Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst appoints Martino Picardo as CEO
Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst appoints Martino Picardo as CEO
25 Nov 2010
Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) has appointed Dr Martino Picardo as its first Chief Executive Officer. Dr Picardo joins from the University of Manchester Incubator Company (UMIC) and will take up his new post in February 2011.
As Managing Director of UMIC since 2003, Dr Picardo has overseen its successful development into a venture that has helped to incubate more than 60 start-ups and small and medium enterprises, attracting significant venture capital and generating more than 500 jobs.
With a PhD in biochemistry from Cardiff University, Dr Picardo has 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector. In 2008, Dr Picardo was appointed as a non-executive director to the Board of UK Business Incubation, the UK’s leading professional body for the development and support of business incubation environments that support high growth and technology centres.
Speaking of his appointment, Dr Picardo said: “I am absolutely delighted to be taking up this new role. Although I am sad to be leaving friends and colleagues in UMIC , I am also looking forward to working with new colleagues in what will be a very exciting and unique opportunity for UK plc in drug discovery and development.”
Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst is a joint venture between the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills, GlaxoSmithKline, the Wellcome Trust, the East of England Development Agency and the Technology Strategy Board. Construction on the £38m development, which will be an independent bioscience facility, has started on this site located next to the GSK R&D campus in Stevenage. Pioneering a culture of open innovation, tenants at the park will have access to state of the art facilities and will benefit from the networks and expertise of the sponsor organisations.
Allan Baxter, Chairman of the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst Board, commented: “We are delighted that Martino has agreed to join us at SBC. He brings a wealth of experience in nurturing and showcasing entrepreneurial innovation and is ideally qualified to lead this exciting and unique venture.”
Dr Picardo will transition into his new role over the next two months and will be in place full time from February 2011.
