Partnerships specialist joins Nexus team as membership growth continues

A partnerships specialist from one the first businesses to join University of Leeds’ innovation hub Nexus, has been appointed to promote and manage the hub’s growing membership.

Barry Singleton has been appointed to the role of Business Engagement Officer with Nexus, joining its team of engagement and collaboration experts to further develop the Nexus community’s business membership pipeline. He joins on a part-time basis to support flexible working across the team.

Barry has more than 20 years’ experience in business development, customer service and communications roles for national and international organisations, and joins Nexus from AI and human behaviour specialist Scaled Insights where he was Chief Relationship Officer.

Barry has first-hand experience of Nexus and how it can help start-ups and entrepreneurs to develop and grow, having worked for Nexus member organisation Scaled-Insights. The Canada-based AI and human behaviour specialists chose Nexus to grow its UK and international business and Barry played a leading role in securing vital research and development partnerships, access to funding and new client commissions.

“I’m delighted to be joining the Nexus team whose advice, support and expertise have been invaluable to me from a client perspective,” said Barry. “Now I can share that lived experience with other Nexus businesses and prospective members, outlining the support they can access and benefits they can enjoy from being part of the Nexus community.

“We’re a true community of like-minded businesses and I’ll be able to offer a client’s eye view of the value which can be achieved through connecting and collaborating with the research and innovation expertise at the University of Leeds and wider regional business support networks. I’m a huge advocate of Leeds as a great place to start and scale businesses.”

Nexus Engagement Manager, Chelsea Boothroyd, comments: “We have an incredibly strong pipeline of start-up and early-stage businesses, as well as international groups looking for a UK innovation base and Barry will play a key role in sharing the Nexus story with them and further developing that pipeline.

“Barry is a serial networker with excellent interpersonal skills and a professional and pragmatic approach to business collaboration and development. He will be an invaluable member of our team as we continue to build our community, connect businesses with the right partners within the University and externally and help them to translate innovation into real business opportunities.”

Barry studied Executive Education with the Cambridge Judge Business School. He volunteers for North Leeds Cricket Club and Leeds City Council social action helpline RUOK.

Interested in finding out more about the benefits of joining the Nexus community? Get it touch with us.