The Enterprise Team

John Powell, Director (Chair)

Chairman John Powell has founded, grown and led B2B software companies including Alfresco Software, Activiti, and Business Objects, to become world leading companies with successful exits. His career is hallmarked by the use of disruptive business models and technologies and successful delivery of innovative products to market. John is a graduate of the University of Birmingham, and has been the Chairman of University of Birmingham Enterprise since 2020.

David Coleman, CEO and Director

David has over 20 years' experience in university technology transfer and commercialisation, from licensing, start-up development and growth, to business incubation, and investment.  He has been with the University of Birmingham since 2010, initially as Head of Spinout Portfolio, then Head of Enterprise Acceleration before taking over as CEO of University of Birmingham Enterprise in February 2021.  David is also an experienced non-executive director and is currently on the board of spinouts Irresistible Materials Ltd and Linear Diagnostics Ltd. 

Kate Dutton Mitchell MBE, Director

Kate is a global growth advisor and board member with extensive experience in scaling startups and securing significant fundraising. Kate was a founding executive of GBx Global, whose members include UK founders of technology companies such as Calm and Slack. Kate has supported UK startups expand into the U.S. and raising over $1 billion. Kate's background includes 12 years at Accenture, leading major business-critical transformations. She is also a certified executive coach and early-stage investor, with an MBE for services to British entrepreneurs overseas.

Professor Neil Hanley, Director

Neil is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Medicine & Health at the University of Birmingham, and a clinical Consultant Endocrinologist. Prior to arriving in Birmingham, he was Vice-Dean (Research and Innovation) in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health at the University of Manchester and Director of Research and Innovation at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. An expert in how human organs are formed, Neil has over 12,500 citations in high-impact journals and played multiple roles integrating industry with academia and healthcare to improve outcomes and deliver economic growth.

Professor Stephen Jarvis, Director

Stephen is the Provost and Vice-Principal at the University of Birmingham, formerly serving as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. A computational scientist with over 220 peer-reviewed papers, his research spans data science, AI, and engineering. He has led industry-academic partnerships and contributed to the establishment of the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for AI and Data Science. He has previously held academic positions at the University of Warwick and the University of Oxford.

Professor Rachel O'Reilly, Nominated Officer

Rachel is a Professor of Chemistry and Pro-vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Birmingham. She leads an interdisciplinary team of polymer scientists, and she has mentored more than 50 PhD students, published over 250 research papers, and delivered more than 200 invited lectures. Recognised among the Royal Society of Chemistry's 175 Faces of Chemistry, she has received major grants from the European Research Council and the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council.

Nicola Cardenas-Blanco, Nominated Officer

Nicola is the Director of Legal Services at the University of Birmingham, with over 20 years of post-qualification experience as a solicitor. Specialising in civil litigation and regulatory law, she has advised various commercial organisations and educational institutions. Nicola has a research interest in overseas risk management in UK universities, having completed a doctorate on the topic, and is a member of the Association of University Legal Practitioners.

Monika Cleland, Finance

Monika is a Subsidiaries Accountant at the University of Birmingham. She is an experienced accountant with over 20 years in mid-level accounting across pharmaceutical, IT, construction, education, and welfare-to-work industries. Monika is an observer on the University of Birmingham Enterprise Board.

David Coleman, CEO

David has been involved in commercialising University innovations for 24 years, at Imperial Innovations, University of Bath and, since 2010, at University of Birmingham, where he was initially employed as Head of Spinout Portfolio, before growing an Enterprise Acceleration Team, and then becoming CEO of University of Birmingham Enterprise Ltd in February 2021. He has experience in a wide range of technology-transfer related activities including licensing, start-up/spinout development and growth, business incubation, and investment. He is an experienced spinout NED and has worked closely with a range of investors.
Email David Coleman

Angie Reynolds, Chief Operating Officer

Angie oversees company operations, including the facilities at Birmingham Research Park, the Institute of Research and Development, the BioHub Birmingham®, and Unit 9 Med Tech Incubator. She has over 20 years of facilities management experience, including the Custard Factory, Baskerville House, and Bourneville College of Further Education. Angie is also Company Secretary for University of Birmingham Enterprise Ltd.  
Email Angie Reynolds

