Board and team

Frontier IP’s active approach to business building is delivered by its team. We bring deep experience in a wide range of fields including IP exploitation, venture capital, spinout creation and management, science, investment and finance.

Neil Crabb

Neil Crabb

Chief Executive Officer

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Neil Crabb is Chief Executive and founder of Frontier IP. He has considerable experience as an investor and director of a wide range of technology companies and university spin-outs. He co-founded venture capital company Sigma Capital Group plc and was previously an investment manager at Duncan Lawrie Ltd. with responsibility for a range of managed portfolios investing in smaller UK companies and unquoted technology companies. He began his career with Equitable Life Assurance, managing investments in UK small companies and larger stocks in the electronics sector. Neil is an approved person under FSMA.

neil@frontierip.co.uk

Jackie

Jackie McKay

Chief Operating Officer

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Jackie is the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, supporting the Chief Executive in the delivery of the Group’s objectives. She has substantial experience of the university IP and venture capital industries and has been working with Frontier IP since its inception to help develop new and existing commercialisation relationships. Jackie spent nearly ten years at Sigma Capital Group plc, latterly as Corporate Development Director, where she was responsible for structuring and setting up venture funds and university partnerships. Prior to Sigma, Jackie spent 12 years with Bank of Scotland. She has an MA in Psychology.

jackie@frontierip.co.uk

Jim Fish

Jim Fish

Chief Financial Officer

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Jim is Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Frontier IP. He has over 25 years’ experience in senior financial positions and a wide range of commercial experience including venture capital funded small/medium-sized enterprises and start-up companies. He was latterly interim Finance Director at The One Place Capital Limited, an online technology start-up. He qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG and holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh.

jim@frontierip.co.uk

Matthew White

Matthew White

Chief Commercialisation Officer

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Matt is Chief Commercialisation Officer. He has over 23 years’ experience in technology, product and service innovation, business development and marketing. In his previous role he was Head of Innovation, AB Sugar, part of FTSE 100 group AB Foods. He also has extensive experience working with university partners. He has an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University.

matthew.white@frontierip.co.uk

Julia King

Professor Dame Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS FMedSci

Independent Non-Executive Chair

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Julia is an engineer with immense experience across industry and government. Following an academic career at Cambridge University, she held senior engineering and business roles at Rolls-Royce between 1994 and 2002, before returning to academia as Principal of Engineering at Imperial College and then as Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University from 2006-2016. She is currently Chair of The Carbon Trust, a non-executive director of Ørsted, Chair of the Adaptation Committee of the Climate Change Committee, a member of the BEIS Hydrogen Advisory Council and a Non-Executive Director of AIM quoted Ceres Power Holdings plc.

Julia Chairs STEM Learning Limited and is a former Chair of the Governing Board at the Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Royal Society and was awarded a DBE for services to higher education and technology. In 2015 she was elevated to the Peerage as the Baroness Brown of Cambridge and sits as a Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords where she chairs the Science and Technology Select Committee.

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Dr David Holbrook

Independent Non-Executive Director

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Dr David Holbrook is a leading healthcare investment technology professional with 30 years’ experience in the life sciences sectors. He has sat on more than 20 boards of directors during his career. He is currently a non-executive director at Oxford BioDynamics plc and a senior adviser to RYSE Asset Management. Trained as a physician, David has also held senior business development roles at Glaxo, Roche and in biotech, and has an MBA from Harvard.

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Nigel Grierson

Independent Non-Executive Director

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Nigel has 20 years’ operating experience in the IT industry with positions in product development, marketing and senior management. He has been a Managing Director of venture capital funds managing investments of over $500 million in 70 technology start ups in Europe, including as Managing Director of the Doughty Hanson Technology Fund. He has held senior roles at Intel Corporation, is FCA qualified to run controlled functions and is an alumnus of the INSEAD Fountainbleau Advanced Management Program.

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Harry Ayton

Research Engineer

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Harry Ayton is a Chemical Engineer based in Cambridge and working with Frontier’s portfolio companies on academic projects. He joined after completing a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, having previously read a MEng in Chemical Engineering. His research experience focusses on the extrusion of stiff paste materials, and he has had experience in experimentation, finite element simulation and scientific programming.

harry.ayton@frontierip.co.uk

Neil Crabb

Neil Crabb

Chief Executive Officer

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Neil Crabb is Chief Executive and founder of Frontier IP. He has considerable experience as an investor and director of a wide range of technology companies and university spin-outs. He co-founded venture capital company Sigma Capital Group plc and was previously an investment manager at Duncan Lawrie Ltd. with responsibility for a range of managed portfolios investing in smaller UK companies and unquoted technology companies. He began his career with Equitable Life Assurance, managing investments in UK small companies and larger stocks in the electronics sector. Neil is an approved person under FSMA.

