Professor Simon Biggs - Director

Chamelic’s founder, Simon has been working in the area of colloid and particle science for over 20 years and is currently the director of the BNFL – Leeds Alliance in in Particle Science & Technology. Institute of Particle Science & Engineering, University of Leeds, UK. Prior to his appointment at Leeds, he was head of Chemistry at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His area expertise is in surface chemistry, particularly in the area of particle-surface interactions. Prof Biggs has worked extensively with major multinational companies around the world in the development of new products and processes, which are being successfully marketed. He has built up significant knowledge and intellectual property in these areas and regularly collaborates and consults with companies such P&G, ICI… He is internationally known for his work on surface and particle force interaction and all aspects of the characterisation of surfaces.

Dr Laura Bond - Commercial Director

Laura works on the commercial aspects of Chamelic Limited and is responsible for the day to day running of the business of Chamelic Ltd. She is also an Investment Manager at IP Group plc, one of the principal shareholders in Chamelic Ltd, where she specializes in the commercialisation of chemical science based businesses. She gained a BSc(hons) in Chemistry from Warwick, during which time she worked at GlaxoWellcome and was awarded the Salters’ Graduate Prize for Chemistry in 2000. After working for a spin-out company from the University of Vienna, she read for her PhD with Pfizer GR&D at Nottingham investigating particle interactions at the nanoscale. Laura subsequently worked on inhalation drug delivery systems for Quadrant Drug Delivery Ltd. in Nottingham before spending a year at Warwick Ventures working on licensing and spin-out opportunities from the University of Warwick.

Dr Gaëlle Baquey - Chief Scientist

Gaëlle has several years’ research experience in various areas, ranging from investigations into the interface between polymer and organic chemistry. Prior to her position at Chamelic Ltd, she was a postdoctoral researcher for Arkema, working on the preparation of new porous polymer foams as catalytic supports” by polymerization in suspension in emulsion. During her Ph.D. sponsored by Akzo Nobel, she worked on the free radical crosslinking of permethylated silicones, graduating in 2004. Gaëlle joined Chamelic Ltd in May 2006 to work on the development of new polymers by controlled radical polymerisation (RAFT, ATRP).

Dr Sasha Heriot - Surface Scientist

Sasha has a wide variety of experience in polymer physics and surface science. Prior to her position at Chamelic she worked as a postdoctoral research scientist in the Polymer Physics group at Sheffield University. Her first project was to investigate in-situ phase separation between polymers during the spin coating process and the second project was on responsive polymer brush surfaces. She obtained a PhD in Physics working on nanofabrication and testing of chemical vapour sensors based on responsive gold nanoparticle technology in the Nanomaterial Engineering group at Sheffield. Since September 2007, Sasha is Chamelic’s Surface Scientist and is responsible for the analysis of functional surfaces, as well as the development of standard testing procedures and the implementation of consumer trials.

Dr Maggy Manguian - Polymer Chemist

Maggy has a PhD in Chemistry and Physico-Chemistry of Polymer from the University of Paris VI, France. She joined Chamelic Ltd after a first post-doctoral position for Rhodia working on the development of new oligosaccharide compound for homecare application followed by a post-doctoral position at the University of Pau (France) on the formation of nanostructure obtained by Radical Controlled Polymerization. Her skills are in Polymer synthesis, Controlled radical polymerization, Dispersed aqueous polymerization.

Dr Peter Lenney - Chairman

Peter joined Chamelic Ltd in May 2007. Peter has over 20 years in industry, mostly with the industrial coatings/paints division of Courtaulds, the British multinational [now part of Akzo-Nobel]. He graduated as a chemist. His business career took him from the laboratory bench of product development, via various R&D management appointments, through global marketing, to eventually become the Worldwide Business Director of International Paint Marine Coatings, a global supplier of coating systems & services to ship operators and shipbuilders worldwide; a $500m turnover business. In his technical roles this facet of the coatings industry led him to get involved in the detail of a very wide range of industries…everything from ship-building to beverage cans, yacht construction, petrochemical production and aerospace, to name just a few.

Dr. Rob Rule - Non-Exec Director

As Managing Director of Techtran, Rob is the NED respresentative of IP Group, the principal investor in Chamelic Limited. Rob joined IP Group from Liverpool Ventures Ltd, an investor in early-stage technology, where he was Business Director. Prior to that, Rob was Group Commercial Director of Micap plc and he also has extensive international blue-chip experience with ICI and DuPont. Rob has a first class degree in Chemical Physics from the University of Bristol, a PhD in Materials Structure from the University of Liverpool and a Business Masters degree from the University of Warwick.