Dr Peter Binks

Chief Executive Officer

NanoVic

Lvl 2, Building 75
Monash University, Clayton
Victoria
3800
Australia

PH: 61 (3) 99058618
Fax: 61 (3) 9905 8501
Email: [email protected]
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Background

Dr Peter Binks has been Chief Executive Officer of Nanotechnology Victoria Limited since May 2003. From the original concept, he has steered the implementation of an ambitious business plan and built a highly capable organization delivering valuable nanotechnology solutions to Victorian industries. He was recently (May 2005) reappointed as CEO by the Board for a further two years.

In the initial term at Nanotechnology Victoria he was responsible for launching the organisation, defining its Business Plan, and building operations around an anticipated budget of close to A$30 million. The company’s stated objectives were to deliver investment, research, commercialization, policy and educational outcomes for Victoria based on new nanotechnologies. Nanotechnology Victoria was seen as a new vehicle for the commercialisation of technology in Victoria, with strong support from both the Victorian Government and some of Victoria’s leading research institutions.

Over the last two years, Peter has managed the interests of a broad selection of stakeholders including government, universities and industries to establish a viable business. Key corporate successes at Nanotechnology Victoria (“NanoVic”) include:

Completing the legal apparatus for the entity: a shareholders agreement, constitution, and framework agreements for its investments in enabling infrastructure.
Recruiting and instituting a Board, comprised of independent Directors and Member-appointed representatives.
Recruiting a team of capable professionals to conduct NanoVic’s activities. Staff is currently six, with a budget to expand to 8-9 by end 2005. The team is located in Monash University’s STRIP Building within the Clayton campus.
Developing a marketing apparatus oriented to the needs of both nanotechnology businesses and industry-oriented researchers. The NanoVic website is now recognized as the leading site of its kind in Australia, and a hub for nanotechnology information and investment in Victoria.

Peter has also been instrumental in leading NanoVic’s commercial activities. Notable outcomes include:

Developing a portfolio of industry relationships, a significant proportion of which involve joint investment in technology commercialisation projects. NanoVic currently has relationships with over 25 companies, and is engaged in six development projects.
Securing revenue from industry clients, both to provide returns to NanoVic (to support its overheads), and as matching contributions alongside Government and research institutional investment.
Designing and implementing the $2.2 million NanoArrays venture for development of revolutionary diagnostic devices and processes for the veterinary, environmental, and human health markets.
Leadership of a major nanotechnology-based manufacturing initiative to be located in the Clayton precinct.

Through these efforts, Peter is now recognized as one of Australia’s leaders in the commercialisation of nanotechnology. Examples of this leadership include:

Presentation on Asia-Pacific nanotechnology at USA Nanotech 2004 in Boston; and keynote presentations at major national forums on biotechnology, health and agricultural industry, innovation through 2003-2005.
Publication of a number of major articles on Australian nanotechnology and the commercialisation of nanotechnologies in the Melbourne Age, the Australian Financial Review and Small Times.
Delivery of radio interviews and summaries on nanotechnology and its commercial and social implications.
Participation in public forums on the ethics and non-economic aspects and issues for nanotechnology, and leadership of focused multi-institution efforts on nanotechnology regulation, community awareness and communications, and toxicology.
Participation in the pivotal Prime Minister’s Science Engineering and Innovation Council Working Party on Nanotechnology, which delivered its recommendations in March 2005.

The success of NanoVic in generating commercial interest in nanotechnology, and in leading genuine collaboration between research institutions, has led to the Victorian Government extending the life of the organisation into a second term, to the end of 2007.

Significant Employment History

Peter was the 1983 Rhodes Scholar for Tasmania, and has a PhD in Theoretical Physics from Oxford University, in his research topic modelling the orbits of stars in normal galaxies. Prior to joining Nanotechnology Victoria, Peter worked as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, with BHP as a strategic planner and as General Manager at BHP’s Research Laboratory in Melbourne, and with Telstra Mobile as General Manager Strategy and Business Development.