Developing Arronax’s links with the business world is the mission entrusted to Tony Prézeau as the new director of technology transfer.
One week after his arrival at Arronax, Tony Prézeau makes no secret of his enthusiasm: “Arronax is an exciting ecosystem, involving a whole community of players from fundamental research to clinical trials. This is rare for a medium-sized structure. I’m blown away by the richness and diversity of the scientific and technological subjects dealt with here.”
At 49, this general engineer with a specialization in materials and processes is no novice when it comes to transferring technology from academic research. For five years, he was deputy director of technology transfer at the Grenoble-based Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA), before heading up the CEA Pays de la Loire branch in Bouguenais (France). “Technology transfer involves reaching out to existing companies as well as start-ups, and requires a good understanding of markets and laboratory activities. This means keeping a long-term watch on publications, patents and clinical trials,” explains the specialist.
Although he doesn’t yet know the nuclear medicine sector inside out, the new director of technology transfer of Arronax isn’t worried. ” In my position, being an expert in the scientific field is less essential than being curious, reading a lot, and knowing how to collect and aggregate information from different sources, so as to produce objective, factual analyses that help in decision-making.” He adds: “I’m delighted to be at this stage of Arronax’s maturity. The change in scale that the structure is currently undergoing is the right time to formalize relations with its industrial and academic partners, those of today and those of tomorrow.”
Tony Prézeau has begun meeting with industrialists, and his first impression is confirmed: “Nuclear medicine is booming, and there’s a lot to do and a lot of opportunities for Arronax to seize. It’s a good thing, because I am passionate about this topic.”
Contact: Tony Prezeau