8671 - CEO, Cardiff Innovations Ltd

Cardiff Innovations Ltd is a newly established, wholly owned subsidiary of Cardiff University, created to accelerate innovation, commercialisation and enterprise activity across the University. It will provide a single gateway for researchers, entrepreneurs, industry partners and investors, bringing together commercialisation, incubation and enterprise activity within a dedicated organisation focused on delivering impact and growth. It will be an anchor organisation delivering innovation services for Cardiff and Wales, helping to drive Cardiff as a fourth-generation University for a devolved nation.

Launching formally in April 2027, Cardiff Innovations Ltd is backed by one of the UK's leading research universities, which brings a growing portfolio of spin-outs and deep partnerships across industry and government. Cardiff University has a comprehensive research and innovation base that is growing in strength and number, with a live grant portfolio worth over £600 million. Together, these strengths represent a unique opportunity to accelerate innovation-led growth for Cardiff, Wales and beyond.

The Cardiff Innovations Ltd Board is now seeking to appoint its inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO will have a rare opportunity to build a new innovation organisation from the ground up, develop a high-performing team, grow strategic partnerships, create opportunities for innovation to thrive and deliver lasting benefits for society aligned with economic growth and wider prosperity.

The successful candidate will combine commercial acumen with a passion for innovation, bringing a proven track record of developing partnerships, identifying growth opportunities and delivering organisational impact. They will be able to work effectively across academia, industry, devolved and national governments and investment communities, creating the conditions for new ventures, commercial success and long-term economic and societal benefit.

We encourage you to arrange a discussion with our search partner, Perrett Laver, to find out more about the opportunity.

How to Apply

The University will be supported in this appointment process by the executive search firm Perrett Laver. If you would like to discuss this opportunity further or have any questions about the role, please contact Harvir Bains via harvir.bains@perrettlaver.com or +44 (0)20 3928 7355.

For details of the appointment, including further information about the job description, person specification, and how to apply, please click the 'Request More Information' button below to access the Candidate Brief. The reference number for this role is 8671.

Applications should consist of a full curriculum vitae, detailing experience, full employment history and relevant achievements. CVs should be accompanied by a covering letter describing briefly how candidates meet the criteria outlined in the person specification, why the appointment is of interest and what they believe they can bring to the role.

The closing date for applications is 09:00 BST on Monday 2nd November.

Longlisted candidates will be invited for preliminary meetings with Perrett Laver during w/c 9th and w/c 16th November, following which the Search Committee will agree on a shortlist. Final interviews and assessments with Cardiff University for shortlisted candidates will be held in early December. 

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Protecting your personal data is of the utmost importance to Perrett Laver and we take this responsibility very seriously. Any information obtained by our trading divisions is held and processed in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation. The data you provide us with is securely stored on our computerised database and transferred to our clients for the purposes of presenting you as a candidate and/or considering your suitability for a role you have registered interest in. As defined under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interests’. You have the right to object to us processing your data in this way. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit the following link http://www.perrettlaver.com/information/privacy.

Please visit the following link in order to find more information about the use of personal information provided by candidates to the university: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/public-information/policies-and-procedures/data-protection.