Jerel Whittingham, Head of IP and Commercialisation

Jerel brings over 25 years of experience in early-stage, technology-based businesses, spanning investor and operational roles. With a background in innovation, strategy, and business development, he manages relationships with stakeholders and professional advisors, and has served on the Boards of several companies, including two PLCs. Jerel's expertise also extends to raising investment and navigating the interface between universities and businesses.
Email Jerel Whittingham

Vincent Coole, Head of Academic Consultancy

Vincent is responsible for fostering industry-academia collaborations. With experience at Oxford University Innovation, he specialises in strategic business development and contract negotiation, managing all consultancy and facility service agreements with industry on behalf of the University’s academic staff. He has overseen the launch of the successful EnterpriseOD™ programme, which allows researchers to trial their service commercially, while minimising risk.
Email Vincent Coole

Ruth Ashton, Head of Communications and Content

Ruth has over 30 years’ experience in communications, much of it in the corporate world, spinouts and technology-based SMEs, where she specialised in access to niche and early adopter markets, and stimulating interest from investors, policy makers and consumers.  She has been with University of Birmingham Enterprise since 2016.
Email Ruth Ashton

Andrew Cruxton, Head of Enterprise Development and Collaboration

Andrew is responsible for the business training, mentoring and development of academic commercialisation opportunities. He specialises in managing and developing different ways to support business founders through the journey from idea to scaling up.
Email Andrew Cruxton

Angie Reynolds, Chief Operating Officer

Angie oversees company operations, including the facilities at Birmingham Research Park, the Institute of Research and Development, the BioHub Birmingham®, and Unit 9 Med Tech Incubator. She has over 20 years of facilities management experience, including the Custard Factory, the Skydome Coventry, and Bourneville College of Further Education. Angie is also Company Secretary for University of Birmingham Enterprise Ltd.  
Email Angie Reynolds

Mary Morgan, Site Operations Manager

Mary oversees the Birmingham Research Park site, including front-of-house services and customer relations. Mary ensures delivery of excellent customer service and has worked at Birmingham Research Park for almost 10 years.
Email Mary Morgan

Dr Claire Litchfield, Senior Lab Manager

Claire manages Enterprise’s laboratory team and oversees the safe and efficient running of the laboratories and professional delivery of diverse laboratory support for the Research Park’s life science tenant companies. Claire brings decades of experience from working in academia, with industry, and managing laboratories, understanding the priorities and requirements of scientific enterprises. Claire provides tenants, colleagues and the University with advice regarding compliance with health and safety legislation, and supports tenants with development plans, applications, and provides technical input and feedback on the range of documents that they produce. Claire leads on assessing applications for the use of laboratory space and showcases the spaces to interested parties.
Email Claire Litchfield

Semsa Zlomuzica, Financial Services

Semsa Zlomuzica is a Senior Accountancy Assistant within the University of Birmingham Finance Office Corporate Accounting Team. 
Email Semsa Zlomusica

Jackie Potter, Finance and Facilities Administrator

Jackie is the contact point for Birmingham Research Park invoicing, payments and accounts queries.
Email Jackie Potter

Lesley Hewitt, Enterprise Administrator

Lesley looks after general administration for the Enterprise team. She manages the diary for CEO, David Coleman, deals with financial administration including raising POs and invoices, organises travel and orders supplies. Lesley fields general enquiries from inside and outside the University and often acts as a first point of contact. 
Email Lesley Hewitt

Martin Price, Facilities and Maintenance Supervisor

Martin has delivered a quality service at Birmingham Research Park for over 20 years. He helps tenants to resolve maintenance issues and deals with contractor management, minor repairs, and plumbing.
Email Martin Price

Jack Wheeley, Laboratory Technician Apprentice

Jack provides diverse laboratory support to the life sciences tenant companies across the Research Park, supporting the safe and efficient running of the laboratories with excellent customer service, inducting and training new users. Jack provides a range of laboratory services, monitors the use and function of laboratory equipment and environmental storage, and oversees the general upkeep of the laboratory, providing support to the Senior Laboratory Manager with assessment of applications to use the laboratories and showcasing the space to interested parties.
Email Jack Wheeley

Mason Turford, Facilities Support Apprentice

Mason joined the team in April 2024. His apprenticeship role includes general site maintenance and cleaning, front-of-house, customer service, manual handling, waste management, communication, and delivery distribution.
Email Mason Turford

