Former Co-op marketing chief takes education role

A FORMER director of marketing at The Co-operative is to head a new £12m university-led business initiative.

Patrick Allen will be the first managing director of the University of Huddersfield’s Enterprise and Innovation Centre.

During his time at the Co-operative he oversaw a major rebranding of the group as it became a significant retail force. He went on to spend a year with LNT Group before launching his own consultancy.

The EIC aims to be a home for both large established firms and start-ups as well as providing facilities and expert help to outside businesses

Mr Allen said: “Universities often fail at business development because they attempt to ‘spin-out’ companies and are not backed by sufficient commercial acumen. In contrast, the EIC will be ‘spinning-in’ companies both large and small.

“Within 18 months I would expect the centre to be fully operational and full to capacity, but it is not just about getting as many bodies in there as quickly as we can.

“We are being extremely careful in making sure that we have got the right culture so a peer-to-peer network can be developed where companies interact with a mutually-beneficial outcome.”

Contractors are expected to hand over the building to the University later this month with an official launch following later in the year.