Oxford Trust appoints new director of innovation

By Tom Kilkelly

18 August 2023

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Credit: Oxford Trust. In picture: Nicki Campling

The Oxford Trust, a charity that encourages the pursuit of science, has appointed Nicki Campling as its new director of innovation and operations.

Nicki will work at both of the Trust’s two innovation centres, the Oxford Centre for Innovation in the city centre and the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington.

These centres support more than 40 start-up and SME science-based companies through the provision of laboratories, office space, technical workspace and business support.

She will also be centrally important to the Trust's Science Oxford Team, which is essentially the brand of the charity. The Science Oxford Team run STEM education and public engagement programmes that help ensure that the operational needs of both centres are met.

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Nicki has more than 20 years’ experience and has joined from Barclays where she worked for eight years, with her most recent role as relationship manager for Barclays’ mid-corporate Thames Valley team.

Steve Burgess, CEO of The Oxford Trust, said: “We warmly welcome Nicki to our brilliant and thriving team. Nicki’s background in start-up innovation and her strong understanding of Oxfordshire’s innovation ecosystem and why delivering engaging STEM programmes to school-aged children is vital, made her the perfect candidate.

“This role is important for the Trust to continue ensuring that it meets its charitable objectives to support the pursuit of science by embracing the city and county’s thriving entrepreneurial spirit and our all-important future scientists.

“The strength of our charitable business model is that it is self-sustaining and supports both ends of the science spectrum from inspiring young children about the wonders of science to helping science start-ups to develop and grow.

“We have no doubt that Nicki’s exceptional people and management skills will be of great benefit to our many companies in our two innovation centres and to the operation of the Science Oxford Centre.”

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By Tom Kilkelly

Tom Kilkelly started working as a freelance journalist for The Business Magazine following his graduation from UCL in 2022.

During his studies Tom became very interested in the works of Irish authors including Samuel Beckett and Flann O'Brien (Brian O'Nolan).

His current role as a freelance business reporter is his first exposure to the world of business journalism. Working at TBM has given Tom the chance to really get to grips with the goings-on in the business hive that is the South East.