Executive Management
Ken Powell Executive Chairman
With over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry and academia, Ken’s previous posts have included Head of Antiviral Research and Head of Biology at the Wellcome Foundation. He was Professor of Virology and Cell Biology at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research (UCL) where he was also deputy director from 1996 to 2002. During his time at WIBR Ken set up Inpharmatica (now part of Galapagos NV) and Ark Therapeutics (now LSE listed) in addition to Arrow Therapeutics which he founded with five colleagues in 1998. Based in central London, Arrow has multiple products in clinical and preclinical development and was recently sold to Astra-Zeneca PLC for $150 million.
Jo Macpherson CSO
Jo has over 17 years experience in the life science industry in roles that have encompassed research, management and consultancy. Her previous roles include senior scientist at Gemini Genomics, CSO and founder of QT Genetics, management consultant for pharmaceutical generics company Alpharma, and business manager for Cancer Research Ventures Ltd. Jo has an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and a PhD in Neuropsychiatric genetics from Cardiff University and has published over 40 peer reviewed papers, articles and reviews.
Ian Smith CFO and Cardiff MD
Ian is a Chartered Accountant with 20 years post-qualification experience in business as a board level Finance Director, Chief Executive and now entrepreneur, having established his own small businesses. Sector experience has predominantly been technology-based including micro- and nano-technology in the semiconductor industry, hi-tech engineering and software. His executive roles have been in international private equity backed businesses as well quoted entities. He has been instrumentally involved in a public-to-private MBO, expansion re-financing, an AIM flotation, an international disposal and a range of SME level acquisitions.
Tony Mills Chief Commercial Officer
Tony has over 20 years business development experience in intellectual property (IP) management and biotech commercialisation. After training as a virologist he worked in the vaccine industry for several years before joining the IP development company, BTG, where he licensed vaccine related IP worldwide and was a key member of the team that founded Peptide Therapeutics, acquired as Acambis in 2008 by Sanofi Aventis for £280 million. More recently Tony has continued his interest in the commercialisation of biotech as VP Business Development at BioVex, followed by a stint as an Executive Director of Phynova, the Oxford based company deriving novel drug candidates from plants.