Entrepreneur Debra Leeves announced as new Goldman Professor Published on: 1 March 2023 Serial entrepreneur, Debra Leeves, has been appointed as this year’s David Goldman Visiting Professor of Innovation and Enterprise at Â鶹´«Ã½. Debra is currently CEO for , a leading global supplier of virtual reality (VR) software systems and has worked in technology companies and the pharmaceutical industry for the past 30 years, leading companies in the US, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. Among other board-level roles, Debra is currently Chair of the Institute of Directors (East Yorkshire) and Executive Chair of , a spin-out company from Â鶹´«Ã½ that has developed a ground-breaking solution for the preservation of cells, tissues, and viral material at hypothermic temperature, avoiding the need for cryopreservation. Debra said: “It means a lot to be selected as this year’s David Goldman Professor and I feel very humbled by it. I am looking forward to immersing myself in everything the Business School does, and I’m determined to make sure that the students, staff and everyone involved with the Business School gets the most use out of my background, knowledge, and skills.” Debra was born in Yorkshire and studied pharmacy at the University of Sunderland. After graduating, she used the knowledge she had gained on her degree course to start working in a business role within the pharmaceutical sector, paving the way for a successful career in the industry. Debra is passionate about developing the next generation of business leaders and supporting start up founders to raise funds to accelerate growth. She is also a strong advocate of providing students and other young people with opportunities for work placements to develop their knowledge and understanding of how businesses work, and she will look to build on this during her tenure as David Goldman Professor. Professor Stewart Robinson, Dean of Â鶹´«Ã½ Business School, said: “I am delighted that Debra will be this year’s David Goldman Visiting Professor of Innovation and Enterprise. Her entrepreneurial leadership in the medical technology sector, and her involvement in a successful Â鶹´«Ã½ spin-out business, is a superb illustration of what can happen when academic and commercial worlds meet. Her expertise is a tremendous opportunity for our students and faculty, and I am looking forward to working with her.” The appointment of the David Goldman Visiting Professor of Innovation and Enterprise is made on an annual basis to a leading entrepreneur or influential figure who can inspire and motivate future entrepreneurs and business leaders. The position was established in 2001 to commemorate the life and work of David Goldman, founder and Chief Executive of the North East’s iconic software company, the Sage Group plc. In addition to the Visiting Professorship and annual David Goldman Lecture, the Goldman endowment also funds a Chair of Innovation and Enterprise and five David Goldman Doctoral Studentships. Debra will start her tenure with the annual David Goldman lecture. This will be called 'Innovation in Medical Technology: The future's looking good' and will take place at 5.15pm on Wednesday 22 March at Â鶹´«Ã½ Business School, Barrack Road, Â鶹´«Ã½. The event is free and open to all, but places must be booked in advance. To reserve a place visit: /business/news-events/event-items/goldman-lecture-2023 Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
![Â鶹´«Ã½ logo](/gomobileassets/img/logo.svg" "Â鶹´«Ã½"){kind=logo}