Cambridge: New Chair at Cambridge Enterprise

Edward Benthall has been appointed as the new Chair of Cambridge Enterprise Ltd. Benthall, a partner at the private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners in London, is also an active participant in the Cambridge business angel community, through his membership of the Cambridge Capital Group.

Benthall is also Chairman of the 800th Anniversary Campaign Council, a group of volunteers who have helped to raise over £940 million to date.

In addition, Benthall is a supporter of the Cambridge University Discovery Fund, one of three evergreen funds managed by the Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds team. The Discovery Fund was launched in 2008 as part of the 800th Anniversary Campaign, to provide pre-seed and seed funding for commercial ideas originating from university research.

Benthall takes over from Roger Freeman, who has served as Chair of Cambridge Enterprise since its incorporation in 2006. From 2004, Freeman served as Chair of the Challenge Fund Trade Company (CFT), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the university. He first became involved with CFT through one of its first spin-out companies, Metalysis Ltd, which he chaired from 2004 to 2009. He also served on the Cambridge Enterprise Advisory Board during the reorganisation and establishment of Cambridge Enterprise. Freeman was a Member of Parliament between 1983 and 1997.

“Roger’s leadership and guidance in our first years as a limited company has been invaluable,” said Teri Willey, Chief Executive of Cambridge Enterprise. “We are very sorry to see him leave, but look forward to working with our new chair as Cambridge Enterprise continues to grow.”

Cambridge Enterprise recently published its Annual Review for 2008/09, marking two full financial years operating as a wholly owned affiliate of the university. During this time, 400 new knowledge and technology transfer transactions were completed, bringing the portfolio to over 700 active equity, consultancy and licence agreements under management.

Knowledge and technology transfer income over the two years exceeded £18 million, of which almost £14 million was distributed to university academics and departments, with the remainder reinvested in patent assets, seed fund pools and support for knowledge and technology transfer services to the university.