Dean Cook is Executive Director for Place and Global at Innovate UK. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Dean currently has responsibility for delivery of Innovate UK’s regional and international portfolios of activity.
With 35 years experience in research commercialisation, Dean has extensive experience in working at the intersection of Govt policy, science and industry, including as Challenge Director for the ‘Transforming Food Production’ Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF).
Dean joined Innovate UK in 2014 and was formerly at Defra’s ‘Central Science Laboratory’ CSL (now Fera). His early career as an applied biologist focused on supporting the agricultural industry with both product development and practical advice to help reduce pesticide use in farming.
He then moved into various roles within the agency’s commercial and science management teams focused on business and science-capability development.
Dean is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and an MBA graduate of the University of Warwick.
Dean has a strong interest in innovation clusters and is passionate about how UK science delivers economic impact for the UK economy.