Dr. Kevin Cullen

Dr. Kevin Cullen

Vice President of Innovation and Economic Development – KAUST

Dr. Kevin E. Cullen is Vice President of Innovation and Economic Development at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. As Vice President of KAUST Innovation, he oversees the University’s intellectual property portfolio, collaborations with industry partners and the creation of new businesses and joint ventures.
Kevin is a leader in global innovation with expertise in both economic development and industrial engagement. Throughout his career, he has helped elevate university-based innovation enterprises, which has led to the launch of more than hundreds of startups 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 joined UNSW Innovations from the University of Glasgow, where he was Director of Research & Enterprise. Kevin received a Ph.D. in physical-organic chemistry from the University of Edinburgh.