Newsroom
September 14th 2021
Changes to the Grey Innovation Group Board - Prof Bruce Thompson joins
The Board of Grey Innovation has announced changes to the Board. At the completion of her four-year tenure, Ms Tania Fryer has announced her retirement from the Board. Tania joined the Grey Innovation Group Board in September 2017.
During her four years on the Board, Tania has made a significant contribution, providing guidance and bringing her experience as a professional non-executive director skilled in technology, IP commercialisation and law. The Board would like to thank Tania for her commitment and contribution over the past four years and wishes her well in her future endeavours.
Announcing her departure, Tania said “When I was appointed to the Board, I was pleased to be able to work with my fellow Directors on the strategy for the next stage and to support Grey Innovation through a period of exciting growth and development.
“We have achieved much in delivering on the strategy we set in November 2017 to unlock research for a healthier, cleaner and more secure world. I believe we have been able to make a difference commercialising IP to create high-value businesses.
“Grey Innovation’s leadership of the national ventilator consortium last year was a highlight, together with growing GreyScan, Eco Detection and earlier stage portfolio companies.
“Grey Innovation’s next strategic stage includes establishing the Grey Innovation Ventures ESVCLP Fund. After my four year period on the Board, and Grey Innovation’s growth and evolution to this point, I believe the time is right for me to retire from the Grey Innovation Group Board.
“I wish my fellow Directors and the team at Grey Innovation all the best and continued success.”
The Board of Grey Innovation Group is pleased to announce that Prof. Bruce Thompson has been appointed as a non-executive director effective 9th September 2021. Prof Bruce Thompson is the Dean, School of Health Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology. Passionate about innovations in medical technologies, he is skilled in epidemiology, medical devices and healthcare.
Professor Thompson is the immediate past President of the Australian and New Zealand Thoracic Society and head of Physiology Services at the Alfred Hospital. He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal articles and contributed to a number of government policy documents.
“I was privileged to join Professors David Story and Rinaldo Bellomo on the Grey Innovation-led Notus Emergency Ventilator Project in the early days of the pandemic. As an admirer of Grey’s model to identify and commercialise the best medtech research from universities and institutions, I welcome this exciting opportunity to use my experience to help guide the process, in COVID-19 solutions and beyond.”
Jefferson Harcourt, Executive Chair of Grey Innovation Group said “I would like to thank Tania for all her significant contribution over the last four years and wish her all the best going forward.
“I’m very pleased to have Prof. Thompson join, the timing is exquisite as we seek to develop COVID related technologies and bring them to market. I’m very much looking forward to working with Bruce.”
GREY INNOVATION VENTURES
With the establishment of the Grey Innovation Investment Partners and the early stage venture capital limited partnership (ESVCLP), Matt McNamara has resigned from the Grey Innovation Group Board to take up the position of Managing Director of the fund. Matt joined the Grey Innovation Group board in October 2019 and, harnessing his 20 plus years of venture capital experience, successfully secured an ESVCLP licence from the Australian Federal Government.
Matt resigned from the Grey Innovation Group board to reduce any perceived conflict of interest with the fund. When making this change, Matt said "I am excited to be a part of the Grey Innovation Ventures Fund and the revised structure of the GIG board has been received very well by prospective investors into the fund.
I joined the Grey Innovation Group board because I regard their approach to company building as superior to anything I have seen in the venture space. The new fund is an exciting opportunity for investors to harness the capability of the Grey Innovation Group and seek to realise potentially superior venture returns."
