Professor Michael Cardew-Hall – CEO, ANU Connect Ventures

Michael (Mick) Cardew-Hall has over 25 years experience as a Chartered Engineer, manager, academic and entrepreneur in the engineering, manufacturing and information technology fields.

He has held technical and managerial positions with leading UK companies such as GEC and Rolls-Royce PLC. He has held a number of academic positions including Professor and Head of Engineering at the ANU, Deputy Dean and Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Mick has taught a wide range of management courses on Engineering and MBA programs in the area of project management, operations management, business planning and entrepreneurship. He has had extensive industrially focused research activities and leads the ANU group within the AutoCRC. He is currently a Director of Simile Systems Pty Ltd, a spin out company from his research activities at the ANU, which develops knowledge capture and management systems for manufacturing applications; the Australian Solar Institute; Synergetic Services Ltd.; and Dosimetry and Imaging Pty Ltd. He holds a BSc(Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nottingham and PhD and DIC from Imperial College London. He is currently part of the university executive at the ANU holding the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Advancement).

Anna Pino – CEO, Lighthouse Innovation Centre

Anna has spent the past 20 years involved with business development at various levels. Her interests in small and start up companies stems from growing up in a small business family and having spent many years dealing first hand with the challenges that face these businesses.

Anna’s expertise ranges the full gamut of business issues from financial planning control and analysis, market definition and import/export strategies, human resource management through to stock control and purchasing structures. Anna’s approach is to be hands on at all times.

Anna started her career working as a Psychologist and found that relating the principles to the business environment to be her greatest interest. Anna has completed a number of additional studies including a Graduate Diploma in Computing (specialising in systems analysis and information systems) and a Master of Commerce in which her dissertation focused on the issues associated with capital raising for small business in Australia.

John Thorne – Director, ANU Office of Commercialisation

While originally working as a geologist in the research group of an Australian mineral exploration company, John has worked in research commercialisation for over twenty-three years for CSIRO (twice), ANUtech Pty Ltd, the Grains Research and Development Corporation and has operated his own commercialisation consultancy business.

John has extensive experience in marketing of a wide range of new research based technologies in Australia and internationally including identification and development of business relationships with new partners, research, development and commercialization planning, winning investment funds and management of commercial research programs.  He has in-depth experience in identification, protection and management of intellectual property, transfer of technology from researchers to business in all forms including negotiation and management of license agreements, design, establishment and initial implementation of high tech business units, incorporated and unincorporated joint ventures and start up companies.

Robert Holgate – External Representative

Robert is a Project and Client Manager in the Business and Industry Development Division of the ACT Chief Minister’s Department.

Robert is responsible for developing and managing a range of the ACT Government’s business development and support programs including export, international education, general business support and business networking.  Robert has a passion for working with entrepreneurial and innovative people and linking them to successful business expertise and opportunities.  Robert has previously developed and implemented innovative business development programs within ACT and Federal Government agencies and spent four years working across the ACT, NSW, Victoria and South Australia in assisting businesses in developing their commercialisation skills.