Public Sector Investment Backing | Edinburgh BioQuarter

It is essential that BioQuarter ties closely to the Council’s work in supporting local economic development and wellbeing.

As the life sciences sector, data-driven innovation and collaboration are at the heart of the Council’s economic strategy, BioQuarter is a unique driver within the city’s sector and investment strategies. The City of Edinburgh Council believes the project will:

Drive inclusive growth by maintaining the supply of high-quality jobs and direct job creation in the knowledge-based economy
Potentially attract significant inward investments and talents to the city
Strengthen the Edinburgh City brand as a place to grow businesses
Ensure that the opportunities presented by BioQuarter will generate and harness local community development

Scotland’s ageing population requires well-planned NHS care. BioQuarter will play a strategic role in meeting this key objective for NHS Lothian. We are interested in working will all partners to develop big data opportunities. By enhancing collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, we can impact patient care and potentially increase research commercialisation and spin-out companies at BioQuarter. As a founding partner of Edinburgh BioQuarter, NHS Lothian will benefit from the partnership by:

Utilising innovation to improve the quality of healthcare delivery and drive down cost
Providing an on-site improved experience in the form of superior retail and leisure facilities, making it easier to recruit and retain staff
Providing an environment within which opportunities to collaborate can be enhanced and benefits maximised

Its vision for Edinburgh BioQuarter is for the site to become a ‘world-class biomedical facility for research and development’– a location contributing significantly to the local and national economy. Scottish Enterprise has provided the majority of funding and resource to BioQuarter’s infrastructure, including NINE – Life Sciences Innovation Centre. Scottish Enterprise believes a partnership with BioQuarter will:

Strengthen Scotland’s life sciences sector by 2025
Create a vibrant commercial life sciences community that attracts new and further inward investment from companies and investors
Leverage the existing and extensive investments in Edinburgh BioQuarter by private sector investments
Provide industry/commercial accommodation that collaborates with the partners’ activities

The University has already invested circa £80m at BioQuarter, and has imminent plans to expand its medical school. It is likely to invest a further £100m+ over the next 5-7 years to deliver on-site teaching and research facilities.

Greater capacity will encourage additional research opportunity and provision, leading to more life sciences innovation. By moving University functions from the centre of Edinburgh, the expectation is of a boost to creative thinking, an increase in opportunities for collaboration and a rise in commercial activity. Growing its current presence at BioQuarter, the University will:

Make the school a more attractive proposition for students and academics
Deliver additional space for the University in its city centre locations
Enhance Edinburgh BioQuarter by bringing University resources, experience and finance to undertake its own on-site developments and activities

Bringing together executive management from across our four public partners, the Strategy Board agrees and enables BioQuarter’s vision. Comprised of senior individuals experienced in healthcare, life sciences, investment and other key sectors. The Advisory Board provides a range of complementary skills, expertise and advice to the Strategy Board. Both Boards boast significant strength across the private and public sectors.

Edinburgh BioQuarter Strategy Board

Linda has substantial experience working within Scottish Enterprise in senior leadership roles and has a deep understanding of economic development and leads the organisation in its work to support entrepreneurs, industries and communities in Scotland. This includes accelerating major opportunities for Scotland’s economy, such as high-value manufacturing and health, data-driven innovation and the low-carbon economy. Linda was appointed Interim CEO in October 2020.

A chartered surveyor bringing over 25 years’ property industry experience, Derek manages teams dealing with a range of property, infrastructure and transport projects throughout Scotland.

Derek is SE’s Senior Responsible Owner for the BioQuarter project.

Andrew leads a team working closely with industry, academic, healthcare and Government partners to grow the Life & Chemical Sciences industry in Scotland. The team focuses specifically on manufacturing, medical devices, pharmaceutical services and regenerative medicine. Andrew has also developed Scotland’s regenerative medicine strategy with industry. Prior to joining Scottish Enterprise, Andrew spent over 10 years working for high-profile Scottish medical device startups.

Susan ensures that financial targets are met, this includes overseeing the revenue budget for NHS Lothian which is currently £1.4bn. Susan also oversees the capital programme including the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences at BioQuarter.

Iain is responsible for managing the project delivery of NHS Lothian’s strategic capital schemes and site master planning. Current projects within Edinburgh BioQuarter include the new Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion Hospital.

Allan is Director of Place, responsible for Scottish Enterprise activity in Place Development with a multi-disciplinary team of 75 involved in a range of activities including leading, supporting partnership initiatives, investment in property and infrastructure for businesses addressing property needs of Companies. Also responsible relationship with regional partners and with Government on a number of place projects.

Ashley Shannon qualified as a Chartered Accountant in professional practice in 2002 and spent c.15 years working in Financial Services, specialising in large scale mergers & acquisitions, corporate restructuring and management of strategic projects. In early 2018, Ashley moved to a new leadership role with the University of Edinburgh to further the delivery of strategic priorities and operational leadership across the University.

