Meet The Team:

Glenn Barrowman
Glenn Barrowman is an experienced member of the Birmingham Technology Limited Business Development team based at Aston Science Park. Glenn has developed and been responsible for the delivery from inception of the Photonics Cluster (UK) technology network. Glenn has been responsible for the securing in addition to growing the membership key milestones including securing set up funding from the Department of Trade and Industry Innovative Clusters Fund, agreeing the merger with the United Kingdom of Laser and Electro Optics Association, obtaining revenue funding to support the network from Advantage West Midlands, and securing support to establish the end user industry focussed Photonics Application Centre facilities.
This has been successfully undertaking in parallel to complementary business development activities for Aston.

Prior to joining Birmingham Technology Ltd in July 2000 Glenn enjoyed a successful 3 year period as Park Director for Coventry University setting up from inception their current Technology Park. This project followed a highly successful 6 year period of employment with Scottish Enterprise, Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited where Glenn specialised in the delivery of complex multi disciplinary projects with substantial economic development impact including the establishment of the Photonics focussed initiative Elvingston Science Centre, near Edinburgh with Dr David Simpson.

Consistent with his fellow team members Glenn's project record is results driven combining effort and diligence with imagination and creativity to secure the successful end product.


Nina Blackmore
Nina is an experienced member of the Birmingham Technology Limited Business Development team based at Aston Science Park. Nina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 1997 with a BA Hons in Modern Languages and is fluent in German, French and Dutch. Nina has in addition to a CIM in marketing has excellent organisational and project management spending three years at Levi's & Co in Amsterdam supervising an international Operations Support Department before returning to join the PCUK.

Nina is the Operations Director for the international LED and Solid State Lighting conference and exhibition EuroLED 2006. Nina has represented PCUK on several technology and trade missions including the support of UK delegations to Photonics West, Photonics North and specific UK Swiss and UK German collaborations.

Moreover Nina is in regular contact with the PCUK technology network permitting the exploration and exploitation of commercial opportunities for the benefit of the PCUK membership and the UK optoelectronics industry.

 

Dr Gareth John
Gareth is an experienced member of the Birmingham Technology Limited Business Development team based at Aston Science Park. Gareth graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2001 with a first in Applied Physics. His degree included work on human biophysical responses to magnetic fields. Gareth continued his studies with a PhD in Quantum and Functional Matter Physics at the University of Southampton where he worked on the experimental study of spin relaxation phenomena in gallium arsenide quantum wells.
Gareth is currently the Optical Engineering Technician at PCUK with responsibility for technical company interface using photonics as the core technology at the facilities working on identification, diagnostics and problem solving.

Ian Stewart
Ian is an experienced member of the BTL Business Development team based at Aston Science Park. Ian trained in electrical and electronic engineering and following post-grad work holds diplomas in Industrial Management and Business Excellence. Ian's experience includes R & D work in compound semiconductor materials and LEDs encompassing crystal growth, device fabrication and performance measurement.

Ian has a keen interest in Quality Management, and spent a number of years in manufacturing industries including medical electronics, computer hardware and instrumentation, where he developed and implemented structured QMSs, and led the drive for continuous improvement. Ian is a certificated Lead Auditor, Fellow of the IQA, Member of the Chartered Management Institute and Associate Member of the Institute of Materials.

Prior to joining PCUK Ian was a technology translator within a project which assisted over 100 SMEs with technology transfer projects sourcing knowledge and expertise from a network of around 40 research and technology organisations such as QinetiQ, DDA, local universities and other specialists according to the clients' needs. Within the portfolio of clients Ian supported several photonics based clients with activities including securing the transfer of IP from QinetiQ for its subsequent exploitation by a client company and the development of an instrument to measure laser beam quality.

 

Hannah Gripton

Hannah graduated from the University of the West of England, Bristol in 2002 with a BA (Hons) in Media and Society. After leaving university she worked for the NEC Group for a year before leaving the company to go travelling for 15 months. During her trip Hannah visited South America, New Zealand, Australia and Asia. As Project Co-ordinator her role is primarily to support the PCUK in a variety of areas including event organisation, management of the membership network, animation of the PCUK brokering facility, issue of regular membership and community electronic news updates and is the first point of contact for cluster enquiries.

Alex Clarke
Alex Clarke has more than 15 years in commercialising IP in Electronic and Opto-electronic markets. His experience extends to global business activities and building long term commercial relationships in the Far East and North America. Prior to joining BTL Alex held several leadership roles for technology transfer ventures, including Director of Optical Antenna Solutions, developing and taking complex optical technologies to the opto-electronic markets.

In this role, he also oversaw operations, project management and governance of intellectual property. Coming from an engineering and design background, Alex has a strong technical understanding in developing Broadcast technologies, opto-electronic & IT engineering supported by commercial experience becoming highly familiar with opto-electronic, photonic and related market sectors. He has experience of scoping missions and conducting business in the Far East and North America. Alex delivers much of the Photonics Cluster (UK) responsibilities within the UK Photonics KTN. Moreover Alex has been implementing on behalf of the KTN the UK Photonics Strategy launched in July 2006 as well as creating a regional interpretation of this strategy on behalf of the Regional Development Agency Advantage West Midlands.