AusBiotech warmly welcomes Dr Peter French as their new Industry Development Manager, NSW - an indication of its continued support of life sciences across Australia. Dr French has strong industry connections and will be a key part of growing the NSW life sciences industry.
This role is a key strategic goal for AusBiotech, and was outlined in its Strategic Plan 2018 – 2021. It has been developed to ensure the NSW life sciences industry is structurally supported to capitalise on new technologies and growth opportunities.
The NSW sector is considerable, with AusBiotech-commissioned research, the Sector Snapshot 2017, revealing it to be the second largest life sciences hub in Australia, employing around 26,000 people. Around 33 per cent of the research organisations and around 37 per cent of industry organisations are based in NSW.
Based in Sydney and working two days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), Peter will be working closely with Andrew Mosley, Director, Policy and Programmes, and Tanya Daw, Director, Membership and Engagement, to grow AusBiotech’s membership engagement in the state.
Connect with Peter at AusBiotech 2019, Australia's premier life science conference, at the NSW end-of-year event (date to be announced), or email him here.
About Peter
Dr Peter French is a scientist with extensive experience in both basic and clinical medical research and in the biotechnology industry in Australia and the USA. He has over 40 years’ experience in the field of cell and molecular biology, and has published extensively in the areas of oncology, immunology, microbiology and neuroscience.
For the first half of his career he worked in academic research at Sydney University, CSIRO and medical research institutions including the Centre for Immunology at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney. In the second half of his career he has been working in the biotechnology industry at the board and senior executive level.
He has post-graduate qualifications (MSc, PhD) in cell and molecular biology and he holds an MBA in technology management with a track record of successful business creation and capital raising, and growth and strategic leadership of private and public biotechnology, diagnostic and medical devices companies in Australia and in the United States. He is extensively networked in the biotechnology and life sciences community in Australia.
He has served as both an executive and non-executive director on Boards of several public and private companies since 2003. Highlights of his biotechnology company career include: the founder of cord blood company Cryosite Limited; the Managing Director of ASX-listed Probiomics Limited, a company involved in developing, manufacturing and launching probiotic based products, and the Managing Director of NASDAQ- and ASX-listed gene therapy company Benitec Biopharma Limited. He is currently Strategic Technology Advisor for Sienna Cancer Diagnostics Limited, and will continue to serve them and AusBiotech independently.
Peter is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales. He is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at UNSW and an Honorary Fellow at Macquarie University. Peter was awarded the title of “Innovator of Influence, 2015” from the Australian Science and Innovation Forum in 2015. In 2019 he received the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Science Alumni Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.