Dr. John Wilson appointed president, chief executive officer, Innovate Calgary

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. John Wilson, PhD, as president and chief executive officer, Innovate Calgary, effective Jan. 1, 2019. 

In this role, Dr. Wilson will be responsible for the management and operation of Innovate Calgary, the innovation transfer and business incubator centre at the University of Calgary. Dr. Wilson will also work with the Office of the Vice-President (Research) (VPR) to support our innovation-driven research community via the Research Services Office, the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Global Research Initiative in Sustainable Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources, and other university research institutes.

Dr. Wilson brings 20 years of diverse experience in technology transfer for private and public sectors, including positions at Brock University, Yale University, and the University of Oxford. Dr. Wilson has also served as the senior director of Innovate Calgary; director for innovation and commercialization at Brock University; technology transfer office liaison for Yale-Oxford; CEO for a Unilever-backed spinout developing technologies for Sony and Ravensburger; and a director of ACCT Canada.

Dr. Wilson holds a bachelor of science (honours) from the University of Kent at Canterbury and a PhD in chemistry from the University of Bristol. He also held research positions at Bristol University and Virginia Tech. 

He assumes this role from Peter Garrett, former president and CEO of Innovate Calgary. I’d like to thank Mr. Garrett for his excellent work during his time in the role, and I am pleased he will transition to the role of special adviser to the board for Innovate Calgary. Dr. Wilson will work closely with Mr. Garrett, and those on our executive team focused on bridging the gap between discovery and innovation: Dr. Robert Thompson, associate vice-president (research) and director of Research Services, and Ms. Joelle Foster, executive director of the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Wilson on his appointment.

Dr. André Buret

Interim Vice-President (Research)