Informatics Ventures Team
Gordon Stuart BSc MBA CEng MIET
Senior Executive
+44 131 6509915
+44 7785330883
gordon [dot] stuart [at] ed [dot] ac [dot] uk
Click here to see Gordon Stuart's Bio
After graduating, Gordon Stuart spent almost 20 years as a technologist in advanced product R&D both in the UK and internationally. This involved working at the forefront of electronic and software technologies in a number of industries. He returned to Scotland to establish a Research & Development centre for a Swiss owned multi-national corporation.
In 1996 Gordon co-founded and became CEO of Spektra, which in 2001 was Scotland's fastest growing technology company. In recognition of the company's success he was invited to Downing Street as a guest of the Prime Minister and to an award ceremony at Richard Branson's Oxfordshire home.
Since 2004 he has been involved in a range of initiatives aimed at promoting start-up activity within Scottish Universities. He has personally engaged with over 20 companies as a mentor, non-executive director and private investor in a variety of sectors including software, electronics, video games, energy and on-line education. In 2008 he was named as one of Scotland's 'Science and Technology Big Hitters' by Business Insider magazine.
In addition to his role with Informatics Ventures, Gordon works with the Scottish Enterprise commercialisation team as an adviser to start-ups with high-growth potential and Proof of Concept projects running within Scottish universities.
He has a wide network of contacts, has spoken at many business events and has been a guest speaker for the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and the University of Edinburgh Business School.
Laura Rich
Finance and Administration
+44 1316504432
laura [dot] rich [at] ed [dot] ac [dot] uk
Click here to see Laura Rich's Bio
Laura has worked within the University’s School of Informatics for the past 6 years, as Finance Administrator for the ProspeKT and Informatics Ventures programmes and previously on the European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) for the Edinburgh-Stanford Link.
She has acquired a comprehensive background in finance and administration since graduating with BSc (Hons) from University of Leeds. She managed grants in the Research Funds Department at The British Heart Foundation in London, coordinating the control and distribution of public money, awarded via specialised Committees, for heart research at scientific institutes across the UK. Prior to this Laura worked within the head office finance departments at Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services, Network Rail, BUPA and Egg plc.
Ronnie Johnston
Events and Communications Manager
+44 131 650 9979
ronnie [dot] johnston [at] ed [dot] ac [dot] uk
Click here to see Ronnie Johnston's Bio
Ronnie Johnston is the Events and Communications Manager for Informatics Ventures, bringing over 14 years of conference & event management experience. Before working with Informatics Ventures, Ronnie ran her own company Rj Events, where she delivered events for such clients as Young Company Finance, Interface- Connection for Business, EPIS (Edinburgh Pre-Incubator Scheme) and Business Forum Scotland Ltd. Previously Ronnie was PA to the Director of Commercialisation within TRS (Technology & Research Services) at Heriot-Watt University and played a pivotal role in the administration of the commercialisation strategy. Ronnie was also a founder and driving force behind the company Innovation Event Management Ltd.
Danny Helson MBA
Project Manager
+44 1316504427
+44 7984035399
d [dot] helson [at] ed [dot] ac [dot] uk
Duncan Davidson
Senior Web Analyst
+44 1316509998
duncan [dot] davidson [at] ed [dot] ac [dot] uk
Click here to see Duncan Davidson's Bio
Duncan is a British Computer Society accredited Chartered Engineer with a degree in Computing Science from the University of Aberdeen. After graduation, he held positions at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen College, the University of Abertay, the University of Edinburgh and Power Software Ltd, an Aberdeen-based company serving clients in the telecommunications, finance and defence industries.
