Posted: February 6, 2009

Institute of Nanotechnology appoints Mark Morrison as new CEO

(Nanowerk News) The Institute of Nanotechnology has announced the appointment of Dr Mark Morrison as its Chief Executive Officer, on the retiral of the original founder and CEO, Ottilia Saxl.
Dr Morrison, who has been Scientific Manager at the Institute of Nanotechnology since 2003, succeeds Ottilia Saxl, who has spearheaded the role of the Institute as a provider of education, training and information to industry, government bodies, academia and the public at large through a culture of entrepreneurship, initiative and creativity. Ottilia Saxl will continue to represent IoN in the Nano-TV project which involves the production of a series of 14 short films on FP5 and FP6 research results in nanotechnology.
As Scientific Manager, Dr Morrison has been instrumental in IoN winning several prestigious contracts within the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme, including two major projects, ObservatoryNano and ICPCNanonet, which have a combined funding of 5.3 M€. ObservatoryNANO (www.observatory-nano.org) provides scientific, technical and economic analysis of nanotechnologies, in an ethical, societal, EHS and regulatory framework. This valuable information will support future EU nanotechnology policy decisions. ICPCNanoNet, provides an open-access repository of nanoscience publications (www.nanoarchive.org), and facilitates networking and collaboration between scientists from developed and developing countries (www.icpc-nanonet.org).
Dr Morrison said: “The Institute is well positioned to provide strong and independent support to government and industry, to ensure that investments made in the research base are realized as benefits to the economy and wider society. I am excited to be leading such a talented team forward to meet these challenges. Ottilia Saxl has been a powerful voice in the nanotechnology community for over fifteen years, and I look forward to building on her success.”
Dr Morrison will also direct the Institute as a partner in five other FP7 projects encompassing governance; nanomaterials characterization; environment, health and safety issues; nanomaterials for sustainable energy; and communication.
Ottilia Saxl commented “I am happy to leave in the knowledge that the ethos and success of the Institute will be taken forward and built on by Dr Morrison. Mark has a track record of excellence, not only in science but also in management, and has a thorough understanding of the Institute and the environment it operates in. He is well-respected and liked by the nano community across Europe and beyond, and will take the Institute on to even greater things. Mark will be ably supported by Andrew Stewart, who is Head of Operations at the Institute, and Del Stark, the new Business Development Manager, who has been winkled away from his successful leadership of ENTA to work the same magic at the IoN by bringing the business community on board to support the work of the Institute. These managers are also lucky in that they are supported by an absolutely first class team at the Institute.”
Regarding the future, Ottilia has said she will not be entirely divorced from nanotechnology, as she will now concentrate on growing NANO, the magazine which aims to spread the word about nanotechnology to business and lay world. She will also take over the interim management of ENTA, the European Nanotechnology Trade Alliance, and will continue to support the aims of the Institute, wherever possible.
Source: Institute of Nanotechnology