Member of the Innovation and Emerging Technologies Policy Panel
Christopher van Essen's research and professional speciality was electron-beam technology. His main career has been in contract research and innovation, from 1974 with PA Technology and from 1988 with The Technology Partnership (TTP Group) of which he was a founder. From 1998 he was an Executive Director of TTP Ventures, the Euro 55M Venture Fund, investing in early-stage technology companies. Christopher was Chair of the judging panel for Oxford's SBS Business Plan Competition in 2005 and 2006. He lives near Cambridge and has been a member of EEDA's Science and Industry Council since 2007.