neil@frontierip.co.uk

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James Cuthbertson

Commercialisation Officer

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James is a Commercialisation Officer at Frontier IP. He has over six years’ experience working as an innovation consultant, guiding multinational companies in technology assessment, market opportunity analysis, and strategy development. Prior to this, he completed a PhD in organic chemistry at University College London

james.cuthbertson@frontierip.co.uk

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Harald Dahle

Product Manager

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Harald has worked in digital product development and management for more than twenty years. His experience includes publishing, education and artificial Intelligence, particularly machine learning. He joined Frontier IP from Cambridge-based start-up, Secondmind, and holds an Engineering degree from Imperial College London.

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Vanessa De Queiroz

CEO Executive Assistant

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Vanessa is the assistant to Chief Executive Officer Neil Crabb. She has eight years’ experience as a personal and executive assistant to senior executives in multinationals and a strong background in Marketing and Communications management.

Vanessa.DeQueiroz@frontierip.co.uk

Jim Fish

Jim Fish

Chief Financial Officer

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Jim is Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Frontier IP. He has over 25 years’ experience in senior financial positions and a wide range of commercial experience including venture capital funded small/medium-sized enterprises and start-up companies. He was latterly interim Finance Director at The One Place Capital Limited, an online technology start-up. He qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG and holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh.

jim@frontierip.co.uk

Janet Forbes

Janet Forbes

Financial Controller

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Janet is Financial Controller at Frontier IP, has strong experience in finance and administration in companies commercialising research, and is ACCA qualified. While working for Edinburgh University in the early 2000s she was seconded to work on the launch of the spin-out Rhetorical, the highly regarded text-to-speech developer, and subsequently joined the company. She moved in 2005 to MTEM Ltd, another Edinburgh spin-out, this time in the very fast-moving environment of oil and gas services. She has also held posts Hyaltech Ltd and Napier University, Edinburgh.

janet.forbes@frontierip.co.uk

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Ben Jensen

Advanced Electronics Commercialisation Director

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Ben is the Advanced Electronics Commercialisation Director. He has over 20 years’ experience in commercialisation of nanomaterial coatings and semiconductor reactor systems. In his previous role he founded Surrey NanoSystems and went on to develop the world’s darkest materials under the Vantablack brand. Ben has extensive experience in fundraising, commercial strategy, brand and business development in semiconductor, space and automotive markets.

Ben.Jensen@frontierip.co.uk

Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson

Director of Communications & Investor Relations

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Andrew is Frontier IP’s Director of Communications & Investor Relations. Andrew, a former deputy city Editor for the Daily Express, was a journalist for more than 20 years before moving into financial services where he worked in communications and marketing. He studied Modern History at the University of Oxford.

andrew.johnson@frontierip.co.uk

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Caroline Jones

Accounts and Administration assistant

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Caroline is an Accounts and Administration assistant, working on the accounts for Frontier IP and its portfolio companies. She has over 15 years of experience working in the finance teams of various companies in the construction and manufacturing sector.

caroline.jones@frontierip.co.uk

Natasha

Natasha Kappella

Commercialisation Officer

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Natasha is a Commercialisation Officer at Frontier IP. She has experience in intellectual property management, university technology transfer and business development having previously worked in the commercial arms of Imperial College London, St George’s Hospital Medical School, and the University of Edinburgh. Natasha has an honours degree in Medical Sciences and a  masters in Regenerative Medicine, both from the University of Edinburgh.

natasha.kappella@frontierip.co.uk

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Patricia Lopes

Medical Devices Analyst

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Patricia is Medical Devices Analyst and is based in Portugal. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on biomechanics and biomedical devices. She has experience supporting the development of novel medical devices, mathematical research, and project management activities.

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Catarina Mateus

Finance Manager, Portugal

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Catarina is the Finance Manager for Frontier IP Portugal, based in Lisbon. She has a decade’s experience in accounting, auditing – at a Big Four firm – and more recently in business management at a Portuguese venture capital company. She holds a degree in Administration and Business Management from Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics and a post-graduate degree in Auditing.

catarina.mateus@frontierip.co.uk

Jackie

Jackie McKay

Chief Operating Officer

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Jackie is the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, supporting the Chief Executive in the delivery of the Group’s objectives. She has substantial experience of the university IP and venture capital industries and has been working with Frontier IP since its inception to help develop new and existing commercialisation relationships. Jackie spent nearly ten years at Sigma Capital Group plc, latterly as Corporate Development Director, where she was responsible for structuring and setting up venture funds and university partnerships. Prior to Sigma, Jackie spent 12 years with Bank of Scotland. She has an MA in Psychology.

