Pictured above: David Rowe

A leading professional body which promotes innovation and enterprise has announced the election of a new chairman.

David Rowe, director of the University of Warwick Science Park, has been elected by the board of the UK Business Incubation UK Business Incubation (UKBI) and will succeed Graham Ross Russell as chairman later this month.

UKBI was founded 12 years ago, with the support of HM Treasury, with the role of promoting the creation of wealth and jobs through encouraging start-ups and the growth of small companies, including the commercialisation of university research and the regeneration of economically deprived areas.

Graham Ross Russell said: "Since then the number of business incubators in UK has increased more than tenfold, and the role of business incubation processes in promoting the creation and growth of sustainable start-ups is now widely recognised.

"Looking forward, UKBI has a vital role to play in helping to produce the growth which the UK economy needs, and in which the development of sustainable small companies will play an essential part.

Rowe has long practical experience of a wide range of business development programmes, including business start-up, early stage finance, international marketing and technology transfer.

He has been the Director of the University of Warwick Science Park, with its four geographically dispersed business incubators since its foundation in 1982, and helped it become one of the international leaders in its field.

In addition, he has been an international consultant on many aspects of business incubation, science parks and technology transfer and has served on a large number of industry and advisory boards, including the UK Science Park Association,   Advantage West Midlands Enterprise Board and the Regional Finance Forum.

He was also the individual winner of the 2006 Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion - Lifetime Achievement.

"Following on from Graham will be a difficult act to follow," said Rowe.

"He has developed UKBI from nothing to an organisation that has supported and overseen the transition of business incubation in the UK from immaturity to a well-recognised part of the business start up landscape.

"UKBI now needs to concentrate on supporting an even greater professionalism in this growing industry to the point that no self-respecting town or city in the UK can afford to miss out on the economic advantage that a well run business incubator can offer."