2025 Steering Committee
Rupert Baines
Rupert is a seasoned start-up entrepreneur and CEO. He has founded a number of technology companies and been involved in three successful exits. He was CEO of UltraSoc (sold to Siemens July 2020) and was then CMO of Codasip (licensing “RISC-V processors with a twist”). He is now CEO of QPT, developing next generation power electronics to make electric motors dramatically more efficient.
Michaela Eschbach
Michaela has an impressive track record as a Founder and Director, both in the not-for-profit and for-profit space.
As co-founder of Form the Future CIC, Michaela drove strategic direction and operations for this multi-award-winning organisation which connects young people with career opportunities. As Managing Director of Founders4Schools, Michaela led the operational, financial and cultural transformation of this ed-tech charity.
Michaela is known for her passion and dedication in successfully driving companies through growth and challenges.
She was winner of the Cambridge News ‘Cambridge’s Most Influential Businesspeople Award’ in 2017 and was included in the EU-Startups’ Top 100: Europe’s Most Influential Women in the Startup and Venture Capital Space in 2023.
Michaela says, "As CEO of Cambridge Wireless, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this exceptional organisation through a period of dynamic change in the tech landscape. Together with our dedicated members, we will harness the power of innovation to not only adapt to the evolving industry but to also drive it forward, ensuring Cambridge Wireless remains the cornerstone of technological advancement and value creation."
Tim Ensor
I am Commercial Director/EVP for Cambridge Consultant’s Wireless and Digital Services Division. In this role, I oversee the sales, marketing and advisory services for CC’s largest business unit. I work with my team and their client accounts across many sectors to help our clients achieve business impact by identifying, developing and deploying world-changing innovation in connectivity, digital services, AI and semiconductor technology. I am a regular public speaker and event chairperson.
Prior to CC I have had a string of commercial leadership roles in high-growth technology and consulting businesses working in fields including telecoms, energy, consumer goods and logistics.
I have a first class Electronic Engineering degree from Bath University, UK and an MBA from Cambridge University.
Kathryn Chapman
A molecular bioscientist, Kathryn has had a distinguished career in diverse leadership and strategic roles across the public and private sectors.
Following a successful research career at the University of Manchester, Harvard Medical School, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and GlaxoSmithKline, Kathryn has played a pivotal role in shaping inclusive innovation landscapes, building cross-disciplinary virtual and physical communities and creating novel models to remove barriers to success.
This includes a decade building and leading the innovation strategy for NC3Rs, a UKRI Research Council where Kathryn founded and directed a new challenge-led open innovation platform, CRACK IT which increases cross-discipline and cross-sector industry/academic partnerships in applied research. Kathryn also co-established the Milner Therapeutics Institute at the University of Cambridge, providing a physical hub for translational science and collaboration between industry and academia. The Institute is a centre of excellence for target validation through artificial intelligence, machine-learning, functional genomics and tool compound analyses. Most recently, prior to joining Innovate Cambridge, Kathryn directed the innovation strategy at the Babraham Research Campus, launching LiveLabs incubator space and leading the Campus accelerator, entrepreneurship and innovation activities.
Throughout these roles. Chapman’s focus has been on spearheading initiatives that propel startups, entrepreneurs and businesses towards success and driving meaningful change at a national and international level.
Kathryn has 50+ research publications and has been on a wide-range of national and international review panels (Innovate UK, Innovative Medicines Initiative and BBSRC). She holds an honorary professorship at the University of Coventry where she sits on the Vice Chancellor’s advisory group.
Ann Fisher
The inaugural Cambridge Tech Week (CTW) was the brainchild of Ann Fisher, co-founder of Bailey Fisher Executive Search who has worked with technology companies for over 20 years. During the first lockdown in 2020 Ann had time to reflect and formed the idea of holding a week-long celebration of Cambridge’s brilliant tech businesses and wider ecosystem, as a heartfelt, personal ‘thank you’ to a city and region that has supported her and her husband whilst running their previous business. She is passionate about the technology market, especially when it is used for good and wanted to see Cambridge unite to celebrate its global success and help future generations achieve their dreams. Sadly, Ann was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2022 and after major surgery has had to take a step back from work and the day to day running of CTW. She has handed the CTW reins to CW who she has been involved with for many years as a Board member and SIG champion.
