Dr. Kevin Cullen

Dr. Kevin Cullen has been appointed as Vice President of Innovation and Economic Development. Kevin is a leader in global innovation with expertise in both economic development and industrial engagement. As Vice President of KAUST Innovation, he will lead the University’s intellectual property portfolio, help create and support new businesses, joint ventures, and collaborations with industry partners, and continue to foster a strong culture of entrepreneurship at KAUST.

Dr. Cullen has over 20 years of experience in academic innovation and business development. Throughout his career he has helped elevate university-based innovation enterprises that have led to the launch of more than 250 startup companies as well as numerous products and services.

Prior to joining KAUST, Kevin spent six years as CEO of Innovations at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. He helped transform UNSW from a traditional commercialization unit into an innovation hub by supporting a broad range of university priorities including economic development and social impact.

Kevin helped change the debate around university/industry engagement in Australia. He was commissioned by the Australian Government to produce a report on the most effective ways to build connections between academia and industry. Most recently he was appointed to the NSW Innovation and Productivity Committee, where he was charged with introducing new approaches to innovation and economic development at the state level.