In this episode, Susannah de Jager is joined by George Robinson, founding partner of Oxford Investment Consultants (OIC). Established in 2015, OIC has directed substantial investments into early-stage technology and biotech companies originating from Oxford and other UK universities, particularly focusing on high-potential, innovative spinouts.

The conversation explores Robinson's journey from investing in listed equities in Asia to championing early-stage technology ventures in the UK. Throughout the episode, George shares insights into the challenges of university spinouts, discussing the complexities of evaluating new technologies, the strategic importance of assembling a well-rounded team, and the essential qualities he seeks in leadership.

• (00:00) - Meet George Robinson: Founding Partner of Oxford Investment Consultants
• (01:44) - George's Journey: From Listed Equities to University Spinouts
• (03:38) - Challenges and Opportunities in University Spinouts
• (04:25) - Building a Strong Investment Team
• (06:07) - Navigating Market Fit and Commercial Success
• (07:27) - Overcoming Technical and Commercial Hurdles
• (19:44) - The Importance of Team Evolution
• (24:51) - Funding Challenges and Strategies
• (34:25) - Evaluating Market Potential and Competitors
• (39:20) - Spotlight on Oxford PV: A Promising Solar Technology
• (40:55) - Conclusion and Farewell

An active investor with a keen focus on Oxford’s innovation landscape, Robinson was an early backer and former board member of companies like Adaptive Immune Therapeutics and Immunocore. He is also a founding partner of Technicos, a private equity firm investing in spinouts from Oxford's Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

With a distinguished career that began in listed equities, Robinson co-founded Sloan Robinson in 1993, focusing on global investments with a speciality in Asia and emerging markets. An Honorary Fellow of Keble College, Oxford, he holds a B.A. in Engineering Science and has served on Oxford University’s Endowment Investment Committee.

Connect with George on LinkedIn

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode, Susannah de Jager is joined by Sue Douglas, Co-Founder of Veer, a pioneering journalist and media consultant turned tech entrepreneur.

Through their conversation, Sue brings a fresh perspective to the Oxford innovation landscape, drawing from her experience in journalism and her new venture, Veer—a machine learning start-up which focuses on transforming the recruitment process by shifting the emphasis from traditional experience to an individual's skills, ambitions, and potential.

Sue shares the inspiration behind Veer, her journey back into academia, and the role AI can play in uncovering career paths that align more authentically with an individual’s interests and capabilities. She reflects on her unconventional career path, her experience navigating Oxford’s start-up ecosystem, and her vision for a more inclusive, skill-based approach to work.

• (00:00) - Oxford+ S2 E5 Charting Fresh Career Paths with Sue Douglas, Co-Founder of Veer
• (02:33) - The Birth of Veer: From Idea to Reality
• (05:02) - Navigating Recruitment with AI
• (09:05) - The Importance of Valued Work
• (17:05) - Challenges and Opportunities in Oxford
• (26:57) - Future of Veer and Final Thoughts

Following a severe horse-riding accident, Sue continued her consultancy work and, in 2022, co-founded Veer, a machine learning start-up with Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt. Veer focuses on reshaping recruitment by prioritising skills over experience, helping individuals uncover career paths aligned with their unique talents and ambitions.

Connect with Sue on LinkedIn

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode, Susannah de Jager welcomes Lily Elsner, CEO and Co-Founder of Jack Fertility. The conversation explores Lily’s journey from the US, to becoming a startup founder in Oxford. Lily shares her experiences across various roles in Oxford, highlighting how the support ecosystem within Oxford helped to shape her entrepreneurial path. The conversation also focuses on Jack Fertility, how the service aims to address male infertility, the hurdles faced by female founders, the potential for more integrated ecosystems in Oxford and the importance of gender inclusivity in business leadership

• (00:00) - Introduction to Male Infertility
• (00:26) - Meet Lily Elsner: CEO and Co-Founder of Jack Fertility
• (01:51) - Lily's Journey to Oxford and Career Path
• (03:20) - The Oxford Ecosystem and Its Opportunities
• (04:25) - Challenges and Opportunities in Oxford
• (08:56) - Founding Jack Fertility: The Inspiration and Journey
• (15:17) - Breaking Taboos and Technological Innovations
• (18:44) - Barriers to Male Fertility Treatment
• (21:16) - Innovative Postal Fertility Testing
• (23:53) - Direct-to-Consumer vs. B2B Models
• (25:07) - Challenges in the UK Investment Landscape
• (28:03) - Current Fundraising Efforts
• (31:52) - Gender Bias in Venture Capital
• (37:44) - Strategies to Mitigate Gender Bias
• (41:52) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Lily on Linkedin

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Marcus Stuttard, Head of AIM and UK Primary Markets at the London Stock Exchange. The conversation centres around the evolving regulatory landscape for small and medium-sized businesses seeking public listings, focusing on AIM, the London Stock Exchange’s market for growth companies. Stuttard also shares insights on liquidity in UK markets, the significance of the Mansion House Compact, and the potential of regulatory changes, such as MIFID II adjustments, to improve market access and investment opportunities for smaller companies.