Anne Bailey
Anne Bailey is CEO and Co-founder of Form the Future CIC, a not-for-profit careers and employment company. Anne entered the careers and skills sector after working in the private and public sectors and running her own PR agency. She ran BT’s CSR education programme which served as inspiration for Form the Future, a social enterprise that helps young people find their route through education intro employment, and provides employers with access to their future talent. She was awarded the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize in 2022 for her work establishing Form the Future and the impact they’ve had on the lives of young people in the Eastern region.
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneubailey/
2024 Steering Committee
Chris Bruce
An international business executive with over 30 years experience of leading growth businesses in wireless, internet and cloud sectors. Chris has spent 15 years in the Wi-Fi Service Provider business: CEO BT Openzone Wi-Fi; Chair of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (Board Director for 10 years); MD and Board Director, GlobalReach Technology (Wi-Fi roaming and authentication specialists).
Chris is now a strategic consultant to wireless vendors and operators offering advice and delivering projects to enhance Go To Market results. Chris is NED Chairman of Handshakr SAAS platform company, bringing together large corporates and smaller innovators to collaborate.
Chris’s career includes: Sales and Marketing Director Business mobile, Telfort (Dutch Mobile Operator); CEO BT Openzone Wi-Fi; VP Advise for Communications providing advisory and wholesale services to Telcos in Middle East, Africa, Asia, LatAm; VP Europe Channels BT Internet Hosting and NED at Inet Spa, Italian Internet Hosting market leader. Chris held leadership roles in BT Global, launching services to Enterprise and Wholesale customers. Previously, Chris had Marketing and Product management positions at Ericsson, Ascom and CASE Communications.
Chris has a passion for innovation and growth and has supported start-ups and scale-ups as a mentor in accelerator programmes focused on Smart Cities, Blockchain and Authentication. Chris has a deep interest in Industrial IoT and Smart Cities.
Public sector experience includes a 12 month secondment to the Department of Trade & Industry, managing the UK Broadband Britain delivery programme and representing on BT’s East of England Regional Board.
Michaela Eschbach
Michaela has an impressive track record as a Founder and Director, both in the not-for-profit and for-profit space.
As co-founder of Form the Future CIC, Michaela drove strategic direction and operations for this multi-award-winning organisation which connects young people with career opportunities. As Managing Director of Founders4Schools, Michaela led the operational, financial and cultural transformation of this ed-tech charity.
Michaela is known for her passion and dedication in successfully driving companies through growth and challenges.
She was winner of the Cambridge News ‘Cambridge’s Most Influential Businesspeople Award’ in 2017 and was included in the EU-Startups’ Top 100: Europe’s Most Influential Women in the Startup and Venture Capital Space in 2023.
Michaela says, "As CEO of Cambridge Wireless, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this exceptional organisation through a period of dynamic change in the tech landscape. Together with our dedicated members, we will harness the power of innovation to not only adapt to the evolving industry but to also drive it forward, ensuring Cambridge Wireless remains the cornerstone of technological advancement and value creation."
Anne Bailey
Anne Bailey is CEO and Co-founder of Form the Future CIC, a not-for-profit careers and employment company. Anne entered the careers and skills sector after working in the private and public sectors and running her own PR agency. She ran BT’s CSR education programme which served as inspiration for Form the Future, a social enterprise that helps young people find their route through education intro employment, and provides employers with access to their future talent. She was awarded the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize in 2022 for her work establishing Form the Future and the impact they’ve had on the lives of young people in the Eastern region.
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneubailey/
Paul Crane
Paul is a telecoms technologist. He is a member of the Cambridge Wireless Board and became CEO in November 2022. He was Director of Network Research at BT, a member of the Telco Infra Project board and Wireless Broadband Alliance board. His career includes work in Europe and the USA, building and launching telecommunication joint-ventures.
Paul is a visiting professor at the University of Surrey, Institute for Communications Systems. He is passionate about the benefits of telecommunications, a common theme in his current work is to help drive telecommunications skills and capabilities in the UK.
Tim Ensor
I am Commercial Director/EVP for Cambridge Consultant’s Wireless and Digital Services Division. In this role, I oversee the sales, marketing and advisory services for CC’s largest business unit. I work with my team and their client accounts across many sectors to help our clients achieve business impact by identifying, developing and deploying world-changing innovation in connectivity, digital services, AI and semiconductor technology. I am a regular public speaker and event chairperson.
Prior to CC I have had a string of commercial leadership roles in high-growth technology and consulting businesses working in fields including telecoms, energy, consumer goods and logistics.
I have a first class Electronic Engineering degree from Bath University, UK and an MBA from Cambridge University.
