Following the announcement last month that we had launched Digital Innovators West Midlands Community Interest Company, we are thrilled to share the appointment of Dr David Hardman MBE. David has agreed to join Digital Innovators West Midlands Community Interest Company as a Director and Chairman.
David shares Digital Innovators’ passion of releasing the potential of young people in the region and in doing so creating long-term sustainable career pathways with local employers that underpin digital transformation and economic growth.
David said “In a world of constant challenges and change, access to innovative talent is essential for a company’s growth and survival. Too often employers look to the same places for their future employees – generally in their own or corporate mould. Diversity promotes real innovation. So, inclusive development of talent offers businesses the best chance of success.”
“I have joined the Digital Innovators West Midlands Community Interest Company because their approach is about innate talent – looking beyond previous attainment to identify and develop fresh talent that is so needed for tomorrow’s industries. It is an opportunity-for-all approach that should be seen as being fundamental to the levelling up and across agenda”.
David brings a wealth of experience to the role that will truly benefit the local community and enable us to take the next step in our mission to provide alternative pathways to employment.
Dr David Hardman MBE – Biography
Until the beginning of this year David was Managing Director of Bruntwood SciTech in Birmingham. His career over the last twenty-five years has been in knowledge transfer. His expertise and interests have been directed at creating appropriate partnerships and infrastructures promoting the development and success of cross sectorial knowledge-based businesses as part of the UK science park movement.
He started out as a PhD microbiologist, with research interests in the application of microbes in what is now described as ‘clean technology’. In 1992 co-founded and led a start-up biotech venture and this experience developed into a wider interest in the translation of science into good and applicable technologies.
Following 10 years in Cambridge leading the early commercial development of the Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, he moved to Birmingham in 2008 and over 13 years developed and implemented a strategy to build on the legacy of Aston Science Park. The result is the Innovation Birmingham Campus; an urban focal point promoting digital innovation and adoption across all sectors, which became part of Bruntwood SciTech in 2018 to create a focal point for a thriving innovation district in Birmingham.
During his time in Birmingham David developed and led the delivery of two business start-up and access to innovation programmes – Entrepreneurs for the Future and Serendip® – and as part of the latter recognised the need to promote neurodiversity amongst the region’s innovators. This led to the Serendip Ideator project which launched in partnership with Digital Innovators in January 2022; at which point David joined the Board of the Digital Innovators West Midlands Community Interest Company as Chairman.
David is also a NED on the Board of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP; sits on the innovation and skills boards for the GBSLEP and the West Midlands Combined Authority and is a Director of the Titan Partnership.
David was awarded an MBE for ‘contributions to science’ in 2009.
Want to learn more?
Interested in working with Digital Innovators West Midlands Community Interest Company? Get in touch at info@digitalinnovators.co.uk.
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