Sir David Cooksey,

David Cooksey has been a venture capital fund manager since 1981 when he founded Advent Venture Partners in the UK. He is Managing Partner. Advent is one of the oldest US style venture capital firms in Europe. It invests in and builds early stage companies with outstanding growth prospects in the information technology, telecommunications and life sciences industries. Previously he worked at De La Rue where he headed an early MBO in 1971. He was the first Chairman of the British Venture Capital Association in 1983/84. He is currently Chairman of the European Venture Capital Association for 2005/6.

In 2003 he chaired the UK Biotechnology Innovation and Growth Taskforce, which published its report on the future of the UK Biosciences industry in November 2003.

He was a director of the Bank of England from 1994-2005 and Chairman of its Directors from 2001-2005.

He was Chairman of the Audit Commission from 1986 to 1995 and a Governor of the Wellcome Trust until the end of 1999. From 2000 – 2004 he chaired the Small Business Investment Task Force which oversees the UK Government’s interventions in small business investment.


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