Ann Fisher
The inaugural Cambridge Tech Week (CTW) was the brainchild of Ann Fisher, co-founder of Bailey Fisher Executive Search who has worked with technology companies for over 20 years. During the first lockdown in 2020 Ann had time to reflect and formed the idea of holding a week-long celebration of Cambridge’s brilliant tech businesses and wider ecosystem, as a heartfelt, personal ‘thank you’ to a city and region that has supported her and her husband whilst running their previous business. She is passionate about the technology market, especially when it is used for good and wanted to see Cambridge unite to celebrate its global success and help future generations achieve their dreams. Sadly, Ann was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2022 and after major surgery has had to take a step back from work and the day to day running of CTW. She has handed the CTW reins to CW who she has been involved with for many years as a Board member and SIG champion.
Dr Julian Huppert
Dr Julian Huppert is the Director of the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge, He is both an academic and a former Member of Parliament for Cambridge. He was Chair of the Independent Panel of Reviewers for DeepMind Health, and was ISPA’s ‘Internet Hero of the Year 2012’. He continues to work and advise on tech policy, particularly healthtech and edtech.
2023 Steering Committee
Chris Bruce
An international business executive with over 30 years experience of leading growth businesses in wireless, internet and cloud sectors. Chris has spent 15 years in the Wi-Fi Service Provider business: CEO BT Openzone Wi-Fi; Chair of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (Board Director for 10 years); MD and Board Director, GlobalReach Technology (Wi-Fi roaming and authentication specialists).
Chris is now a strategic consultant to wireless vendors and operators offering advice and delivering projects to enhance Go To Market results. Chris is NED Chairman of Handshakr SAAS platform company, bringing together large corporates and smaller innovators to collaborate.
Chris’s career includes: Sales and Marketing Director Business mobile, Telfort (Dutch Mobile Operator); CEO BT Openzone Wi-Fi; VP Advise for Communications providing advisory and wholesale services to Telcos in Middle East, Africa, Asia, LatAm; VP Europe Channels BT Internet Hosting and NED at Inet Spa, Italian Internet Hosting market leader. Chris held leadership roles in BT Global, launching services to Enterprise and Wholesale customers. Previously, Chris had Marketing and Product management positions at Ericsson, Ascom and CASE Communications.
Chris has a passion for innovation and growth and has supported start-ups and scale-ups as a mentor in accelerator programmes focused on Smart Cities, Blockchain and Authentication. Chris has a deep interest in Industrial IoT and Smart Cities.
Public sector experience includes a 12 month secondment to the Department of Trade & Industry, managing the UK Broadband Britain delivery programme and representing on BT’s East of England Regional Board.
Robert Driver
Bob currently is a senior advisor for the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN), having been interim head of this new organisation to February 2023. Bob has helped to create an innovation network for the UK Telecoms industry, bringing together industry, academia, and government to catalyse telecoms R&D investment, cooperation, and commercialisation.
Founded in 2022, UKTIN is delivered by a consortium of four partners – who draw on their distinct strengths in a collaborative approach: The Digital Catapult (Lead), Cambridge Wireless, WM5G and the University of Bristol. UKTIN has been initially funded by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to drive the Telecom Supply Chain Diversification Strategy.
From 2018 to October 2022 Bob led the UK5G programme on behalf of CW. CW was the lead partner for a consortium chosen by the Department of Digital, Culture Media and Sport, to create and deliver the national 5G Innovation Network. The consortium included CW, the KTN and TM Forum. UK5G brought together and marketed the UK’s 5G eco-system – including the national Testbed & Trials programme along with other business-led 5G initiatives.
Bob was CEO of CW from May 2015 to November 2018 focusing on leading the development of the organisation, broadening its reach with other sectors and clusters, while retaining the unique culture and dynamism of the CW community.
Prior to working at CW, Bob was Director for Technology at UK Trade & Investment (now part of the Department for Business and Trade) where he successfully led national teams helping UK tech companies to access overseas opportunities as well as attracting technology inward investment into the UK. He also coordinated the UKTI science and innovation agenda and was responsible for the delivery of UKTI events from small missions to large trade fairs.
Harriet Fear MBE
Harriet consults via her company HFA Ltd, including as Special Adviser to Cambridge&, the inward investment service for Greater Cambridge (www.cambridgeand.com). She is also Chair of Cambridge Ahead and a Trustee of Cambridge Science Centre.