jackie@frontierip.co.uk

Janice

Janice McKinlay

Portfolio Finance Executive

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Janice is our Portfolio Finance Executive, working on the accounts for Frontier IP and its portfolio companies. She is ACCA qualified, and has a broad range of experience working in the finance teams of large corporate companies such as IQVIA as well as small non-profit organisations. Janice also holds a Diploma in Accounting and Business.

janice.palmqvist@frontierip.co.uk

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Diogo Mendonça

Analyst

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Based in Portugal, Diogo is an Analyst at Frontier IP. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering and a masters in Business Management. He is focussed on supporting our portfolio companies by performing IP and technology assessment. His previous experience was mainly linked to viticulture and winemaking.

Joanna

Joanna Newman

Personal Assistant and Portfolio Coordinator

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Jo is the personal assistant to Chief Commercialisation Officer Matthew White as well as our portfolio coordinator. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a personal and executive assistant to senior executives across a broad range of industries, including insurance and IT.

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John Price

Senior food and agritech adviser

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John spent 25 years working for Mars, Incorporated, the global food and petcare group, where he rose to become Vice-President Operations Europe. He subsequently became chairman of Mars Pension Trustees Limited.

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Sara Reis

Portfolio Manager

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Sara is Portfolio Manager at Frontier IP. She has over 6 years’ experience of technology transfer in different Portuguese universities, supporting R&D groups developing technology into spinout companies. She also worked as business development manager for a startup in the US. Sara holds a degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics and a masters in Economics and Management of Science, Technology and Innovation. She is based in Portugal.

sara.reis@frontierip.co.uk

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Mark Rosten

Software Commercialisation Director

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Mark Rosten is Software Commercialisation Director. He has more than 30 years’ experience in leading software and product development teams across Healthcare, FinTech and Transport, in companies ranging from start-ups to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and larger corporations. His most recent role before joining Frontier IP was as Senior Vice President Development at Bango plc.

mark.rosten@frontierip.co.uk

Lucy

Lucy Rowbotham

Technology Commercialisation Director

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Lucy is a Technology Commercialisation Director. She has over 30 years’ experience of transforming technology knowhow into product innovations, for market leading companies in the healthcare, industrial and consumer sectors. Her prior role was as a Consulting Director in the MedTech division of Cambridge Consultants, a design and development company. She has an MA in Natural Sciences, Physics from the University of Cambridge

lucy.rowbotham@frontierip.co.uk

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Gary Waterfall

Senior Defence Adviser

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Gary served for 34 years in the Royal Air Force, including flying Harriers and serving for three years with the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows. His roles included commanding the Royal Air Force’s Air Combat Group (No 1 Group) and service as the UK’s National Air Defence Commander. His final role before retirement was as Chief of Staff at The Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood, where he was responsible for planning and executing joint operations involving all three services around the world. He is Deputy Lieutenant to the County of Lincolnshire and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Matthew White

Matthew White

Chief Commercialisation Officer

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Matt is Chief Commercialisation Officer. He has over 23 years’ experience in technology, product and service innovation, business development and marketing. In his previous role he was Head of Innovation, AB Sugar, part of FTSE 100 group AB Foods. He also has extensive experience working with university partners. He has an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University.

matthew.white@frontierip.co.uk

Campbell Wilson

Campbell Wilson

Senior Pharmaceutical Adviser

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Campbell is Senior Pharmaceutical Adviser for Frontier IP. Campbell, who is past Chairman and currently a member of the Board of the UK Pharmaceutical Licensing Group, has worked in the UK pharmaceutical industry for approximately 35 years. The last 17 years of his career were in business development at AstraZeneca, the global research-based biopharmaceutical company, latterly as Executive Business Development Director within the company’s central Business Development function. He led strategic collaboration and licensing activities at the unit, driving multiple technology and oncology therapy area collaborations and product licensing deals, including high profile and innovative agreements. Before his involvement in business development, Campbell worked in senior level scientific roles in cardiovascular drug discovery at AstraZeneca, and earlier at Beecham Pharmaceuticals (now GSK).

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Darren Winter

Director of Corporate Relationships

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Darren has more than 30 years’ experience in senior roles in the City. It includes sales director roles with BWD Securities, Charterhouse Securities, and HSBC. He was also Head of Capital Markets, Sales, for Collins Stewart Wealth Management, and held roles at Westhouse Group and Arbuthnot Securities.