Winning Business from International Big Science Facilities

Richard Farrow has worked for more than 25 years on the interface between research and business, developing and delivering pathways to generate mutual value and bring them closer together. He has established start-ups, worked for large corporates and SMEs as well as international research organisations and UK universities. As a result, he can understand the pressures and challenges faced by both sides when trying to work together. He is, however, passionate about the opportunities offered by working together and enthusiastic about how UK business can benefit from the contracts and innovative projects surrounding large scale science facilities.

Ian is a degree qualified engineer, member of the IET and IOD and a background in the Nuclear and Metals sectors. He spent his early career in control system design and manufacture prior to moving into product management and project management. In more recent years his role has developed into business management, initially as P&L Director for James Fisher Nuclear then most recently as Managing Director of Royston Lead and a Group Director for International Metal Industries where he oversees the Group’s manufacturing and special projects divisions with a combined team of 200 staff and a P&L of £125M. He maintains an active interest in research and development with a number of patents lodged and co-authorship of academic papers relating to the corrosion characteristics of lead alloys.