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University of Bath

Dr Jon Hunt Executive Director of Innovation and Enterprise

Jon is responsible for positioning Innovation and Enterprise as a core institutional capability, alongside Education and Research.

Headshot of Dr Jon Hunt
Dr Jon Hunt.

Contact details

PA: Pinar Turgut-Onions innovation-enterprise@bath.ac.uk

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Role

The role exists to accelerate societal and economic impact, strengthen strategic partnerships, and contribute to the University’s long-term financial resilience.

Operating at University Executive Board (UEB) level, the role combines strategic leadership, delivery sponsorship and governance, ensuring innovation activity is coherent, investable, and integrated across the University.

Related posts

  • Executive Director of Research Enterprise and Innovation, University of Bristol
  • Director of Business & Skills, West of England Combined Authority (WECA)
  • Director of Research & Innovation Services, University of Bath
  • Head of Grants and Innovation, Royal Society
  • Business Analyst, Vision in Business
  • Portfolio Manager, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Career

Jon Hunt started his career in industrial chemistry, working with BP Chemicals and completing a PhD with Merck before moving into research and innovation funding and policy at EPSRC. He went on to roles in a London SME and the Royal Society, then shifted his focus to driving regional growth.

Based in Bath since 2005, Jon has led major initiatives at the University of Bath, University of Bristol, and the West of England Combined Authority. He has chaired boards from national associations to local ventures, including Engine Shed and SETsquared, and previously led the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Board.

Jon was instrumental in securing £39m of capital grants and £60m of match investment from industry – to establish IAAPS Institute funding – and in delivering the Isambard AI contract. These projects put the West of England on the global innovation map.

Education

Jon studied Industrial Chemistry at Cardiff University before completing a PhD in Liquid Crystals at the University of Exeter in 2000.