Harriet was a Diplomat for over 20 years with the British Foreign Office. She served in 17 countries, in various roles including Deputy Ambassador 3 times, Head of Press and Public Affairs and Head of Commercial Services. She regularly served in hostile environments, trouble-shooting specific crises including in the Congo, Cambodia and Ethiopia.
Half her diplomatic career was spent in the commercial field, helping SME’s trade internationally. For 5 years she was the Head of the Governments national Life Sciences and Healthcare Trade Team.
Harriet was Chief Executive of One Nucleus from 2009 to 2017, which became the largest life science and healthcare membership body in Europe under her leadership and won a major award as ‘Best Global Life Sciences and Healthcare membership organisation’ in 2016.
Harriet was the Prime Minister’s Business Ambassador for Life Sciences for 5 years to 2018. She has worked at the heart of the Cambridge business ecosystem since 2003. She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2016 for her services to Healthcare and Life Sciences.
Ann Fisher
The inaugural Cambridge Tech Week (CTW) was the brainchild of Ann Fisher, co-founder of Bailey Fisher Executive Search who has worked with technology companies for over 20 years. During the first lockdown in 2020 Ann had time to reflect and formed the idea of holding a week-long celebration of Cambridge’s brilliant tech businesses and wider ecosystem, as a heartfelt, personal ‘thank you’ to a city and region that has supported her and her husband whilst running their previous business. She is passionate about the technology market, especially when it is used for good and wanted to see Cambridge unite to celebrate its global success and help future generations achieve their dreams. Sadly, Ann was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2022 and after major surgery has had to take a step back from work and the day to day running of CTW. She has handed the CTW reins to CW who she has been involved with for many years as a Board member and SIG champion.
Caroline Hyde
Caroline is Head of Partnerships & Outreach for Cambridge Enterprise, supporting the University of Cambridge to create impact from its research through academic consultancy, IP management and technology licensing, and new venture creation and investment. Cambridge Enterprise currently has 125 companies in the portfolio and recent spin-outs include some of the most exciting new Cambridge companies such as Riverlane, Xampla and Cambridge GaN Devices.
Leveraging a career spent working with the dynamic ecosystem in and around Cambridge, Caroline is also connected to national and international entrepreneurship, innovation and tech transfer networks. As Managing Director and then CEO for Allia Future Business Centres, Caroline established an innovation and incubation centre for early-stage tech for good ventures in Cambridge, and built this out into a network of four centres operating across Cambridge, East London and Peterborough. Through a number of accelerator and incubator programmes the Centres supported over 1300 ventures over 6 years.
Passionate about building a world where profit and purpose are aligned in order to address the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges in a truly sustainable way.
Dr Soraya Jones
Soraya is passionate about innovation, diversity and entrepreneurship and loves encouraging our future leaders to engage in these areas to help achieve a better impact for a fairer and sustainable world!
She is currently the Director of Engagement & Operations for the visionary ‘Homerton Changemakers’ leadership programme in Homerton College, University of Cambridge. She has also recently been appointed as the Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence (hosted by the University of East Anglia).
Soraya was part of the senior leadership team of Tribal Group Plc before she became the first CEO of Cambridge Wireless between 2007 and 2015. She successfully grew the business from a one-person company into a membership cluster of over 400 companies and 20 industry-focused Special Interest Groups, making it one of the premier tech clusters in the UK. From 2015, she had pursued other ventures including becoming an Entrepreneur in Residence at the St. John’s Innovation Centre, the Innovation Ambassador at the Bradfield Centre and the Director of Partnerships at Invested Investor, as well as sitting on several advisory boards and being a mentor to start-ups and SME business leaders.
Born in Malaysia, Soraya holds BSc and MSc degrees from Indiana University, USA and a PhD from the University of Cambridge.
Rachel Kerr
Rachel joined CW (Cambridge Wireless) in June 2017 as Senior Events & Conference Manager and is now Head of Events. Working alongside industry experts in the Special Interest Groups and the CW event team, Rachel overseas the strategy and delivery for the CW programme of events. She coordinated the inaugural Inclusive Innovation Conference in September 2017 which launched CW’s D&I initiative and manages the CW International Conference (CWIC), the CW Technology & Engineering Conference (CWTEC) and Cambridge Tech Week (CTW). Rachel has over 12 years’ experience running conferences and events, previous roles include event management for a not-for-profit organisation dealing with career and skills development, working for a press monitoring company and, ‘back in the day’ she worked at a very rock-n-roll recording & rehearsal studio.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kerr-08b28813/