Sue joined the university sector in 2002 initially as Director, Lifescience Enterprise at the University of Southampton and then as Head of Technology Transfer at the University of Bristol, following a career with AstraZeneca. Whilst with AstraZeneca, Sue undertook a range of commercial roles in marketing (UK and international), corporate strategy (new and existing businesses), business development and general management. As Managing Director of a French subsidiary she turned it from loss making to profit in 2 years through a rigorous prioritisation and rationalisation process. She was responsible for the sale of a subsidiary in Chile to one of its customers, negotiating a good price while protecting staff and maintaining an appropriate supply arrangement.