Anglia Innovation Partnership, the campus management organisation at Norwich Research Park, has appointed Jonathan Burroughs and Mark Clement as non-executive directors (NEDs) to its Board.
The Anglia Innovation Partnership Board comprises of senior leaders from each of Norwich Research Park’s six Partners plus the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the John Innes Foundation*1.
Jonathan is an expert in ‘place creation’. Having worked in the commercial real estate sector for many years, with Cushman & Wakefield and Bidwells. In 2009 he set up Creative Places, a specialist property advisory business focussed on the science park sector, as a spin-out from Bidwells.
Jonathan takes a holistic approach to help clients build extraordinary places for science and technology. As well as buildings, that includes the development of culture and activity that contributes to knowledge translation and business growth.
With Creative Places, Jonathan led initiatives to create and grow places including Cambridge Biomedical Campus, ‘Corridor Manchester’ focussed on its universities and hospital and Aberdeen Science Parks concentrated on future energy needs. He retired from Creative Places in 2023.
Jonathan has also held lead roles in Life Sciences studies for organisations including MedCity, Stanhope, Mitsui Fudosan and large pharmaceutical companies and helped create visions for places such as The British Library Site at King’s Cross and Guy’s Hospital, London Bridge.
Jonathan said, “I am passionate about how we need to work with nature to mitigate and cope with climate change and to help develop a healthier nation. The work of Anglia Innovation Partnership at this time, in these areas, could not be more vital and I relish the opportunity to make a contribution. The fundamental science and the breakthrough innovations here at Norwich Research Park are extraordinary.”
Mark Clement is a director at Grant Thornton UK LLP leading its Transaction Advisory Services business in Cambridge and Milton Keynes. He has more than 40 years’ experience in finance, having worked for Coopers & Lybrand, Grant Thornton and the RPC Group before returning to Grant Thornton in 2008. Mark also acts as non-executive director for the Silverstone Technology Cluster, a position he has held since its formation in 2018.
Mark has extensive experience of working with growing and dynamic businesses. During his career he has worked on many mergers and acquisition (M&A) transactions, enjoyed a 12-month secondment to Santander and most recently acted as Reporting Accountant on the successful flotation of Raspberry Pi on the London Stock Market.
Mark said, “I am fortunate to be joining Anglia Innovation Partnership at a hugely exciting time in its growth journey, with the recent announcement to develop the park campus with Vengrove. At a time like this, it is particularly important to have sound corporate governance in place and with my experience I hope to be able to build on the solid foundations already in place.”
Roz Bird, CEO of Anglia Innovation Partnership, said: “I am delighted that Mark and Jonathan have joined us. Their vast experience and high calibre skillsets and contacts will help the Anglia Innovation Partnership Board navigate what should be a very exciting and fast moving few years ahead of us.
“With the recent announcements of our new real estate investment partnership with Vengrove and now with the availability of funding from Greensphere Capital, targeted at our start-up and spin-out companies, the future is looking very positive for the Norwich Research Park campus.
“We continue to attract and retain high-growth businesses and have nurtured and grown our entrepreneur community. We can now be confident about our next phase of growth and with Mark and Jonathan’s support we will continue to maximise the impact of publicly funded research.”
*1 Norwich Research Park is a partnership between Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP (AIP), the University of East Anglia (UEA), the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), four independent world-renowned research institutes namely the John Innes Centre, the Quadram Institute and the Earlham Institute (all strategically funded by the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of United Kingdom Research & Innovation (UKRI) and The Sainsbury Laboratory linked to the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. The BBSRC – UKRI and the John Innes Foundation are also Board Members.
