Graeme M. Coomber
Managing Director
Global Innovation Solutions
Email: graeme.coomber@gis-innovation.com
Graeme has over 20 years innovation, international managerial, marketing and business development experience working in Australia, the USA, S.E. Asia, Europe and the Middle East. He has extensive company and start-up experience and a wide knowledge of international consultation and markets borne out by first-hand experience.
Graeme has been involved in innovation development and related activities for over ten years, both as a practitioner as well as a consultant. He has a deep knowledge of the important issues that relate to scientific research, technology use and adoption, commercial development, education and finance.
Graeme began his career in Western Australia as an IT professional in 1984 working for many Government institutions specializing in Operating Systems and Network Management. In 1989 Graeme relocated to the United Kingdom and worked as an independent IT consultant for many companies including Xerox, Prudential, and Sainsbury's.
Following the completion of an MBA in Telecommunications Management in 1992 at the University of San Francisco, Graeme moved to Singapore where he took up a position as General Manager for an electronics media company targeting markets in SE Asia. Graeme was responsible for introducing some of the very first Internet systems into the region, Graeme's his customers during this period included RTM Malaysia, MTV, HBO and Binariang Satellite Systems. In 1997 Graeme co-founded one of the first start-up companies under the Malaysian MSC banner promoting some of the first e-payment systems in the country and took part in Prime Minister Mahathir's promotional tour of the MSC to the USA.
Attracted by the Internet boom of the late 90's. Graeme relocated to Silicon Valley in 1997 to take on the role of Director of E. Commerce and Business Development at iPIN, a micro-payment system developed for the Internet and mobile devices.
In 2001 Graeme joined the Kelvin Institute, a multidisciplinary organisation established by the Scottish Executive in association with the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde to foster the growth of innovation and knowledge based industries in Scotland. As Director of Innovation Development, Graeme was charged with assisting University Research staff, and SME's improve the commercial potential of their product and service offerings as well as supporting their entry into international markets.
Graeme's recent consultation role with SRI International of Menlo Park, USA, as Head of Innovation Business Development SE Asia and the Middle East has exposed him to many of the issues and challenges facing countries and companies in SE Asia, Australia and the Middle East wishing to bring about innovation change to their people and organizations. Most recently in partnership with the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education Graeme has been involved in upgrading the R&D process within the country's public Universities as well as training researchers in innovation best practices.
In 2010 Graeme founded Global Innovation Solutions, a company dedicated to delivering Innovation consultancy and growth strategies to Governments, Corporations and SME's.
Graeme holds a BA in Music from the University of Western Australia, a B. Bus in Information Processing from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia and a MBA in Telecommunications Management and Policy from the University of San Francisco.