New Director Appointment at Converge Challenge

Converge Challenge, Scotland’s leading company creation programme for staff, students and recent graduates of Scottish Universities and Research Institutes which is hosted by Heriot Watt University, has confirmed the appointment of its new Director, Dr Claudia Cavalluzzo.

Claudia, who joined Converge Challenge in October 2017 as Deputy Director, is a former Saltire fellow with a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. During her career, she worked with a biotech spin-out from the University of Edinburgh and more recently was Head of Saltire Fellowship within Entrepreneurial Scotland.

In her new role, Claudia will spearhead the continuing development of the University engagement strategy, whilst further strengthening collaborative partnerships with the many corporate organisations embedded within Scotland’s entrepreneurial eco-system.

Speaking of her new appointment, Claudia said:

“Our world-class Universities and Research Institutes provide the entrepreneurial conditions for new, trailblazing business ideas to flourish and grow. The result is a pipeline of innovators who, as well as creating jobs and prosperity, are actively changing our society for the better.  It is an absolute honour, therefore, to be appointed Director at Converge Challenge and I look forward to building on our many achievements and working with our partners to take the programme to the next level.”      

Sandy Finlayson, Chairman of Converge Challenge and co-founder of law firm, MBM Commercial, believes Claudia is the perfect candidate to lead Converge Challenge through the next stage of its development.

He comments;

“Claudia emerged from an exceptionally strong field of candidates. She demonstrated to the interview panel that her dynamism, vision and creative energy were fully aligned with how we saw the next phase of Converge Challenge rolling out.

“We need a leader who can work across every level of academia and brings a fresh perspective to harnessing our corporate engagement strategy which is crucially important to our growth. Under Claudia’s leadership, this next phase of growth as the country’s most progressive and pioneering company creation programme is in very good hands indeed.

Claudia replaces Converge Challenge founder director, Dr Olga Kozlova who left at the end of September and joins the Senior Management Team at the University of Strathclyde with our very best wishes.”