The Trustees of NERI are pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Atkins as NERI’s new Chief Executive. Paul has over 30 years experience in international relations, the promotion of science and technology internationally, and the establishment of partnerships across all aspects of the R,S&T sector. He comes to NERI from Izon Science Ltd, a nanotechnology instrumentation company where he was Director of Business Development.

Paul holds an MSc from Reading University in the UK, and is a member of the Institute of Physics (UK), the Royal Society of New Zealand, and the Chartered Institute of Management (UK). He became a science adviser in the British Council in 1987 and has since held a number of senior management roles in the Council internationally, including Director New Zealand from 1999 to 2004. After a brief fixed-term contract in MoRST, Paul joined the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology in 2004, initially as Director of International Investments, and then as Group Manager, International and Communications. He established FRST’s international group and initiatives including joint-funding relationships with Korea and Japan, and collaborations in the USA and Europe.

The Trustees are delighted to welcome Paul to NERI and look forward to working with him.