Our Directors

Combining many years of business acumen, first hand IP experience and expertise, they form the core of the Fusion IP team.

  • Doug Liversidge CBE, Chairman

    Appointed to the Board of Fusion IP Plc on 1 December 2004, having been a director of Fusion IP Trading since 28 November 2003. He was employed for 21 years at British Steel, before moving to G W Thornton Limited as Managing Director and subsequently Chief Executive. He guided the company through its flotation on the full list of the London Stock Exchange in March 1987. In 1991 Mr. Liversidge was awarded South Yorkshire Businessman of the Year.

    Mr. Liversidge acts as a Senior Industrial Advisor to the University of Sheffieldand was awarded the CBE in the 2000 New Year's Honours List for services to industry.

  • David Baynes, CEO

    Appointed to the Board of Fusion IP plc on 2 November 2004, having been a director of Fusion IP Trading since 2 January 2003. David has previously worked at Celsis International plc ("Celsis") from its incorporation to its flotation on the full list of the London Stock Exchange in July 1993;  Toad plc (now 21st Century Technology PLC), which he co-founded, and was responsible for taking the company from start-up to a full listing on the London Stock Exchange; Whereonearth Limited; Codemasters Limited.

  • Peter Grant, Operations Director

    Appointed to the Board of Fusion IP plc on 1 December 2004, having been a director of Fusion IP Trading since 2 January 2003. Peter has a PhD in Biochemistry from Cardiff University and has previously worked at Genzyme UK Limited; Celltech Limited; Enzymatix Limited and Celsis plc, which he co-founded and took to a full listing on the London Stock Exchange.

  • Stuart Gall, Commercial Director

    Appointed to the Board of Fusion IP plc on 27 April 2005. Mr. Gall has experience in both small company start-ups and public companies and specialises in marketing, communications and new business development. He has previously worked at British Airways plc, The Promotions Partnership Limited, Anvil Limited and Toad plc (now TG21 plc).

  • David Catton, Non-executive Director

    Mr. Catton was appointed to the Board of Fusion IP plc on 1 December 2004, having been a director of Fusion IP Trading since 14 August 2003. Prior to his retirement in October 2008, David was Managing Director of SUEL, the University of Sheffield’s tech transfer operation. Previously David worked for Ford Motor Company, British Leyland (now Rover), Rank Xerox Limited and Cambridge Consultants Limited.

  • Mike Davies, Non-executive Director

    Appointed to the Board of Fusion IP on 5 February 2007, Mike is Cardiff University’s Director of Physical and Financial Resources. Mike has gained extensive experience of Cardiff’s technology transfer activities through his role as Chairman of UC3, and as a Director/Company Secretary of the General Partner Board of the Cardiff Partnership Fund.

  • Bob Rabone, Non-executive Director

    Appointed to the board of Fusion IP plc on 31 July 2008. Bob is the Chief Financial Officer of the University of Sheffield and is responsible for strategic financial and policy matters, with a particular emphasis on commercial, enterprise and development.  Bob is a director of several University subsidiaries and investments, including Fusion IP Plc, which invests in turning the University's world class research into commercial businesses.

    He is a Chartered Accountant and qualified with Coopers & Lybrand (now part of Pricewaterhouse Coopers) after graduating at Imperial College as a Mechanical Engineer.  After several years of management consultancy, he gained a wide range of commercial experience as a Finance Director with both private and public companies.  Just before joing the University of Sheffield in 2005, Bob was Finance Director and a member of the senior management team at the international law firm Eversheds LLP.

    He has been a member of the HE sector's TRAC Development Group since its formation in 2008 and is Deputy Chair of the British University Finance Directors Group.

  • Richard Birtles, Company Secretary

    Mr. Birtles has been a University of Sheffield employee for over 20 years and is company secretary to numerous university spin-out companies.

    Prior to joining SUEL University of Sheffield's tech transfer operation in 2001, Richard was Head of Special Projects at the University of Sheffield and a member of the successful City of Sheffield Team which secured the HQ of the United Kingdom Sports Institute for Sheffield, in particular being responsible for developing the corporate structure and financial planning for the Institute involving a joint venture arrangement between private funders and the National Lottery with a capital budget in excess of £100 million.

  • Dr Alison Fielding, Non-executive Director

    Appointed to the Board of Fusion IP plc on 29th January 2010, Alison is the Chief Technology Officer of IP Group plc and is their representative on the board.  Alison co-founded Techtran Group Limited and was the Chief Operating Officer of Techtran when it was acquired by IP Group in January 2005.  Previously, she worked for McKinsey & Co and Zeneca plc. Alison holds an MBA from Manchester Business School, a Ph.D in organic chemistry and a first class degree in chemistry from the University of Glasgow.