About UKSPA

Dr Sally Basker – Chair

Dr Sally Basker has been Chief Executive Officer of Exeter Science Park Ltd (ESPL) – since March 2017, in which time she has created and implemented a scale-up business plan and strategy that has generated significant momentum in growing ESPL’s client staff headcount.

Prior to being appointed CEO at ESPL, Sally had 15 years’ board/senior-level experience in the highly regulated aerospace, defence, navigation and nuclear sectors. This involved building teams and changing cultures, creating and implementing strategies for high-value science/technology products and services, delivering policy and strategy advice to private and public sector clients, and leading advocacy to minister-level globally.

Grant Bourhill – Vice Chair

Grant has a wealth of experience in the innovation, real estate and research sectors.

He is currently MD at Barts Life Sciences, focussed on driving innovation into healthcare supported by substantial new real estate in East London dedicated for Life Sciences.

He was previously CEO at Surrey Research Park and, prior to this, at Leicester Space Park, where he was responsible for the development of the new Innovation Park from concept to launch.

He has worked in both private and public sectors and has been involved in innovation across multiple sectors including clean energy, consumer electronics, space and healthcare. Grant holds an MBA from Oxford University.

Aaron Hunter – Honorary Treasurer

Aaron is the Head of Finance at Hethel Innovation.

He is a Chartered Accountant and also has a BSc in Biology, and brings this domain knowledge to his role as Honorary Treasurer together with diverse experience building a biotechnology sector network through an EU-funded project, a researcher at a professional association, as well as an enjoyable stint as director of a charity and sports club.

Angie Reynolds – Company Secretary

Angie is the COO of University of Birmingham Enterprise ltd, with additional responsibilities for company finance and HR matters. She is also the Company Secretary and experienced in corporate governance. She has over 20 years of property management experience, mobilising new builds, laboratory conversions, and incubation spaces – including the creation of the  award winning Unit 9 Med tech incubator at Birmingham Research Park. 

Roz Bird – Director

A Chartered Surveyor, and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Roz joined Norwich Research Park as Chief Executive Officer of Anglia Innovation Partnership, the science park management company, in May 2022.

Roz has had a very successful career managing urban regeneration projects and science parks in Cambridge, Silverstone, Milton Keynes and Bristol. She joined AIP LLP after 15 years with MEPC Ltd – a commercial property company – where she was commercial director.

Prior to that she was business development manager at the UK Science Park Association.

Caroline Fleming – Director

Caroline is the Innovation Director of Surrey Research Park, providing community services and cluster activities that enhance the innovation opportunities of the 200+ Park tenants and support their growth. She is also the Partnership Director for SETsquared Partnership and leads the onsite incubator with a collection of SME support programmes, including the S100 Angel investment Club. In addition, she leads sector Programmes which provide funded opportunities for businesses to collaborate with university researchers and access facilities and skills and supports the civic engagement in the region.  Current programmes focus in the sectors of Space, Games, Animal Health and Cyber security and Cancer. 

Caroline is a mechanical engineer by background and brings a wealth of over 20 years of experience of working with early-stage technology companies to accelerate their innovations into the marketplace and a strong track record in developing enterprise support programmes and incubators, creating innovation ecosystems. She spent the middle part of her career focused delivering support programmes for Cleantech innovations and energy efficiency enabling solutions and now supports a broader portfolio of technology solutions that address the societal challenges of the globe.  

Jane Hutchins – Director

Appointed as Director of Cambridge Science Park in August 2022, Jane Hutchins brings a wealth of experience of the science park sector and the innovative companies and people it serves.

Jane is also chair of the Cambridge Forum for Place, established by Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority; a member of Anglia Ruskin University’s business advisory board; and of the Cambridge University Library.

Working in partnership with Trinity College Cambridge and managing agents Bidwells, Jane is responsible for delivering the College’s future vision for the Park. This includes an ambitious new cycle of investment focused on sustainability, amenity enhancement and the creation of diverse and inclusive employment opportunities for the wider Cambridge community. Jane also plays a key role in supporting existing and new businesses on the Park, which is at the heart of one of the best-known and economically successful science, technology and innovation ecosystems in the world – Cambridge.

Philip Macdonald – Director

Phil is the Managing Partner of Oberlanders and Lead Partner for their Science and Research portfolio.

The Science and Research sector is a bedrock of the practice.  Oberlanders became Business Affiliate members of UKSPA in 2017 and since then Phil has been a regular attendee and speaker at conferences and events. Phil has worked with the majority of current Scottish UKSPA members as well as leading projects on major science campuses in Cambridge, Oxfordshire and London. He has also provided consultancy work for major research facilities overseas.

Phil’s experience includes over 200,000 sqm of space for science and research, including laboratories for research and teaching, specialist cleanroom or licensed and controlled environments, as well as associated breakout and collaboration spaces. Clients have included public sector/institutional clients as well as developers and science park tenants.

Over the past 20 years he has seen the sector evolve and grow and has excellent insight into the current and future requirements of tenants. He understands the pressure and challenges of the ever-changing demands of scientific research and the need to create agile space in an efficient, affordable and environmentally sustainable manner.

Prashant Shah – Director

Prashant is the co-CEO and co-founder of the o2h group. He has led the design and execution of the Mill SciTech Park, an award-winning boutique renovation of a disused heritage site in Hauxton, Cambridge. The o2h group is headquartered in Cambridge, UK and has nurtured a footprint encompassing UK/USA and India.

As a serial entrepreneur from the dot-com era now covering life-science and tech, he co-founded a drug discovery company that was acquired by a major public company. He is an active ecosystem, community and culture builder. Interests include seed investing (a portfolio of almost 50 companies), services and product/IP development.

He holds various board positions including the Eastern Powerhouse, Techbio/Biotech NED and chair positions including Form the Future and is a Research Fellow of the Judge Business School.

Prashant began his career with the strategy group of Accenture in London. He is an author and has a BEng, an MSc, in which he worked on the Human Genome Program at the Sanger Centre. He also has an MPhil in Management from the Judge Institute, Cambridge University.

Sam Jackson – Early Career Professional Board Observer

Samantha is Marketing Manager at Babraham Research Campus in Cambridge, where she is responsible for developing and delivering the marketing strategy for the Campus. Previously, Sam was in Real Estate for a regional consultancy firm where she advised on the Life Science strategy amongst many other initiatives and prior to this, a global Real Estate firm working in marketing for residential and rural sales.

Sam has a degree in Marketing and Business Management, a mini MBA in Brand Management and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.