Gary has considerable experience in Estates project and facilities management, and is well known in the higher education sector.

He joined the University from Queen’s University Belfast, where he was Director for Estates for many years, and a Director of a number of University companies.

Andrew joined the City of Edinburgh Council as Chief Executive in July 2015. He began his local government career with Falkirk District Council. His 32-year public sector career has since included more than three years at Birmingham City Council and North Tyneside Council, where he was CEO from 2005.

Paul joined the Council in 2015 and his responsibilities include Development and Investment, Environment, Culture, Housing, Planning, Regulatory Services and Transport. Prior to this, he was the Corporate Director for Place at Stockport Council before being appointed as Head of Cultural and Economic Development at Newcastle City Council in 2000. He later became Assistant Chief Executive with responsibility for Economic Development, City Region Partnerships and Corporate Communications.

Paul is Chair of the Edinburgh BioQuarter Strategy Board.

The City of Edinburgh Council and its executive committees are made up of elected members. The elected members make the key policy and strategy decisions. These policies decide how services are run. The plans are carried out by Council officers based within four directorates. David works within the ‘Place’ directorate – the department’s responsibilities include planning and development, economic development and a variety of local, infrastructure and regulatory services.

Edinburgh BioQuarter Advisory Board

DRI Capital acquires royalty interests in pharmaceutical products and has built a portfolio of investments in over 60 assets including many blockbuster drugs. DRI is Canada’s largest and oldest life sciences investment firm. John’s experience also includes leading a regenerative medicine company and advising Canadian startup companies.

Serial Biotech Entrepreneur. Past Vice-Chair of BIO and Chair of the BIA. Simon currently chairs Prometic, a rare-disease drug company in Montreal. Nominated a Global Leader of Tomorrow and Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum and “Venturer of the Year” by the FT. Winner of the LBS Alumni Achievement Prize.

Councillor Adam McVey was first elected to the City of Edinburgh Council in 2012 and served as the city’s transport Vice Convenor for three years prior to Council elections in 2017 and represents the Leith ward. Adam has a background in Economics and International Law and represents Edinburgh on COSLA, Chairs the Edinburgh Community Partnership Board and has chaired the Edinburgh City Region Deal joint committee since its creation.

At the University of Bristol, John Iredale has strategic responsibility for the Health and Life Sciences faculties. Previously Regius Chair of Medical Science at the University of Edinburgh, and for six years a Non-Executive Director of NHS Lothian, John’s research interests are focused on tissue scarring and regeneration. He is chair Main Panel A for REF2021, is a member of MRC Council, a Trustee of the BHF and a Non-Executive Director of North Bristol Hospitals Trust.

Hans Möller is the CEO of Karolinska Institutet Holding in Stockholm, responsible for the Institutet’s Innovation ecosystem including an incubator programme, a science park and student accommodation. Hans was Programme Director of Edinburgh BioQuarter, Innovation Director with North East LEP in Newcastle and for 12 years, the CEO of Sweden’s leading science park, Ideon.

The Strength and Scope to Succeed

Our Partners

The City of Edinburgh Council

Edinburgh BioQuarter is critical to the Council’s plans for sustainable city growth and place-making.

NHS Lothian

With an annual budget of £1.6bn, NHS Lothian already has significant assets at Edinburgh BioQuarter and plans to expand its footprint.

Scottish Enterprise

Scottish Enterprise is Scotland’s economic development agency.

The University of Edinburgh

A priority for the University of Edinburgh is the creation, at BioQuarter, of an ecosystem providing world-leading research, teaching, impact and innovation .

Partnership Governance

Edinburgh BioQuarter Strategy Board

Linda Hanna

Interim CEO

Scottish Enterprise

Derek McCrindle

Director of Infrastructure

Scottish Enterprise

Andrew Henderson

Team Leader – High Value Manufacturing & Health

Scottish Enterprise

Susan Goldsmith

Finance Director

NHS Lothian

Iain Graham

Director of Capital Planning and Projects

NHS Lothian

Allan McQuade

Director of Place

Scottish Enterprise

Ashley Shannon

Director of Operations, Corporate Services Group

The University of Edinburgh

Gary Jebb

Director of Estates

The University of Edinburgh

Andrew Kerr

Chief Executive

City of Edinburgh Council

Paul Lawrence

Executive Director - Place

City of Edinburgh Council

David Cooper

Service Manager - Economic Development

City of Edinburgh Council

Edinburgh BioQuarter Advisory Board

John McCulloch, Ph.D.

Managing Director

DRI Capital Inc.

Professor Simon G Best, OBE, FRSE

Chairman

Prometic Lifesciences Inc.

Councillor Adam McVey

Leader of City of Edinburgh Council and the SNP Group

City of Edinburgh Council

John Iredale

Pro Vice Chancellor (Health)

University of Bristol

Hans Möller

Chief Executive Officer

Karolinska Institutet Holding

Our Partners