Simon Best
LM network resources
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Simon Best is a 'serial entrepreneur' working in venture capital and pharmaceuticals. He is is CEO of Aquapharm Ltd, a marine biotechnology company, Chairman of the University of Edinburgh’s BioQuarter initiative and Program Committee Chair of the International Potato Center.[1]
Best 'built three substantial ventures as founding CEO between 1991 and 2005: Zeneca Plant Science, Roslin BioMed, and Ardana. Between 2005 and 2010 he built a portfolio of chair, board, and advisory roles with biotech companies, investors, and public sector bodies in Europe, the USA, and India. He was the Chairman of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) from 2006-2007 and Vice-Chairman of BIO in the USA from 1994-96.'[1]
In 2001, Best joined the Board of ICRISAT and served as Chair from 2006 to 2008. In 2008, Best was appointed to the CIP Board.
Best received his Bachelor of Music from the University of York in 1977 and his MBA from London Business School in 1985. In 2004, he was awarded an Honorary PhD from the University of York. In 2007, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE). In June 2008, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and was made an Honorary Professor of Medicine by the University of Edinburgh.
Connections and views
LM network connections
Best is associated with the libertarian anti-environmental LM network, having written for Spiked [2] and being a shareholder of Spiked Ltd. [3]
Science Media Centre role
Best donated an unspecified sum to the Science Media Centre in around 2005. He was listed as a current funder of the SMC in Spring that year.[4][5]
The Science Media Centre has cited Best on a number of occasions in its public relations releases. In these citations he was referred to as follows:
- 'Scientific community' - CEO, Ardana Bioscience Ltd[6]
- 'Scientist' - Chairman of the BIA (BioIndustry Association) Scotland (14 February 2003)[7]
- 'Scientist' - Chair of Biotechnology Industry Association in Scotland[8]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 International Potato Center simon Best, Accessed 7 July 2013
- ↑ "Don’t neglect Biotech", Spiked website, accessed 29 May 2010
- ↑ Companies House, Spiked Ltd. AR01 Annual Return 2010
- ↑ Current Funders/Previous Funders], SMC website, version placed in web archive 13 Jan 2008, accessed in web archive 28 Sept 2009
- ↑ Science Media Centre SMC Newsletter Issue 4, Spring 2005
- ↑ Science Media Centre, Scientific community responds to GeneWatch UK report MAY 14, 2002
- ↑ Science Media Centre Scientists comment on death of Dolly the sheep Post date GMT: 2003-02-14 00:00:00
- ↑ Science Media Centre Scientists respond to 'Mice Without a Father' paper published in Nature Post date GMT: 2004-04-21 00:00:00
