Board of Directors
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.
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.
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.
Sam Richardson Non-Executive Director
Sam has over eight years experience in venture capital investing having begun his VC career at Sitka Partners, an early stage technology investor in 2000. Following the acquisition of Sitka by investment bank Noble in 2005, Sam joined their Private Equity & Venture Finance team as Senior Investment Manager. During this period he worked on 17 investments in healthcare and technology companies. Sam then joined E-Synergy Ltd as Investment Director for the Sustainable Technology Fund in 2007 and formed part of the core team that spun the fund out into Curzon Park Capital.
Richard Brook OBE Non-Executive Director
Richard holds degrees in Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science from Bristol and London Universities. He is a chartered engineer, chartered mathematician and a fellow of the Institutes of Measurement and Electrical Engineering. He was Chief Executive of Sira Ltd and is President of AIRTO. His career spans over 30 years in research and development in sensors, measurement, instrumentation and related technologies such as optics, imaging and displays for industrial manufacturing, space and defence applications. His extensive involvement with leading technology organisations in the USA and Europe includes the EC and the European Space Agency.
Richard is a founding director of E-Synergy Ltd, Chairman of the E-Synergy Early Growth Fund Ltd. and Chairman of KeCrypt Ltd. He has special expertise in product development strategy.
Dominic Griffiths Non-Executive Director
Dr. Dominic Griffiths joined Fusion IP in September 2007 and is responsible for the Life Sciences portfolio. Dominic’s responsibilities in Cardiff span the entire spin-out value chain: identifying and evaluating new opportunities, securing investment in the company, providing management support and assisting portfolio companies seek further investment or exit. Prior to joining Fusion IP Dominic was Director of Business Development for the AIM-listed company Phoqus Pharmaceuticals and has a background in management consulting, having previously worked for Gemini Consulting (now CapGemini) and Pharmaventures. He represents Fusion IP and is also the nominated director on Q Chip’s board for Finance Wales.
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.