ARU Business Advisory Board
The ARU Business Advisory Board provides strategic advice, guidance, and support in the discipline of business.
It is one of several Advisory Boards at ARU.
Here, you can read more about the experience and expertise of Business Advisory Board members.
George is Co-Director at Nano Foundation, Industrial Fellow at the University of East London's Centre of FinTech, United Nations Summer Academy Speaker for 2023 Trend Talks, Advisor and Lecturer at The Global Blockchain Initiative, and Faculty Member of the ZIGURAT Innovation & Technology Business School Global Masters in Blockchain.
With a background in evolutionary anthropology and finance, George is driven by a passion for creating a fair and accessible global economy. As the Director of the Nano Foundation, she actively embraces the dynamic nature of decentralised finance, working towards an inclusive and equitable financial landscape.
George has been recognised as a female leader within the blockchain sector as a Judge for the 'Rising Women in Crypto Power List' by Wirex and UKTN for four consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023).
Originally from the North East, but now living in Cambridgeshire (20 years I’ve been here!) My driving purpose & passion is to develop the skills, leadership & workforce resilience that will enable Anglian Water’s ambitious growth plans, while positioning the East of England as a critical player in the UK’s infrastructure future. Plus and more importantly, I’m a parent to 2 teenagers, and I see the link to opportunity and growth as important for their generation as it is for us all.
With 25+ years of senior leadership, in Retail ,Utilities and Capital Delivery, I have had opportunities in operational delivery, project management, HR business partnering, apprenticeships, leadership development & strategic workforce planning, my team and I lead others to create & deliver programmes that are recognised as inspirational, outcome focused & truly impactful, driving performance and social impact from early careers to C-Suite & senior leaders.
Stuart is a Chartered Town Planner and has over 30 years of local government experience in a variety of planning, economic development, communications, and project delivery roles.
Stuart currently manages the Economic Development & Implementation Service at Chelmsford City Council. The Team is responsible for inward investment, business support, heritage and master planning advice, and infrastructure project delivery.
Appointed as Director of Cambridge Science Park in August 2022, Jane Hutchins brings a wealth of experience of the science park sector and the innovative companies and people it serves.
Working in partnership with Trinity College Cambridge and managing agents Bidwell’s, Jane is responsible for delivering the College’s future vision for the Park. This includes an ambitious new cycle of investment focused on sustainability, amenity enhancement and the creation of diverse and inclusive employment opportunities for the wider Cambridge community.
Jane also plays a key role in supporting existing and new businesses on the park, which is at the heart of one of the best-known and economically successful science, technology and innovation ecosystems in the world – Cambridge.
Jane is also the current chair of the Cambridge Forum for Place, established by Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Hamish Watson is the Founder and CEO of Polysolar Ltd, an award-winning solar technology company based in Cambridge.
Established in 2007, Polysolar is a producer of innovative Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), specialising in transparent solar glazing for building facades and skylights as well as canopies and urban infrastructure. The company is also a pioneer in next-generation printed organic polymer based photovoltaics.
Hamish sits on governmental and academic advisory bodies on solar and renewable energy, and is involved with the MCS working group on solar.
Hamish has a varied background in international entrepreneurship and technology commercialisation. Starting his career in management consultancy in London, he went on to help establish and run the first foreign licenced market research and strategy consultancy firm in China. Educated and resident in Cambridge, he has a wife and four children.
Gus joined Rimes in September 2024 as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for global Operations, organizational transformation and client delivery excellence.
Gus brings significant experience scaling fintech, financial data and financial services organizations globally, most recently at Barclays Group, where he led Vendor Transformation, Strategy, and Innovation during a period of significant growth. Prior to Barclays, Gus successfully led complex business operations at firms including Experian, Transcom and Sky.
Gus served in the British Army and was educated at Edinburgh and Aberdeen Universities. He received the ‘Men for Gender Balance Rising Star’ Winner 2021 from WeAreTheCity and was a Finalist in the British ExForces Awards 2022.