STFC Executive Director for the Business and Innovation Directorate
Paul Vernon is Executive Director for the Business and Innovation Directorate at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Head of Daresbury Laboratory.
Paul returned to STFC in July 2020 as Executive Director of the Business and Innovation Directorate. He sits on STFC’s Executive Board and is Chair of the Sci-Tech Daresbury joint venture.
Originally a biochemist, Paul’s career has encompassed commercial finance, scientific and medical sales and marketing and international distribution. He has extensive experience in technology start-ups, having been the CEO of two medical diagnostics companies, and in technology transfer and business incubation.
From 2002 until 2014, Paul worked for STFC where he was responsible for spinning out five technology businesses, established STFC’s business development activity and latterly headed up campus development for the national science and innovation campuses. He also managed UK technology transfer for the European Space Agency and established the world’s first CERN Business Incubation Centre.
From 2014 to 2020, Paul was the founding CEO of Thornton Science Park in Cheshire and Senior Executive Director of Commercial Operations at the University of Chester.
Last updated: 5 September 2023