Key contacts

Jerel Whittingham, Head of IP and Commercialisation

Jerel brings over 25 years of experience in early-stage, technology-based businesses, spanning investor and operational roles. With a background in innovation, strategy, and business development, he manages relationships with stakeholders and professional advisors, and has served on the Boards of several companies, including two PLCs. Jerel's expertise also extends to raising investment and navigating the interface between universities and businesses.
Email Jerel Whittingham

Siobhan Daniels, Senior Spin-out Development Manager

Siobhan leads work on spin-out development, working with founding teams with responsibilities including overseeing the development of business model, Executive and non-executive team and investor readiness. She moved to UoBE after extensive prior experience at Manchester University.  Siobhan trained as a materials chemist and, prior to beginning her career in technology transfer, worked in a University spin-out throughout its growth story; joining as a very early hire and through to eventual IPO.
Email Siobhan Daniels

Dr Anna Isakova, Senior Business Development Manager (Engineering and Physical Sciences)

Dr Anna Isakova leads the Engineering and Physical Sciences team, supporting innovation through IP protection and licensing. Originally trained as a polymer chemist in printed electronics, Anna has delivered a wide variety of business projects (from EV battery recycling to medical devices). Anna is an author of a book about intellectual property for DIY inventors.
Email Anna Isakova

Dr Veemal Bhowruth, Senior Business Development Manager (Life Sciences)

Vimal leads the life sciences team, and is responsible for the identification, protection and licensing of IP arising from UoB research. His extensive experience in this field is supported by his earlier career as an organic synthetic chemist where he has acquired a varied technical background in chemistry, biology and immunology. Having also worked in the NHS doing technology transfer, Veemal has a proven track record for licensing and spinning out opportunities across the life sciences sector including therapeutics, diagnostics and software.
Email Veemal Bhowruth

Vincent Coole, Head of Academic Consultancy Services

Vincent is responsible for fostering industry-academia collaborations. With experience at Oxford University Innovation, he specialises in strategic business development and contract negotiation, managing all consultancy and facility service agreements with industry on behalf of the University’s academic staff. He has overseen the launch of the successful EnterpriseOD™ programme, which allows researchers to trial their service commercially, while minimising risk.
Email Vincent Coole

Dr Alex Seabright, Project Manager

Alex manages the full portfolio of academic consultancy projects routed through UoB Enterprise and is driving forward our new initiative to link external organisations with core university facilities. Contact Alex for more information about consultancy, fee-for-service and equipment access arrangements via UoB Enterprise.
Email Dr Alex Seabright

Marie Cookhorn - Project Coordinator

Marie supports in the contractual set-up of consultancy projects and the distribution of funds. Contact Marie for consultancy and payment enquiries.
Email Marie Cookhorn

Jo Wain, Administrator

Jo leads on all payment and invoicing procedures conducted by the team. Contact Jo for queries related to financial records, process transactions and reports.
Email Jo Wain

Steve Ellis, Commercial Intelligence Manager

Steve has worked in company formation and their strategy development for over 20 years and is now focused on supporting new and existing Operating Divisions within Enterprise. He is one of the initial points of engagement within the team for academics looking to investigate such paths for commercialisation of their research and technologies.
Email Steve Ellis

Ruth Ashton, Head of Communications and Content

Ruth has over 30 years’ experience in communications, much of it in the corporate world, spinouts and technology-based SMEs, where she specialised in access to niche and early adopter markets, and stimulating interest from investors, policymakers and consumers. She has been with University of Birmingham Enterprise since 2016.
Email Ruth Ashton

Angela Glover, Digital Communications Manager

Angela has almost 20 years' experience in digital marketing and comms within higher education. She specialises in narrative-led digital media, content creation and delivering multi-channel campaigns for web and social platforms.
Email Angela Glover

Andrew Cruxton, Head of Enterprise Development and Collaboration

Andrew is responsible for the business training, mentoring and development of academic commercialisation opportunities. He specialises in managing and developing different ways to support business founders through the journey from idea to scaling up.
Email Andrew Cruxton

Ele Burdis, Training and Events Manager

Ele manages the training initiatives and events that University of Birmingham Enterprise runs for academics interested in commercialisation. Please get in touch if you are interested in developing your ideas for commercialising your research.
Email Ele Burdis

Rizwan Mahroof, Business Performance and Impact Project Manager

Riz manages the relationship between University of Birmingham Enterprise and external companies, and provides the link with our services. Please get in touch if you are a private business looking to use University generated intellectual property or facilities.
Email Rizwan Mahroof