SETsquared Chair and External Board Members
Chair - Richard Excell
Richard Excell has over thirty years' international industrial experience with both large and small companies. A common thread throughout this period has been his involvement with the development of innovative products and services linked to new technologies.
During recent years Richard has been involved as Chairman/NED with both listed and private Venture Capital backed companies across a wide range of sectors including Aerospace, Medical, Property, Consumer Goods. He is also a private investor in start-up companies. Additional to his industry work, he has been closely involved with the development of UK and other Government Policies aimed at increasing the level of innovation in both the private and public sector. He is a recognised international speaker on these matters and has a strong grasp of the issues confronting relationships between higher education institutions, Government, and the private sector. He is on the Council for Bath University and became Chairman of the SETsquared Partnership Board in January 2006.
Don Spalinger
Don was the co-founder of Southampton Photonics, overseeing the establishment of its development and production operations, business development marketing and sales.
A former Managing Vice President/Practice Leader of worldwide telecommunications research for Gartner Group, he oversaw the research and consulting activities of 300 analysts and consultants located in 25 countries. Don is also the founder and President of On-Stream Networking (now 3Coms Broadband Access Division), a company focused on broadband networking systems.
Kim Hayward
Kim is a Business Services Partner with BDO Stoy Hayward which provides a comprehensive range of business advice and accounting services across the UK and worldwide, as part of the BDO International network. The company offers professional expertise to help entrepreneurial businesses maximise their potential and achieve their goals. Kim’s specialises in the area of Business Assurance and Business Systems Advice to the Advertising Media & Communications, Education, Financial Services, Leisure & Hospitality and Retail sectors.
Dr John Forrest
John has joined the University of Surrey as a Pro-Chancellor. He has acted as an advisor to the European Commission on technology and has also been a non executive director of Interregnum plc and 3i plc. He was the founder and first Chief Executive of NTL in the early 1990's.
John currently serves as Chairman or Director of a range of companies in the technology and financial services sectors and has active involvement with universities and industry in Europe and the USA. He has assisted several technology start-ups as chairman or director and been closely involved in their initial public offerings on the London AIM and US NASDAQ markets.
Deputy Chairman & Senior Independent Director of a University of Surrey spin out company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL).
John was founder Chairman of the UK Government Spectrum Management Advisory Board, a body set up by the UK Parliament to advise Government ministers on the management and use of the wireless spectrum. As Senior Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, he founded the Academy's publication Ingenia
