Head of Commercialisation, Faculty of Engineering

James Chan is Head of Commercialisation for the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London, leading initiatives that accelerate the translation of breakthrough research into market-ready technologies. Before joining Imperial, he spent over a decade at The University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, managing hundreds of inventions and thousands of patents spanning engineering, science and medicine. His licensing strategies delivered significant commercial impact, generating multi-million-dollar revenues and shaping university IP policy.

An Electronic Engineer by training with a Bachelor of Laws in IP from the University of London, James brings rare dual expertise across technology and intellectual property law. Fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, he bridges academic innovation and global commercialisation, helping Imperial’s engineering breakthroughs reach industry and society worldwide.