneurial endeavours. By embedding innovation and enterprise across Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê and bringing together the key pathways of innovation under Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Innovation & Enterprise, she has made it easier for staff and students from across Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê to engage.

Dr Kathryn Walsh will take on the role of Executive Director, Office of the Vice-Provost (Innovation & Enterprise) with effect from 1ÌýFebruary 2021, when Celia leaves at the end of January. ÌýIn this role she will be reporting to the Provost, and a full member of SMT and the leadership of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê. Dr Michael Spence has approved the proposal for Kathryn’s appointment on an interim basis, pending a permanent recruitment process to be instituted in due course.

Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê President and Provost, Michael Arthur, said:

"I am very grateful to Celia for her significant contribution to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê.Ìý Her leadership of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Innovation & Enterprise, and the culture change she has driven across the university, has been transformative for Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê in this critical area. I thank her for this, and wish her a very happy and productive future.

Kathryn’s current role as Director of Knowledge Exchange Policy and Practice at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Innovation & Enterprise, which she has held since November 2018, and her previous experience as Director of the Enterprise Office at Loughborough University, will be invaluable in leading forward this important area of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê activity.