Professor Alan Barrell spoke alongside The Rt Hon John Prescott MP and distinguished Chinese Professors at the high level Energy Forum held at CIFIT, the world's largest trade and investment promotion event (60,000 delegates www.chinafair.org.cn ) on Sept 8 2009 in Xiamen. Alan spoke about the role of 'Next generation Science Parks and Converging Technology in combating Climate Change'. On September 13th 2009 Alan Barrell was inaugurated as Guest Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Shanghai College of Science and Technology and then gave his inaugural lecture to 350 students.

 

Alan's other appointments included that of Entrepreneur in Residence, University of Cambridge Entrepreneurship Centre and Visiting Professor of Enterprise, University of Bedfordshire. He is also Visiting Professor in Entrepreneurship, University of Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.

Following a scientific training and six years working in the hospital laboratory service, Alan Barrell has spent almost thirty years in senior executive positions in technology based industries. He worked around the world with Baxter Healthcare, the world's largest Health technology company and was Chief Executive of Baxter UK for six years. Subsequently he switched industries and joined a very small Cambridge Phenomenon company in industrial electronics, Domino Printing Sciences, as Managing Director. Alan stayed six years, during which time Domino grew internationally and was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Today Domino plc has revenues of £250 million plus a market capitalisation approaching £300 million.

Alan's last full time Chief Executive position was six years with Willett International, a manufacturing and marketing company in industrial electronics which now has businesses in 100 countries, 26 overseas subsidiaries and sales of more than £100 million. Whilst at Willett, Alan was significantly involved in the establishment of Willett China Ltd., and became its Chairman. Willett China set up manufacture of Industrial Ink Jet Printers in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province and rapidly opened sales offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu and all other major industrial centres. Sales in year one ( 1997) surpassed £1 millions. Willett China has become one of the largest and most successful subsidiaries in the Willett Group, which is now part of Danaher Corporation Inc. Willett China in 2006 employed more than 500 people and has become the training and technical support centre for all Asian activities.

Since early 1998 Alan's business life has been spread between non-executive chairmanship of smaller technology companies, engagement with N W Brown Capital Partners in raising a new regional early stage technology venture capital fund of £35 million [The Cambridge Gateway Fund] and work with charities in which he has special interests. These include the Papworth Trust where he has been Hon. Treasurer, The Royal Society of Arts Manufactures and Commerce (where he has been Treasurer and member of the Trustee Board) The Centre For Tomorrow's Company of which he was Vice Chairman for four years, and The Princes Trust. He is also closely associated with the Cambridge Enterprise Conference, which has been held seven times over the past nine years. He has acted as Chairman of the Steering Committee and Hon. Treasurer.

Raising and investing the Cambridge Gateway Fund was a major effort, and one of the rewards was the election of the Fund, with Alan as Managing Partner as "Investor of the Year" in the Cambridge Evening News Business Excellence Awards 2002.

Alan is also a founder shareholder in Library House Ltd, a successful Cambridge based Investor organisation, which connects member investor firms, such as Venture Capital Funds, with emerging technology companies seeking finance. He is also a Board member of Glen House Capital Strategies Ltd., an incubator of start up and early stage companies, and serves on the Boards of two Glen House portfolio companies.

He has also been appointed Chairman of Health Enterprise East Ltd., - an organisation supported by the Regional Development Agency and the Department of Health - aiming to exploit innovative inventions, processes and procedures within Hospitals and other Health related institutions - for the good of society at large and to enable the Health Service to benefit financially from commercialisation.

Addendum 1st April 2005 - Appointed Chairman, Medilink East (Medical Devices Industry Association).

Addendum 21st April 2005 - Awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion. One of the first ten recipients of this Award in its inaugural year. Also appointed Senior Enterprise Fellow, University of Essex School of Entrepreneurship and Business.

Addendum January 2006 – co-founded and became Chairman of Dragon Cambridge International Ltd. A company dedicated to connecting businesses and educational activities in UK and China.

Addendum - March 2006 - Appointed International advisor - Youth Business China.

Addendum, December 2007 – Appointed International Fellow, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki – Finland.