Mark Ashton
Executive Director, IP Commercialisation, UniQuest
Mark Ashton
Mark has over 20 years’ experience with numerous roles in industry and commercialisation. He joined Our Team and UniQuest in 2010 and is currently the Executive Director of IP Commercialisation at UniQuest where he is responsible for the commercialisation of intellectual property from The University of Queensland via licencing, start-up investment and research collaborations. Mark has raised investment for start-ups and licensed technologies to international and domestic companies. He is currently a Director of a number of unlisted companies in Australia. Mark is the author and co-author on a number of peer reviewed scientific publications and named inventor on a number of patent applications.
Jim Kalokerinos (BAppSc; BEcon; FAICD)
Non-Executive Director
Jim Kalokerinos
Jim Kalokerinos has over thirty years’ experience in sales, marketing and business development within the life sciences industry, and over twenty five years of experience as a company director. He was a co-founder of three successful companies – Techlab Enterprises, Pacific Diagnostics and Panbio Ltd. Jim has held senior management and board positions both in Australia and internationally. He has worked with technology companies both in early stage, and during commercialisation and growth. For the past twelve years Jim has also been an active venture investor. In addition to Aussie Colours, he serves as a non-executive director for four other companies.
Dr Dion Harrison (BAppSc Hons I, Biology; PhD, Plant Molecular Genetics)
Principal Plant Breeding Consultant
Dr Dion Harrison
Dion is the Director and Principal Consultant at InnoV8 Botanics Pty Ltd. He provides consultancy services to other botanic-based enterprises, including management of Aussie Colours’ Plant Breeding and Commercialisation Program. Dion has over 20 years of experience in Plant Science research and development, with particular expertise in Plant Breeding, Plant Tissue Culture, and Plant Molecular Genetics. For 11 years, Dion was a Research Fellow and Lecturer in Horticulture and Plant Sciences at The University of Queensland (UQ). As a researcher with the Centre For Native Floriculture at UQ, Dion helped pioneer the development of Aussie Colours’ Australian Native Plant Breeding Program. Dion is the author and co-author on a number of peer reviewed scientific publications and magazine articles, and named co-inventor on a number of patent applications and Plant Breeder’s Rights.