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Ending a nine month search for the
right individual, Southampton Science Park has appointed Tony Davies OBE
to the role of Business Champion for the Southampton Enterprise Hub. The
Hub is part of a region wide network of business clusters launched late
last year by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).
Currently Chairman and CEO of
Southampton-based Bowman Power Systems Ltd, and Non-Executive Chairman
of TTP Capital Partners Ltd, a Cambridge based high tech venture capital
fund, Tony Davies is one of the UK's leading experts in the creation and
leadership of technology-based businesses.
He has extensive experience in start-up
companies and has successfully piloted a number of new enterprises
through the early development stages. His start up and company
development skills are well proven with the sale of his first company in
1977 and the flotation of his second business in 1987. Tony has also
lectured at INSEAD Business School and for six years was advisor to the
then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, on Information Technology.
The role of Business Champion is at the
very heart of SEEDA's Enterprise Hub concept. As a high profile, locally
based entrepreneur, Mr Davies is seen to be ideally suited to act as the
rallying point for other hi-tech businesses in the Southampton area,
providing the energy and drive, which will foster dynamism within the
Enterprise Hub. As Business Champion, he will exert considerable
influence on Southampton's innovation strategy, both directly and via a
steering group that he will chair.
The group is made up of representatives
from the local Business Link, the Learning and Skills Council, the
affiliated Southampton University, recently appointed Hub Director Steve
Davis, the Southampton Science Park Chief Executive, Don Fox, together
with a number of private businesses. Together the group will ensure that
the Southampton Hub continues to be business led in its approach to
stimulating and nurturing "knowledge based" business start ups and
development in the area.
Commenting on his appointment, Tony
Davies said: "The concept of SEEDA's Enterprise Hub Network has been of
great interest to me and I am glad to be given this opportunity to lead
Southampton's own Hub. I look forward to bringing my experience to bear
through working with other local participants to make the Southampton
area a fully recognised hot-bed of successful start-up hi-tech business
activity." |
