Science group snares P&G man

A business development expert who has held senior positions within Procter & Gamble has joined Newcastle Science City’s business support team.

Charlie Wainwright’s new role with Science City will involve helping to grow new and existing science and technology businesses.

He spent 25 years working for Procter & Gamble, including nine years leading its medical consumables division. He had responsibility for global regions, commercialising product concepts and leading brand development initiatives.

He then joined Attends Healthcare in senior general management and marketing roles and was involved in the company’s purchase by 3i in 2002 and its subsequent sale in 2006.

More recently, Charlie has worked with new start and early stage SMEs, raising investment, developing and delivering launch strategies and mentoring commercial management teams.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to sharing the knowledge I’ve acquired with the businesses Science City supports. I’m especially excited about working with young entrepreneurs to support their ambition to create a business and take that through to success.”

Charlie will be based at Science City’s offices at the Devonshire Building, Devonshire Terrace and with Newcastle University’s Rise Up enterprise team at King’s Gate.

Science City’s business support team helps companies in the North East to connect with new networks, commercialise innovations and grow. The team focuses on businesses in Newcastle’s science themes of ageing, sustainability and medicine – the big growth areas in society, which are areas of strength for the city and are most in need of innovative thinking for future sustainable development.