Eric Van der Kleij

Eric Van der Kleij is an 'entrepreneur-in-residence' with the UK government and was appointed Chief Executive of the UK’s Tech City Investment Organisation (www.ukti.gov.uk/techcity ) in February 2011 to boost investment, entrepreneurship and skills in the capital. Previously in 2009, Eric was appointed Chief Adviser to UK Trade & Investment's Directorate for Investment, and has been a Senior Dealmaker and Chief Adviser to the UK's principal Inward Investment and Trade organisation with over 150 offices and embassies in over 90 countries.

In his previous role he led UKTI's Major Projects initiative, which delivers major benefits to the UK economy and trading partners by enabling the investment and implementation of major projects with "exceptional global potential".

Prior to taking up this role in 2009, he spent the previous six years establishing and developing the UK Government's Global Entrepreneur Programme (www.entrepreneurs.gov.uk), which has grown to become one of Europe's most successful entrepreneurship-in-government organisations operating today. Before taking on this role, Eric was a successful technology entrepreneur with over 25 years experience in high-technology and raising venture capital. He has sound technical expertise in ICT, digital media, cleantech, and energy/renewables. His own business experience and his ability to recognise and harness innovation as well as commercialise exceptional technology has contributed to the success of his work for the UK government.

A key strength he brings to his roles is his ability to socialise commercially and culturally with a variety of countries and organisations, using a combination of diplomacy and business acumen to build collaborations of mutual benefit to the UK and its partners.

As an accomplished entrepreneur himself, he was invited to establish the Global Entrepreneur Programme in 2003 as the Senior Dealmaker, helping develop the UK's strategy for attracting non-UK ideas and entrepreneurs of exceptional potential to the UK.

As a passionate entrepreneur, Eric continues to be involved in businesses, separate from his work at UK Trade & Investment. His private activities include having founded and raised $40M venture capital for www.adeptra.com, which pioneered the automation of credit card fraud detection and collections, to being a senior advisor at a 100 year old independent school. He continues to take an interest in non-government business activities where he feels he can lend his experience to the growth and development of those businesses.

Eric Van der Kleij - LookupPage

UKTI Global Entrepreneur Programme