Conn hands over at OSI

Charles Conn (pictured) has departed as chief executive of Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI), the university venture fund for University of Oxford, the Financial Times has reported.
OSI told the FT that Conn left the fund in November 2019, however he is still listed as a director in its regulatory filings, although shareholders have been updated of the development.
Jim Wilkinson, the fund’s chief financial officer, has been appointed interim CEO while a permanent replacement is found. Wilkinson, who came number 1 in the GUV Powerlist 2018, told GUV he had applied to take the position on permanently.
Conn’s departure comes less than a year after his appointment in March 2019. He previously spent seven years as leader of University of Oxford’s Rhodes Trust, the body which supervises the Rhodes Scholarship program.
Conn’s earlier career included spells as board trustee at international conservation agency Atlantic Salmon Federation from 2012 until early 2016, and as senior adviser for philanthropic family office Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation between 2002 and 2013.
He served as internet group Ticketmaster-Citysearch’s founding chief executive from 1995 until 2002, following five years at consulting firm McKinsey & Company as a partner from 1990 until 1995.
Founded in 2015, OSI has more than £600m ($737m) at its disposal anchored by the university with contributions from LPs such as GV, part of internet and technology conglomerate Alphabet, and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek.
Telecoms equipment and services provider Huawei bought a 0.7% stake through its subsidiary Huawei Technologies Cooeperatief in October 2019, joining an LP list which also features commercialisation firm IP Group, charitable foundation Wellcome Trust, Lansdowne Partners and Invesco Asset Management.
– Image courtesy of LinkedIn