Our People

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata! He tāngata! He tāngata!
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people! It is people! It is people! 
With more than 400 employees and growing, UniServices is a diverse company with staff across Aotearoa New Zealand working in many different fields.
Meet some of our senior people.
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Investment

Will Charles

Executive Director – Investment

Will Charles has been Executive Director Investment since 2005. In the last six years alone UniServices has started, supported and invested in 43 technology-based companies that have raised nearly $1 billion million in venture and seed funding for these companies. In 2016 he founded and manages the University of Auckland Inventors Fund, a $40m evergreen fund dedicated to start-ups generated by staff and students at the University of Auckland.

Pau Medrano

Investment Director – Biotechnology

Pau is a mathematician and bioengineer by training, with a background in research and international business development. He manages the BioMedTech team, with a portfolio of 20+ companies, and is a manager of the University of Auckland Inventors' Fund. Contact about: investing in disruptive BioMed technologies.

Nicola Johnstone

Head of Intellectual Property

Nicola has been with UniServices since 2014. She has worked for over 20 years as a patent attorney, advising on IP, and has Law and Engineering degrees. Contact about: IP and research; advice on University IP.

Aran Sisley

Investment Manager – Biotech and Pharma

Aran is an investment manager for the University of Auckland Inventors’ Fund. He has previously worked as a commercialisation analyst, postdoctoral scientist, project manager and sculptor. He has a PhD in ocular lens physiology and a Master of Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship. Contact about: Commercialising or investing in biotech, pharmaceuticals, agritech.

Benjamin Pearson

Senior Investment Manager – Engineering, Cleantech, Space Tech

Ben joined UniServices in 2017 and is currently a senior Investment manager for the University of Auckland Inventors Fund. Contact about: Investment in engineering-related technologies including in cleantech, robotics and space.

Kimberlee Jordan

Senior Investment Manager – Pharma and Biotech

Kimberlee has been with UniServices since 2019. She has a PhD in Kinesiology from Penn State and was a human movement scientist for eight years before pivoting to a career in biotechnology. Contact about: Investment in biotechnologies and pharmaceuticals.

Kent Lee

Senior Investment Manager – Med Tech

Kent joined UniServices in 2010 and focuses on investment in medical technologies. He has been a contracts manager and a business manager for health and medicine. He holds a degree in medical biochemistry and a master’s degree in entrepreneurship. Contact about: Investing in medical technologies.

Thomas Grant

Investment Manager – Biotechnology and drug discovery

Thomas has been with UniServices since 2022. He completed a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry in 2021 and specialises in antimicrobial drug discovery. Contact about: New drug development opportunities and ‘green’ chemical solutions.

Stephen Lo

Investment Manager – Digital Technology and Engineering

Stephen has worked at UniServices since 2021. His areas of focus are on the commercialisation of advanced chemical materials, physics and optics and digital technologies. He has a PhD in Chemistry and is currently completing his Master of Bioscience Enterprise. Contact about: Commercialising or investing in digital technology or engineering.

Yaser Shakib

Investment Manager – Digital Technology

Yaser graduated as a civil engineer and worked in the land development space for seven years before his interest in technology saw him shifting careers into the Web3 Venture Capital world. He now works as the Investment Manager looking after the digital technology portfolio. Contact about: Commercialising or investing in Blockchain, AI, Machine Learning as well as environmental, structural and civil engineering.