Alexander Roy

Director of Innovation at Unit M

Manchester, England, United Kingdom

About

I am Director of Innovation at Unit M, the University of Manchester's new innovation capability that is designed to support the region’s innovation economy. With a mandate to drive the University’s approach to innovation, Unit M connects and catalyses the innovation ecosystem in Greater Manchester and the wider region to accelerate inclusive growth.

Experience

  • Director of Innovation - Unit M at The University of Manchester
    Apr 2025 - Present · 1 yr 3 mos

    Unit M is the University of Manchester's new innovation unit. It exists to unlock the full innovation impact of our University on our region and the world around us. It does this by accelerating access to world-leading innovation talent and assets, and inventing new ways to partner.

  • Head Of Policy at MAG (Airports Group)
    Jun 2015 - Apr 2025 · 9 yrs 11 mos

    Senior manager at MAG with three airports, London Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands, serving over 55 million passengers per annum. I work across MAG to create, manage, and develop strategic processes and frameworks to drive forward MAG's long-term business and operational strategies. The current focus of my role is around surface access strategy and policy, assessing how MAG's airports can be better served by transport infrastructure and how best to deliver these improvements. A particular focus is on the delivery of high-speed rail, including HS2 to Manchester and East Midlands Airports, Northern Powerhouse Rail to Manchester Airport, and the Stansted Express, but road and other public transport modes are also an important part of the mix.

  • Principal Economist at Mott MacDonald
    Jul 2014 - Jun 2015 · 1 yr

    I was Principal Economist at Mott MacDonald, the global management, engineering and development consultancy, based in their Manchester office. I provided economic analysis and expertise on consultancy projects for public and private sector clients.

  • Deputy Director - Research & Strategy at New Economy
    Oct 2009 - Jul 2014 · 4 yrs 10 mos

    I was responsible for designing the research programme and managing the research team of New Economy, the agency owned by the 10 local authorities of Greater Manchester to create economic growth and prosperity for Greater Manchester, which has evolved into the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The work included the management and delivery of specific projects, such as the Urban Broadband Fund and Greater Manchester Forecasting Model (GMFM), as well as liaising with economic development leads and senior officers and councillors across the Greater Manchester local authorities.

  • Director at Adroit Economics Ltd
    Nov 2008 - Oct 2009 · 1 yr

    I was a Director of Adroit Economics, a small, specialist consultancy in economic development and regeneration, with particular expertise in the knowledge economy and local/regional development.