Kate Parker: From biotech to rocket science

Kate Parker helped nurture Invest Australia through its initial growth spurt 18 months ago. Now with the Commonwealth government agency growing again, restructuring and on the brink of becoming independent, Parker is leaving.

When she joined Invest Australia, (IA) she says, the biotechnology industry, "was just gaining momentum." The Commonwealth government had just released the National Strategy for Biotechnology a blueprint for the development of the industry. The industry association Ausbiotech was gaining enormous government support and venture capital was starting to flow into Australian biotechnology companies

Rather than being part of The Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Resources, IA is now restructuring so it will report directly to the minister.

The agency aims to promote, facilitate and attract investment into Australia and the restructured IA's biotech division will be four times its previous size.

Having nurtured it to this point, Parker is going to the other side -- to the private sector -- to develop her own industry experience.

Biotechs and bureaucrats who have dealt with Parker agree that she has been an asset to the growth of the industry.

During most of her time at IA she was the sole bastion, working with offshore investors to attract investment into the Australian biotechnology industry.

Early in her employment, Henry Wong, her predecessor, was sent to Singapore to run that offshore network.

Now there are 14 overseas networks with which Parker has kept in close contact. "The key spots were in Germany, UK, US, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and China," she says.

One of her most recent feats was bringing out a core team from BASF, a multi-national, billion dollar company, to look for potential investments in Australian bioagriculture.

"There are a pipeline of overseas investors, many of which will be visiting Australia in the next 12 months," she told Australian Biotechnology News.

Parker has filled many roles as IA's biotechnology manager. With a flair for communication, she was a huge asset to the IA marketing unit, assisting in the editorial of their new website which highlights the achievements of local biotechs.

She established BENC, the Biotechnology Events National Committee together with those from Biotechnology Australia, AustTrade and AusBiotech.

With her background in policy-making, Parker worked together with IA's research and analysing unit in Canberra to compile reports.

Her major coup, she says, was to set the stage for 12 of Australia's leading biotech figures to strut their stuff at the internationally renowned Bio 2002 conference, in Toronto in June. "It will complement Australia's sterling performance in the exhibit hall," she says.

Parker says she was disappointed that only one Australian, Peter Andrews, took part in the expert panel of speakers at the Bio 2001 conference in San Diego. This year, after a bit of push and shove from IA, a strong representative of Australian scientists and businessman will be presenting such as Alan Trounson, Deborah Rathjen, John Mattick and Tony Coulepis.

"It's been an amazing 18 months, watching the industry develop so quickly," Parker says.

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving [the sector] completely, I'll be back," she told Australian Biotechnology News, requesting a subscription form for the magazine.

So where do you go after biotech? In Parker's case, the answer is rocket science - literally. Two weeks ago, she joined the Asia Pacific Space Centre as its government liason.

Right now, Parker says, "I'm dreaming of the day where I'll be standing on Christmas Island, sipping a glass of champagne and watching the rocket take off into the sky."