Mairi Gibbs has been appointed CEO of Oxford University Innovation permanently, having led the tech transfer office in an interim capacity since April.
Mairi Gibbs, who has served as interim chief executive of the University of Oxford’s tech transfer office Oxford University Innovation (OUI) since April 8 has been selected to fulfil the role permanently.
Gibbs was previously chief operating officer of OUI. She succeeds Matt Perkins, who left on April 5 after seven years leading the office. Perkins announced his departure in August 2023 to focus on charity work and non-executive director roles.
Gibbs has been at the University of Oxford since 2002, joining as a project manager when the tech transfer office was still known as Isis Innovation. She steadily climbed the ladder, first with a promotion to project team manager in 2008, then operations manager in 2010, before becoming head of operations in 2021 and chief operating officer in 2021.
Gibbs said: “I am very proud to be leading Oxford University Innovation in our next phase of development. At OUI we create world-class companies and license game-changing technologies which are helping to solve the world’s biggest problems.
“We also offer a bespoke academic consultancy service, providing a gateway to over 6,500 experts from more than 50 departments across the University. I want to nurture Oxford’s thriving innovation ecosystem to deliver inclusive economic return and societal benefit for Oxford, the region and the UK.”
[The original version of this article was published on March 20, when Gibbs was announced as interim CEO.]
Thierry Heles
Thierry Heles is editor-at-large of Global University Venturing and Global Corporate Venturing, and host of the Beyond the Breakthrough podcast.
