Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst appoints Martino Picardo as CEO

29 November 2010

Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) has appointed Dr Martino Picardo as its first Chief Executive Officer. Dr Picardo joins from the University of Manchester Incubator Company (UMIC) and will take up his new post in February 2011.

SBC is a joint venture between the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the Wellcome Trust, the East of England Development Agency and the Technology Strategy Board. Construction on the £38 million development, which will be an independent bioscience facility, has started on a site located next to the GSK Research and Development campus in Stevenage. Pioneering a culture of open innovation, tenants at the science park will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and will benefit from the networks and expertise of the sponsor organisations.

As Managing Director of UMIC since 2003, Dr Picardo has overseen its successful development into a venture that has helped to incubate more than 60 start-ups and small and medium enterprises, attracting significant venture capital and generating more than 500 jobs.

With a PhD in biochemistry from Cardiff University, Dr Picardo has 20 years' experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector. In 2008, he was appointed as a non-executive director to the Board of UK Business Incubation, the UK's leading professional body for the development and support of business incubation environments that support high growth and technology centres.

Speaking of his appointment, Dr Picardo said: "I am absolutely delighted to be taking up this new role. Although I am sad to be leaving friends and colleagues in UMIC, I am also looking forward to working with new colleagues in what will be a very exciting and unique opportunity for UK plc in drug discovery and development."

Allan Baxter, Chairman of the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst Board, commented: "We are delighted that Martino has agreed to join us at SBC. He brings a wealth of experience in nurturing and showcasing entrepreneurial innovation and is ideally qualified to lead this exciting and unique venture."

Dr Picardo will transition into his new role over the next two months and will be in place full-time from February 2011.

Image: Dr Martino Picardo. Credit: Martino Picardo.