About Dr. Will Barton, OBE, FRSC, MIOD
Chairman, Irish Manufacturing Research
In 2016 Will was awarded an OBE (order of the British Empire) by her Majesty the Queen for his services to Innovation & Manufacturing. Will started his 40+ year career in the chemical industry with ICI where he progressed to the level of Manufacturing Director in the USA, ultimately with Zeneca. He joined the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) on a part time basis in 2009 as Head of Technology, then Head of Manufacturing and was responsible for the development of a highly regarded High Value Manufacturing Strategy and also led the set up and became the first board member of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. He is now Chairman of Oxford Biotrans Limited, of Amalyst Limited and of Irish Manufacturing Research Limited, a Non Executive Director of NiTech Solutions Limited, of ZuvaSyntha Limited and of IfM Education and Consultancy Services Limited, Chairman of Advisory Board of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Additive Manufacturing, and a member of the Ventures Board of the University of Bath; he also assists other potential technology spin-outs, universities and investors through his own company, WillB Consulting Limited.
Will has a first class honours degree in Physics and D Phil in Theoretical Physics from Oxford, and a Certificate in International Business General Management from INSEAD. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Member of the Institute of Directors, and a member of the Council of the Chemical Industries Association and of the Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum.