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NMI appoints Dr Alastair McGibbon to advance members’ business growth from R&D and innovation

10th October 2011

NMI

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NMI has appointed Dr Alastair McGibbon as its director of research, development and innovation policy. Alastair heads a new service that will help its members get better access to R&D funding. The newly created service will help companies make R&D a core part of their growth strategy. It will offer a tailored diagnostic, advising companies on the relevant, available public and private funding; offer support to help win funding; and broker partnerships across business, academia and the supply chain. The role will also seek to align future government funding policies with the interests of the wider Electronic Systems community.

Alastair is an expert in using European and national funding for innovation, research and development as a business development tool. He brings over 25 years of direct industrial and academic experience in electronic systems management, R&D and strategic business development.

The creation of the new role has been well received and Iain Gray, CEO of the Technology Strategy Board said: “In my opinion the Electronic Systems community will benefit from presenting itself in a more cohesive fashion with clear linkages to the challenge-led agenda. I am therefore positive about this initiative and will be encouraging my team in the Technology Strategy Board to work closely with NMI on common interest areas.”

Professor David Delpy, CEO of EPSRC also commented: “Electronic Systems permeate almost every aspect of modern life and contribute to the advancement of science. If this initiative can help bring stronger partnerships and increased levels of R&D across UK businesses and academia then it has our full support.”

“Research, development and innovation are vital to our industry’s strategic growth yet there hasn’t been a centralised expertise to help companies make it through the maze of options. There is a significant opportunity to influence this, especially through increased communication and advice on R&D,” said Alastair. “We know we can make a real difference and I’m excited to be leading the initiative.”

Derek Boyd, CEO of NMI said: “Through our regular activities it has become self-evident that so much more can be done to improve R&D investment for the electronics industry, and this new service has great potential for impact.

Alastair has the specialist knowledge and experience our members need to be an immediate catalyst for growth and longer term we can better align public and private investment needs to increase collaboration in a way that’s simply not done today.”