Programme Speakers
David Owen
After more than 20 years in R&D in the pharmaceutical industry, David Owen joined the Medical Research Council in 1990 to lead its IP management activities. During this time, he lead a team who filed many hundreds of patents, completed hundreds of licensing and collaborative research agreements, managed the creation of a significant number of spinout companies and increased Technology Transfer income from £500,000 to almost £18 million in 2000/1 (upfront fees, milestone payments, royalties, proceeds from sale of shares in spinout companies). During this time, the MRC developed the incubator concept (MRC Collaborative Centres), initiated “development gap” funding and created its own Venture Capital Fund (which has raised more than £140 million for investment in MRC derived and other biosciences companies).
Since “retiring” in December 2001, David works part-time in various roles. These include: Non-executive Chairman of a number of biosciences companies, advisory roles for technology transfer activities at universities, research organisations and PSREs, and as an advisor to a number of investment funds.
David Owen was appointed OBE in the Birthday Honours list of June 2001 for “services to medical research and technology transfer”.
