Former CEO of Innovate UK and MD of Airbus to chair new graphene advisory panel

Published by

Nicky Godding

Versarien Plc, the Cheltenham-headquartered advanced materials engineering group, has recruited the former CEO of Innovate UK, Professor Iain Gray, now the Director of Aerospace at Cranfield University to chair its newly formed is Versarien Graphene Advisory Panel.

The Panel will meet at least twice a year and will offer a platform to some of the world's leading authorities on graphene and related technology. It will focus on the dual agenda of scoping Versarien's current and future technologies, including GSCALE type applications, as well as wider graphene related topics.

Professor Iain Gray was also the former Managing Director of Airbus UK.

Members of the panel also include James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester (which includes the National Graphene Institute and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre) who was previously the managing director of the Advanced Technology Centres for BAE Systems in the UK.

Professor Andrea Ferrari, Director and founder of the Cambridge Graphene Centre and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Graphene Technology, and Professor of Nanotechnology at Cambridge University.

Dr. Kari Hjelt, Head of Innovation at the Graphene Flagship, previously a Director at Nokia Ventures and Nokia Research and a founder and CEO of several start-up companies.

Professor Tony McNally, founder and Director of the International Institute for Nanocomposite Manufacturing (IINM), WMG and Chair in Nanocomposites at the University of Warwick, UK.

Neill Ricketts, CEO of Versarien, said: "We are delighted to announce the formation of the Versarien Graphene Advisory Panel as part of our strategy to commercialise the many opportunities and applications we have whilst keeping abreast of future requirements. It will create a platform for the debate and advancement of graphene technology and its applications, enabling a firm foundation for the present and the future. The calibre of panel members is a testament to our commitment and to the shared ambition to cement our position in the graphene industry."

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.