York Biotech Campus strengthens senior team
Victoria de Kock has joined the science park as head of campus as it prepares to launch a new sustainability strategy.
De Kock brings nearly 20 years’ experience in facilities and estates management to the role. She began her career with a decade at Hiscox Insurance and played an instrumental role in launching Hiscox’s flagship office on Peasholme Green, York.
More recently, she was head of the motor finance division at Close Brothers Group, where she managed the entire property portfolio across UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands.
YBC is a leading hub for bioscience in Yorkshire, providing lab and office space for a variety of organisations in the sector.
The facility at Sand Hutton is currently home to businesses including Fera Science, Abingdon Health, which played a key role in Covid testing, Labcorp and Defra.
In her new role, de Kock will focus on stakeholder and supplier management, particularly fostering onsite occupier relationships, and will play a crucial part in overseeing site operations and infrastructure projects – the campus, owned by Capita, is keen to bring in more occupiers and also to add capacity by adapting its estate.
She will also spearhead a site sustainability project, which involves implementing new procedures to reduce energy consumption at the science park.
On her appointment, de Kock said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed as head of campus at YBC. YBC’s strong foundation in customer service aligns perfectly with my passion for meaningful stakeholder engagement.
“YBC stood out to me as an exceptional facility for bioscience in the region, and I am eager to contribute to the development and growth of the campus. I’m looking forward to implementing sustainability strategies, particularly in reducing energy usage and enhancing the overall environmental performance of the campus, to futureproof the science park for many years to come.”
Liz Cashon, estates manager at York Biotech Campus, added: “We’re pleased to have Victoria join us at an exciting time for the campus. With her extensive background in facilities management and customer experience, she is ideally positioned to assist our current occupiers in their growth.
“Victoria will also be instrumental in advancing the campus’s next growth phase, ensuring that YBC is at the forefront of sustainable property management and adapts its spaces to accommodate more organisations joining us.”
