Leading light in Life Sciences to spearhead Edinburgh Bioquarter commercialisation
Scotland’s flagship life sciences commercialisation project at Edinburgh’s BioQuarter has attracted one of the world’s leading Life Science entrepreneurs to lead the multi million pound commercialisation drive funded by Scottish Enterprise and the University of Edinburgh.
Simon Best, OBE, FRSE, has been appointed chair of Edinburgh BioQuarter’s commercialisation programme, a crucial business development project which will help position Scotland as one of the world’s top ten hubs for life sciences research and development.
Professor Best will steer the project to ensure the recently announced £12 million injection of funds boosts commercial activity at the University’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine to help translate its world-leading research into new therapies for patients and products and services for the global lifescience industry.
A self-confessed serial entrepreneur, Professor Best has a track record in life sciences commercialisation founding substantial ventures such as Zeneca Plant Science, Roslin Biomed and Ardana. Over a fifteen year period, Professor Best has built an impressive portfolio of both executive and non-executive roles with life sciences companies and investors around the world and helped raise over £130m of funding in the sector.
His new position as chair of commercialisation for Edinburgh BioQuarter, will see him play a pivotal role in supporting new international commercial collaborations and inward investments as well as the creation of companies to exploit the university’s world leading research. Increasing the volume of commercial spin outs and ensuring their sustainable growth are key challenges for the programme, which seeks to strengthen Scotland’s reputation internationally as a hub for medical research and life sciences.
Jack Perry, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, commented: “The commercialisation programme is a vital component of the overall Edinburgh BioQuarter strategy and one which demands only the best in leadership and counsel. We are confident that Professor Best’s depth of knowledge and networks throughout the Life Sciences and medical research industry along with his distinguished track record as a highly successful entrepreneur will ensure that the outstanding research being carried out here in Scotland can be converted to winning commercial ventures.”
Professor Sir John Savill, head of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Professor Simon Best’s appointment is great news, as he has already developed a detailed knowledge of the research strengths of the College and its very close partner, NHS Lothian. We are confident that he will be an excellent ambassador for this exciting initiative.”
Professor Simon Best, OBE, FRSE, said: “The commitment by all of the key stakeholders to support the BioQuarter and to coordinate their efforts to ensure its success is impressive. The College’s research is currently ranked #1 in the UK. All of the ‘raw materials’ to convert this to better health and wealth have been assembled. I am honoured and delighted to take on the leadership of this most exciting project.”
Professor Best Biog:
Professor Best (53) is an entrepreneur who has built substantial ventures as founding CEO including Zeneca Plant Science, Roslin BioMed and Ardana. Since 2005, he has built a portfolio of Chair, Board and Advisory roles with Biotech Companies and Investors in Europe, the USA and India.
Currently Entrepreneur-in-Residence at TVM Capital, he also holds positions as chairman of the Advisory Board of PAR Equity and a non-executive director of Polytherics Ltd., Targeted Growth Inc., the International Potato Centre (CIP), Ohmedics Ltd and Entelos Inc.
Previous commercial experience includes roles at the leading edge of Cloning and Stem-Cells as CEO of Roslin BioMed which he merged with Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN) to form Geron BioMed in 1999 and GM Foods as CEO of Zeneca Plant Science which launched the first and only consumer-accepted GM food in Europe in 1996.
Positions/awards include:
Chairman of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) 2006 & 2007
Chairman of BIA Scotland 2004 & 2005
Vice-Chairman of BIO in the US 1994-1996
Chair of the BIO Bioethics Committee & BIO board member 1998-2005.
Governor of the Food and Agriculture Section of World Economic Forum (WEF) 1994-1998
Chairman of Neuro3D SA in France prior to its acquisition by Evotec in April 2007
Chairman of ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India, 2006-2008
Director of Direvo Biotech AG in Germany prior to acquisition by Bayer-Schering in Sept 2008
Director of Avesthagen Pvt. Ltd. in India, 2005-2007
World Economic Forum Global Leader of Tomorrow nominee 1999
World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer of the Year nominee 2000.
Financial Times “Science and Technology Venturer of the Year” nominee 1999
London Business School Alumni Achievement Prize awarded in June 2007
MBA from London Business School
Honorary Doctorate and BMus from the University of York
Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)
Executive Board and Vice-Chairman of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC)
Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honors List 2008
Honorary Professor of Medicine by the University of Edinburgh 2008
Edinburgh BioQuarter is a partnership between Scottish Enterprise, the University of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian and Alexandria Real Estates Equities Inc – the world leading life sciences property specialist.
It will position Scotland as one of the world’s top ten hubs for life sciences research and development and will generate £250 million of investment on site over the next 15 years creating 6,500 new jobs.
It combines the University of Edinburgh’s renowned medical school, the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary and a science campus with 1.5 million square feet of academic and commercial accommodation that will act as a magnet for some of the world’s leading life sciences academics, students and clinicians.
The first building to be built on the science campus is the University of Edinburgh’s Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine, which is due for completion in 2010.