Brian McCaul
CEO & Director of Innovation
Belfast
Summary
An experienced knowledge transfer CEO with wide-ranging experience in company creation, business and enterprise, and innovation policy and practice - gained over 27 years in private business and the university sectors, and countries. Consistently as the cutting-edge of new practice in knowledge exchange.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work History
CEO
Qubis Ltd
2014.03 - Current
- Executive management of the Queen's University Belfast technology transfer company
- Reached #1 ranking for most entrepreneurial university in the UK as per Octopus Venture - based on decade of data & efficiency.
- Earned leadership role in development & delivery of ICURe programme
Director of Innovation
Queen's University Belfast
2014.03 - Current
- Leadership across the University of research commercialisation opportunities, optimising the commercial use of the University Intellectual Property portfolio through external collaborations, licensing to third parties and creation of spin-out companies
- Doubled deal flow, and investment activity, on the way to tripling
- Ranked alongside Oxford and Cambridge as Tier1 TTO in formal BEIS report
- Developed partnership with Dogpatch for NI accelerator
Founder Director
WorthIT Ltd
- Den Haag / Manchester-based digital development company providing services to InnovateUK, universities and other enterprises.
CEO
Knowledge Transfer2.0 Ltd
- Consultancy providing strategy advice to a range of universities in relation to commercialisation and working with TSB TechCity Launchpad programme, and the TSB's Digital Investor Community
- Development of Leeds City Innovation Strategy.
Director of Commercialisation
University of Leeds
2008.01 - 2011.01
- Responsible for all University spinout, licensing activity, management of IP portfolio, and management of VC and PoC funding
- Management of equity portfolio and relations with VCs
- Implemented a new strategy - significantly raising level of licence and PoC income by 10-fold
Director of Business Development
The AiMeS Centre
2003.01 - 2008.01
- Establishing Centre (NWDA funded) and creating & directing 15 early stage high-technology businesses including AIMES Grid Services CIC a non-for profit social enterprise
- Also research and consultancy relating to innovation and knowledge transfer
- Management of 30 staff.
Founder Director
Aerogistics Holdings Ltd
2004.01 - 2007.01
- Purchased aerospace heat treatment factory with two business partners, diversified into logistics and expanded business into Poland.
Business Manager
University of Liverpool
2001.01 - 2003.01
- University interaction with ICT sector, specifically in connection with next generation e-business and digital enterprises (including project managing the creation of AIMES Institute).
Head of Research Support
Sheffield Hallam University
1997.01 - 2001.01
- Management and leadership of the University's Research Support Office, Leadership of commercial tech
- Transfer activity, negotiation with business and industry, patenting and licensing of University IP and management of the RAE.
Research Grants & Contracts Manager
University of Manchester
1996.01 - 1997.01
- Responsible for administration of all external research turnover and responsibility of 13 staff in 3 teams: Costing, Contracts and post-award.
Contracts Officer
University of Manchester
1994.01 - 1996.01
Accountancy Assistant
Manchester Metropolitan University
1992.01 - 1993.01
Finance Assistant
University College Salford
1989.01 - 1991.01
Education
Professional Qualification
The Governance Institute
2001.04 -
BA Hons Politics - undefined
University of Sheffield
1989.01 -
Post-grad law diplomas - Intellectual PropertyApplied Contract LawEmployment LawCompany Law
Bristol University
London, United Kingdom 2001.01 - 2005.04
Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Innovation Strategy & Execution
Relationship and Team Building
Interpersonal Skills
Policy Development And Publications
- Member of the DSIT Business Innovation Forum
- Member of the Northern Ireland Dept of the Economy Science & Technology Foresight Panel: Matrix NI
- Prior Chair of AURIL (predessor to PraxisAuril - professional body for KE practitioners & prior Member of the Lambert Review inner core team, which created the the Lambert IP protocol and standard research contracts.
- Prior Member of the Steering Group (and contributing author) for "Managing Intellectual Assets", A Guide to Strategic Decision-Making in Universities. (AURIL, UK Patents Office, Universities UK, HEFCE and BIS). Also involved in its first edition in 2003.
- Researcher on EPSRC Innovation and Productivity Grand Challenge
- Chapter contributor: Creating Wealth from Knowledge: Meeting the Innovation Challenge, edited by J. R. Bessant, Ti Venables, (Edward Edgar Publishing 2010)
- Chapter contributor 'The Growing Business Handbook: Inspiration and Advice from Successful Entrepreneurs and Growing Businesses', (Kogan Page Publishers, Apr 2014) edited: Adam Jolly.
Professional Bodies
- Past Chairman, Association for University Research and Industrial Links
- Associate of Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
- Member Institute of Directors
- Member of PraxisAuril and regularly speaker at both predecessor organisation's conferences over decades
Board Responsibility
Board member of 39 companies to-date, ranging from main market listed PLC, to a wide range of startups (assisting or initiating), including as founder and investor, chairman, and secretary. A number of these included full P&L responsibility, and CEO roles.
These Board portions range from small startup, high growth tech startup, public limited companies. This has ranged from software, to engineering and advanced manufacturing and various areas of life science and biotech
References
- James O'Kane, prior Chair of QUBIS Ltd (previous Registrar and COO - Queen's University Belfast)
- Helen Kirkpatrick current Chair of QUBIS Ltd
- Details available on request (please confirm prior to contact).
linkedin.com/in/brian-mccaul-690440
Details of my prior roles and directorships can be found on my linked in profile. I have had over 40 board postions, many in my own startups, other in startups i have had close hand in establishing
Timeline
CEO
Qubis Ltd
2014.03 - Current
Director of Innovation
Queen's University Belfast
2014.03 - Current
Director of Commercialisation
University of Leeds
2008.01 - 2011.01
Founder Director
Aerogistics Holdings Ltd
2004.01 - 2007.01
Director of Business Development
The AiMeS Centre
2003.01 - 2008.01
Professional Qualification
The Governance Institute
2001.04 -
Business Manager
University of Liverpool
2001.01 - 2003.01
Post-grad law diplomas - Intellectual PropertyApplied Contract LawEmployment LawCompany Law
Bristol University
2001.01 - 2005.04
Head of Research Support
Sheffield Hallam University
1997.01 - 2001.01
Research Grants & Contracts Manager
University of Manchester
1996.01 - 1997.01
Contracts Officer
University of Manchester
1994.01 - 1996.01
Accountancy Assistant
Manchester Metropolitan University
1992.01 - 1993.01
Finance Assistant
University College Salford
1989.01 - 1991.01
BA Hons Politics - undefined
University of Sheffield
1989.01 -
Founder Director
WorthIT Ltd
CEO
Knowledge Transfer2.0 Ltd