(1:16) Understanding AIM and Market Reforms
(5:04) The UK Funding Continuum and Pisces
(16:15) Liquidity and Market Comparisons
(24:23) The Role of Pension Funds in UK Markets
(34:33) MIFID II and Equity Research Landscape

About the guest:
Marcus Stuttard is the head of AIM, the London Stock Exchange's market for small and medium-sized businesses. Marcus has a particular focus on boosting access to finance for ambitious growth companies and sits on a number of industry and policy advisory bodies, including the Scale Up Institute's Access to Finance and Growth Capital Committee and the Institute of Directors, Centre for Corporate Governance Advisory Board. He has played a leading role in key capital market developments, including the most recent revision of the listing rules.

Connect with Marcus on LinkedIn

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by the Managing Director of Advanced Oxford, Sarah Haywood, to explore talent retention and the challenges faced by businesses in attracting global talent due. Sarah also conveys the need for investment, the role of local and international investors, and potential policy changes to support economic growth through science and innovation.

(1:34) Understanding Advanced Oxford
(7:18) Challenges and Opportunities in Oxfordshire
(16:54) Talent Retention and Education
(23:57) Resources to Aid Engagement
(37:31) Looking to the Future

About the guest:
Sarah Haywood is the Managing Director of Advanced Oxford, a membership organisation that aims to promote Oxfordshire and its innovation businesses, and create one coherent voice for the region at a policy level supported by grassroots research. Previously Sarah was CEO, then a NED of MedCity, a life sciences cluster organisation for London and the southeast of England. She started her career in the NHS, has worked in the pharma industry and as a senior civil servant on a number of policy teams within the Department for Business. She's also a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford's newest college, Rueben College.

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by John Derrick, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, to discuss the intricacies of European and U.S. capital markets, the importance of regulation, and the challenges faced by small and illiquid companies.

The conversation also delves into the cultural differences in entrepreneurial aspirations between Europe and the U.S., highlighting the importance of failure in the U.S. as a part of the entrepreneurial journey as well as the UK's need for policy-led development to support infrastructure and energy security, emphasising the importance of coordinated efforts between private and government sectors.

(2:03) The Lifecycle of Companies
(9:18) Growth within the Oxford Ecosystem
(13:57) Trends in Capital and Market Listings
(23:18) The Role of Regulation and Recent Acquisitions

About the guest:
John Derrick is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank focused on covering Entrepreneurs, Families and Foundations in the UK. His team has focused in recent years on growing the firm’s footprint and connectivity in the university spin-out ecosystem, alongside his colleagues in the Innovation Economy and Global Shares team at J.P. Morgan.

Before joining J.P. Morgan Private Bank, John had a fascinating career spanning from heading the Fine Wine department at the UK’s leading wine merchant to executing some of the earliest tech transactions in the early 2000s at large investment houses.

In his personal life, John is a trustee of Pimlico Opera which takes music into prisons and schools and was the Chair of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for the last six years. John graduated in History and French from Wadham College, Oxford and joined the board of Oxford University Alumni in 2023. He lives in Oxfordshire with his husband and two children.

Connect with John on LinkedIn

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

Oxford+ is back for Season Two. This season will continue the conversation with investors, entrepreneurs and innovators, but will also focus on those new entrants to the ecosystem who are going to be changing the landscape in the coming months and years.

Oxford+ takes you deep into the myths and truths of the Oxford investing landscape. Join your host, Susannah de Jager, as she interviews investors, influencers, and entrepreneurs who operate within and have an impact on the Oxford ecosystem.

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by Anna Strongman, CEO of Oxford University Development (OUD), to delve into the importance of creating a diverse business base in the city and fostering an environment that attracts a broad range of talents.

(4:18) Navigating Oxford's Planning and Development Landscape
(6:54) Comparing Oxford and Cambridge
(17:38) Oxford University's Development Sites
(31:21) Anna's Wishlist for Oxford's Development

About the guest:
Anna Strongman is the CEO of Oxford University Development (OUD), a joint venture between Oxford University and Legal & General, set up to build innovation districts and subsidised accommodation for graduate students and the university workforce.

Anna was previously the managing partner of Argent, where she spent 12 years working on a range of asset development and business planning projects. Highlights from her career include leading the asset management of King's Cross, in particular, Coal Drop Yards and setting up a buy-to-rent portfolio with JV Partners Related. Before working at Argent, Anna worked in the planning and economic development team of Arup and for DTZ in Scotland.

Connect with Anna on LinkedIn

About the host:
Susannah de Jager is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn

Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.