Advisory board

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Sam Markey

Ecosystem Director Place Leadership, Chair of the Advisory Board - Connected Places Catapult

Sam Markey has pioneered Connected Places Catapult’s work on innovation procurement since 2019, leading to the creation of the IPEC in 2022. With a background in local (London Borough of Barnet) and central government (UK Cabinet Office), Sam now serves as Executive Chair of IPEC, alongside his wider role as Ecosystem Director for Place Leadership at Connected Places.

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Rikesh Shah

Head of Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre - IPEC

Rikesh Shah is an innovation expert, guest lecturer at the Royal College of Arts and Harvard University, non-executive advisor at Cities Today, London Transport Museum and See.Sense who joined CPC in October 2023 to Head of IPEC.

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Prof Elvira Uyarra

Executive Director - Manchester Institute of Innovation Research

Elvira Uyarra, a Professor of Innovation Studies at Alliance Manchester Business School and Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, focuses on public procurement of innovation. Her research, featured in journals like Research Policy and Regional Studies, informs policymakers and international organisations like IADB and OECD on fostering innovation through procurement strategies.

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Robin Polding

Policy Lead for Innovation Commercialisation & Adoption - Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

Robin is Policy Lead for Innovation Commercialisation & Adoption at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. He leads DSIT’s work on supporting the Procurement strand of the Government’s Science and Technology Framework He has been involved in shaping innovation and technology policy for the UK Government since 2019.

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Tina Holland LL.b (Hons) MCIPS

Programme Manager - Local Government Association

Tina is the Programme Manager for the procurement and commissioning programmes within the Local Government Association. Tina has been with the LGA since 2003, where she heads the implementation of the National Procurement Strategy for local government. Her responsibilities include overseeing strategic supplier management, innovation, skills, and social value initiatives. Additionally, she collaborates on policy issues with public sector partners.

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Lindsay Maguire

Deputy Director for Procurement Reform Implementation - Cabinet Office

Lindsay is the Deputy Director for Procurement Reform Implementation at the Cabinet Office, where she oversees the effective implementation of the new Procurement Bill across the public sector. With over 10 years of private sector commercial experience, she has played key roles in shaping procurement reform policy and breaking down barriers to entry for small businesses.

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Rebecca Rees

Head of Public Procurement, Partner - Trowers & Hamlins

Rebecca is a partner and Head of Public Procurement at the Trowers & Hamlins. Rebecca is a national expert in public procurement law, advising clients in various sectors and holding a prominent position in legal rankings. Additionally, she is a visiting Fellow at the Centre of Construction Law at King’s College London and pursuing a PhD in public procurement at the University of Nottingham.

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Rebecca Riley

Principal Investigator - Local Policy Innovation Partnership Strategic Coordination Hub (LPIPHub)

Rebecca is the Interim Co-Director of City-REDI, a global research institute aiming to enhance understanding of cities and regions for effective policy development. With a focus on fostering collaboration and partnerships to enhance decision-making, she spearheads the LPIPHub project.

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Karen Woolley

Development Manager - Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) for Staffordshire and the West Midlands

Karen, Development Manager at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) for Staffordshire and the West Midlands, brings a wealth of experience from her 40-year career. Starting as a Lloyds broker managing high-risk portfolios, she later shifted to practicing commercial property law. Over the last 18 years, Karen has built influential relationships with decision-makers, MPs, and media outlets. Her expertise lies in business continuity, collaboration with law enforcement on business crime, cybercrime, and online fraud. She also advocates for small business participation in major infrastructure projects.

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Ian Brotherston

Head of Government Levers - Innovate UK

Dr Ian Brotherston is Head of Government Levers at Innovate UK. Ian oversees the implementation of Innovate UK’s ‘Government Levers’ strategy, focusing on procurement’s role in driving innovation, managing the SBRI Programme, and addressing the impact of regulation, standards, and NQI on innovation. Ian has a diverse background, with experience in academia, industry, and the defense sector, including roles as Head of Enterprise at Heriot-Watt University and Director of Science and Technology at a startup.

Meet Our Advisory Board