Neil Barron is currently Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor in Innovation at Queen Mary, University of London. This role allows exposure to and insights into other academic institutions and their knowledge networks beyond the Royal College of Art and Imperial College. The position is within the School of Engineering and Materials Science and the scope extends from Design and Innovation into Medical Engineering and Nanotechnology.

Neil has worked extensively with the UK Design Council Designing Demand Programme since its origin in 2005 and is regularly involved with the Institute of Materials and particularly but not exclusively the Materials and Design Exchange (MADE). Through MADE Neil has acted as a team leader in a number of commercial creativity workshops across a spectrum of industries, generating innovation and strategic design direction for organisations including Virgin Atlantic and the Home Office.

Neil Barron is on the board of directors of a number of innovative start-up companies.