A voice to make the world heed NZ's biotech strength

By DANIEL RIORDAN

New Zealand should be "shouting from the mountaintops" about its biotechnology, says new Government biotechnology chief Peter Lennox.

If he has his way, the rest of the world will soon be listening.

Lennox takes up his role as director of Industry New Zealand's biotechnology sector in July.

But he is taking a few weeks' leave in May from his job as head of biotechnology at Scottish Enterprise - the main economic development agency in Scotland - to familiarise himself with the local scene.

In February, Prime Minister Helen Clark named biotechnology as one of three sectors that held the key to New Zealand's prosperity, and the creation of Lennox's position reflects that.

The Government's approach sounds similar to Scotland's, in its determination to expand the industry by working with the private sector and academia.

Lennox faced the same challenges 2 1/2 years ago, having returned to Glasgow from New York after heading Scottish Enterprise's efforts to attract North American investment.

He found a lot of great things about Scottish biotechnology but its main areas - industry, academia and the Government - were fragmented.

"There was some great research but it was crying out for better commercialisation and branding," he said.



He set a target of doubling Scotland's biotechnology sector within four years - a target he says is on track.

He started by getting the main industry representatives together, establishing a "framework for action". The Scottish Government provided £40 million ($131 million) for the four years.

The industry representatives meet every three to four months, and the framework is updated every year.

The Scottish model has since been adopted by the European Union for its biotech umbrella group.

Lennox, who was headhunted for his new job, says he would hate to be portrayed as an expert coming to tell New Zealanders what to do.

"My role is pulling communities together and developing a common vision among Government, academia and industry," he said.

But he says the Government here has started the right way.

Lennox is taking several weeks of his holidays next month to coincide with the first meeting of the Government's biotech taskforce. He also intends taking every opportunity to promote New Zealand biotech informally.

Irish-born Lennox started his working life as a scientist in the whisky and food industries, did an MBA at Glasgow University and worked his way to management through production and marketing roles.

He waxes lyrical about the enthusiasm of the New Zealand Government for biotech and the preponderance of biochemistry and biology doctorates among the bureaucrats he will be working with.

He cites strep throat fighter Blis Technologies and the psoriasis work of Genesis Research & Development as examples of "mind-boggling" concepts with huge international potential.

On the thorny issue of paying firms to come here - with tax incentives or cash inducements - Lennox is cautious: "If a company comes to a country just because you offer them more money, you'll have problems."

Scotland marketed itself on its skills and infrastructure, something he says Ireland - touted constantly as a model for New Zealand - could not do, relying instead on cash and tax incentives.

As for genetic modification, Lennox says whether you're for or against GM- "and there's some Green in all of us" - it's a big part of biotech and already part of many people's lives.

Pest-resistant crops were needed to feed the Third World and the West had a responsibility to ensure such crops were as safe as possible.

Lennox, in his "early forties", will be living in Auckland with his wife and two daughters.

He is coming on an open-ended contract, and the family have put their Glasgow home on the market.