Oxford Oracle

Dr H is an experienced innovation manager who worked within four international consultancies and three universities before being elected to the Fellowship of the Oracle. She has an extensive track record in the creation of new technology transfer operations and in creating policy for governments and large charities. She is a founder of Europe’s major thinktank for perspectives on innovation development. Her recent projects have focussed on incubation, innovation strategy , technology commercialisation and IP assessment, infrastructure for SMEs, and accessing finance. She is a PRINCE2 Project Management Registered Practitioner.

Our Postulant has some 20 years of experience in international policy development, strategic communication, and stakeholder engagement. His expertise in policy advocacy and cross-cultural collaboration within global policy fora is particularly sought. Beyond policy initiation, he deploys the Oracle’s proprietary methods in monitoring and evaluation in projects across a diversity of sectors. Beyond his responsibility for our communications training, he leads on activities in the Caribbean and in Europe.

Our Quaestor is responsible for outreach and ensuring that the Oracle meets its network development goals to acquire target partners and clients on an ongoing basis. The priority for this relationship building is long-term sustainability rather than near-term profitability. He thus works closely with the Almoner in petitioning the Investment Committee to support projects that would otherwise be financially infeasible. He routinely serves as point of first contact for clients, funders, and intermediaries. He is experienced in supporting Entrepreneurship (including recent work in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands) and he holds leadership roles in various French companies. He enjoys sailing and has completed major ocean crossings both solo and with a crew.

Our Sophos is an expert in innovation policy and diplomacy as well as a leader in entrepreneurship development and open international innovation.  He was formerly the Director of the Office of Science, Knowledge and Technology Transfer within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oman.  He maintains a keen interest in wielding innovation to develop transitioning economies.  He has recently been particularly active in actualising key Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies (including overseeing the production of the world’s largest 3D-printed concrete building) and in embedding blockchain-based systems at national and regional levels.  He worked at senior levels within the UN Science Technology and Innovation Forum and the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development. He established a national Venture Capital Fund which he ran with great success before stepping away to focus on the private sector.

Our Dean for Institutional Relationships has a background in economics and public policy. He has served as managing consultant in Europe and Australasia to major entities working in the sectors of agriculture, defence and higher education. He holds board positions in major legal and commercial entities in India, Japan and Sweden. At various times, he has held elected political posts in India. Dr S also serves as the Oracle’s Almoner and, in this role, he convenes the Investment Committee which allows us to conduct work which would be precluded if we were to be bound by strictly commercial considerations.

Our Censor leads in ethical measurement, data capture and storage, and analyses of global business trends. He focussed originally on technologies within organic chemistry and polymer engineering. His subsequent leadership of a technology transfer office of a major European university stimulated much broader commercial and technological interests! He has held leadership roles within the Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals and, beyond Europe, he has especially strong links with businesses and the research base in China. He is an international partner of a major investment forum for business angels and he co-founded the Balkan branch of a major international early-stage incubator programme.

Our Prior has led innovation change for almost 30 years. With his colleagues, he works to ensure the successful exploitation of new ideas for both social and financial benefit.  He trained as a biologist and worked in research roles on the European continent before moving into academic and consultancy roles within the University of Oxford. Thereafter, he was a management consultant and Head of Biological Sciences within the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE). Within Oxford University Innovation, he served as a lead consultant before creating a spin-out (and managing a buy-out) to form an international innovation consultancy. For several years, he served as Director of this organisation with a particular focus on technology commercialisation, innovation training, Higher Education strategy, and partnership building.  He has executed numerous large commercialisation deals and overseen the establishment of several new universities.  At the Oracle, he has responsibility for ensuring superlative client outcomes as well as the satisfaction of all fellows (staff). Aside from maintaining and augmenting an international network, he is perennially involved in the direct day-to-day conduct of projects.

Our Praecentor leads in market analyses and scope audits. He is particularly experienced in supporting the business acceleration of early-stage enterprises. He is a composer who is prolific in production for chamber ensemble and orchestra and he has also worked extensively in the world of pop music. He is the Oracle’s lead for licence and royalties management. He has worked across Europe and has particular experience of the Danish innovation ecosystem.

Dr T is the Oracle’s lead for environmental impact assessment within the energy sector. She has worked extensively in the UK, Italy and the Middle East. She is an expert in multi-factorial analysis and marine technologies. She has especially strong links within Saudi Arabia and has held various positions within King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Our Dean for Medical Affairs trained in general medicine (MBBS and MM) before specialising in clinical cardiology in both major public hospitals and private practice. These roles provided extensive auxiliary experience in both pharmaceuticals and medical devices. He has a special interest in facilitating real-world impact in the areas of indigenous health, genetics and cardiovascular imaging. He sits on senior councils and boards in Europe, greater China, and Australasia.