Mark Payton

Mark has extensive private investment and scale-up experience. Since co-founding Mercia he has led the sales of Hybrid Systems (to Myotec) to create PsiOxus Therapeutics Ltd, Warwick Effect Polymers Ltd (to Polytherics Ltd) to create Abzena plc and led the founding investment in Allinea Software Ltd (sold to ARM). Prior to Mercia, Mark played a leading role within Oxford University Innovation (“OUI”, the technology transfer operation of the University of Oxford), spinning out BioAnalab (sold to Millipore), Oxford Immunotec (listed on NASDAQ), Oxitec (sold to Intrexon) and Natural Motion (sold to Zynga).

Following his time at OUI Mark was the vice president corporate development at Oxxon Therapeutics Inc, prior to its sale to Oxford BioMedica plc. He gained his PhD jointly between the University of Oxford and the University of London (King’s College). Mark also has an MBA from the University of Warwick, is a Sainsbury Management Fellow for Life Sciences and was awarded the 2015 EY Entrepreneur of the Year(regional and national).

In addition to this CEO role Mark is also responsible for the following investments – OXGENE, Psioxus and Medherant.