Board Members
Prof. WILL POPE: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
William Pope, CEO and commercial co-founder of Microbial Solutions, is one of the UK’s leaders in managing and developing environmental companies over the last 25 years, and four times a winner of the “Technology Fast 50” awards for the fastest growing companies, and is 2008 “Business Innovation Support person of the Year”, awarded by the SPARC Technology Network. Prof. Pope is also a founder director and past Chairman of the Society for the Environment and Vice-President of the Institution of Environmental Science.
DAVID WHITBY: NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
David Whitby built an international lubricants career at British Petroleum, and later as Business Manager at BP’s Innovation Centre, where he formulated and implemented commercialisation strategies for technology-based business opportunities. In 1992 he left to establish Pathmaster Marketing, which consults on marketing, business development and technology assessment in all aspects of ‘downstream’ international oil, gas, chemicals and energy industries for a wide range of clients worldwide. David holds a degree in organic chemistry.
Dr DAVID KELLY: NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
David Kelly is co-founder and CEO of H2O Venture Partners. He was cofounder of Oxitec, an Oxford University spinout in the agri-biotech sector, and was Director of Business Development from its foundation in 2002 until 2006, when he left to establish H2O Venture Partners. H2O is invested in Microbial Solutions, and brings to the Company a team of technically and commercially experienced professionals including engineers and life scientists. David has an academic background in microbiology, and before moving into industry was a Pembroke College Lecturer and Research Fellow at Oxford University.
Prof. GEOFF RANDALL OBE: NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Geoff Randall was formerly Director of Global Safety for Astra Zeneca and is currently Vice President of the Marine Biological Association.
Dr VICTOR CHRISTOU: NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Victor Christou is the Senior Investment Manager for Oxford Capital Partners. Victor is responsible for investments in the materials, engineering, photonics and chemistry related sectors. He is an expert in spin-out businesses and works closely with universities and other institutions to support emerging businesses. He was a co-founder and technical director at Opsys, a spin-out from the University of Oxford, which commercialised new technology in the displays sector. Prior to spinning out Opsys, Victor was a College Lecturer and Royal Society University Research Fellow in the Department of Chemistry in Oxford. Victor gained an MSc in Management Science as a Sloan Fellow at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and has a PhD in inorganic chemistry from Imperial College of Science and Technology. Victor is a named inventor on several patents and was The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2002.
