Ken Jefferd is an internationally experienced executive leader and non-executive director with a passion for innovation and working with great people to make a difference on a global scale.
Ken’s current roles at the University of Melbourne are Vice-President, Melbourne Enterprise and Managing Director of UM Commercialisation Ltd. As the VP, Melbourne Enterprise, Ken drives greater research impact through partnerships, commercialisation and entrepreneurship, positioning the University as a high-profile external stakeholder landscape.
Ken’s focus areas include growing the University’s research enterprise and income, national and global industry partnerships, developing the University’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem to global benchmarks and driving continuous improvement in the University’s research support services, infrastructure and operations.
He graduated from Cardiff University with a first-class degree in applied chemistry before spending 20 years in global executive leadership roles for BP based in the UK, New York, California and Melbourne. More recently Ken was Managing Director then non-executive director of the private-equity owned hrl: technology group, successfully sold to new owners in 2026.
Other Board roles include: Tin Alley Ventures (NED and Investment Committee), UoM Genesis pre-seed fund (NED), BioCurate (NED), Jumar Bioincubator (NED), UoM International Holdings (NED), Carbelec (NED).