David Gann is Imperial College's Vice President, leading Innovation. He is a member of the College's Executive Board.
David is an accomplished university leader, strategist and advocate, renowned for his work on innovation, entrepreneurship and technology management. His academic research spans strategy, management science and systems engineering. His distinctive strength is in building relationships proactively and internationally, to connect ideas, research and solutions with substantial funding between academia, business and government.
David is Professor of Technology and Innovation Management. He was previously Deputy Principal, Imperial College Business School, and founding Head of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Department, where he built a portfolio of research in collaboration with design, technology and engineering firms and new MSc and Executive Education Programmes. He co-founded the Digital Economy Lab, Digital City Exchange and Design London.
His main interest is innovation strategy: exploring why and how innovation happens, the ways it continually transforms the world we live in, and how it can be managed.
David is Chairman of the Smart London Board, reporting to the Mayor of London. He is a Member of the HEFCE's McMillan Group on Technology Transfer and the League of European Research Universities Enterprise and Innovation Community Steering Group. He was a Member of the London Enterprise Panel representing London's Higher Education sector.
David is a Non Executive Director of Directa Plus Plc, a graphene company. He has worked with many entrepreneurs, technology ventures and large engineering and technology firms, including as Group Innovation Executive at Laing O'Rourke plc from 2007 to 2011. He advises government and firms on research, development and innovation strategies and in 2011, was a member of the UK government's Independent Hargreave's Review of Intellectual Property and Growth.
