Dr Zahra Champion is the Executive Director of BioTechNZ (formally known as NZBIO), she holds a PhD from the University of Auckland, in Medicine and Health Sciences, and has significant experience in start-ups, medium companies and in the Government sector, with a strong focus on research innovation, commercialisation, policy and planning. Zahra currently sits on a number of not-for-profit boards, and on a New Zealand owned Contract Research Organisation (CRO) Pharmacutical Solutions.