BioSolutions UK

Chris McDonald

Minister for Industry , Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade

Chris McDonald MP was appointed Minister for Industry in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) on 11 September 2025. His responsibilities include advanced manufacturing, chemicals and plastics, infrastructure, green jobs and skills,green growth sectors and industrial decarbonisation. He was elected as the MP for Stockton North in July 2024. 

Chris studied Chemical Engineering at Cambridge, graduating with BA and MEng degrees. He also completed an MBA at the University of Warwick. Before becoming an MP, Chris spent 20 years working in the steel industry, with a focus on research. In 2008, he became a laboratory manager within the research division of Tata Steel. In 2014 he led the divestment of the Materials Processing Institute from Tata Steel UK, becoming CEO. Chris is also a Fellow at the Royal Academy of Engineering. 

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Tina Sejersgård Fanø

Executive Vice President, Planetary Health Biosolutions, Novonesis

Tina Sejersgård Fanø is responsible for the Planetary Health Biosolutions division in Novonesis. The division enable innovative biosolutions that improve the health of the planet through reduced use of energy, chemicals and water, help get more output from fewer raw materials and reduce waste and emissions. Tina has worked her way through the organization holding a number of positions in applied research, production, marketing, sales and business development. Tina has significant experience in developing and managing global partnerships and has been instrumental in negotiating several major business deals for Novozymes over the years.

Since 2016 she has been part of the executive management team and is currently leading the Planetary Health Biosolutions division as Executive Vice President.

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Jeffrey Anthony

Engineering Biology Partnerships Lead, National Physical Laboratory

Jeffrey Anthony joined NPL in 2019 and works as part of NPL’s Life Sciences & Health Partnerships Team. With a focus on the building collaborations across the Life science sector Jeffrey works with collaborators across industry, academic and public sector to identify the ways in which NPL’s metrology expertise and capability can help to support research and its translation to drive growth. 

Jeffrey’s technical background is in microbiology, and he has worked in roles across quality assurance, and both product and business development. His experience includes the pharmaceutical sector, the development of genomic marker technologies in agritech and activities in cell biology. In his current role his time is dedicated to building partnerships across the UK and internationally across standards and metrology in Engineering Biology supporting companies in their quest to scale and commercialise at pace. 

 

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Arnaud Autret

Investment Director, BOLD, the venture fund of L’Oréal

Arnaud serves as one of BOLD's Investment Directors, where he leads European investments with a focus on beauty and science-driven innovation.  

Before joining BOLD, Arnaud was Head of European Investments at Illumina Ventures, focusing on life sciences, healthcare, and enabling technologies. His earlier career includes significant investment roles at M Ventures and Seventure Partners, where he actively participated in numerous transactions spanning therapeutics, diagnostics, and life science tools. Arnaud holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Pasteur Institute and an MSc in Finance from ESCP Europe Business School. 

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Anders Bendsen Spohr

Managing Partner, Head of Planetary Health Investments, Novo Holdings

Anders joined Novo Holdings A/S in 2017.
Anders is Managing Partner and Head of the Planetary Health Investments team.

Prior to joining Novo Holdings, Anders was employed as VP in Xellia Pharmaceuticals heading up the Global Product Supply. Other previous employments include EVP, Global Product Supply at Leo Pharma A/S and VP Global Supply Chain at Novozymes A/S.

Anders holds a PhD in Biotechnology and a MSc in Chemical Engineering from Technical University of Denmark as well as a graduate diploma in Business Administration (International Business) from Copenhagen Business School.

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Angie Burnett

Programme Director, Advanced Research Invention Agency

Angie Burnett is a plant biologist and has spent the last decade focusing on understanding the power of plants to solve some of our most pressing challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and environmental degradation. Previously, Angie was a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge. 

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Andy Clayton

Founder & CEO, Fermtech

Andy Clayton is the Founder and CEO of Fermtech. Andy is a biologist and entrepreneur who founded Fermtech with the vision to apply biology to help solve the climate crisis in food production systems. Fermtech has unique, patent pending technologies that allow for the conversion of side streams of food processing into valuable ingredients for the baking industry. Their products include cocoa substitutes, baking fibres, and baking flavour ingredients. Fermtech is Andy’s 4th business ventures, with 2 successful exits and one business failure to his name. 

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Sofie Carsten Nielsen

Director, DI Biosolutions and European Biosolutions Coalition, Danish Industry

Sofie is the Former minister of Higher Education and Research and former member of the Danish Parliament for more than 10 years. She is  now an enthusiastic ambassador for biosolutions and for the industry which provides so many of the answers to how we can live sustainably in the future. Sofie is eager and impatient to get many more of the solutions to market in Europe. 

Sofie is a Political Scientist by education and slso has a Masters degree in European Politics and Administration from College of Europe, Bruges. 

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Lucio Cicerelli

Director of Strategic Projects and Products , pladis Global

An enthusiastic professional working over 27 years in baked snacks and confectionary industries, with R&D roles spanning in Manufacturing Excellence in Continuous Improvement, Front End Innovation contributing to many new product launches and New Ventures creating and launching new brands and explorative New Products.

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Laure Craeye

CEO, W'ICE

Laure Craeye is a biochemical engineer and entrepreneur focused on translating sustainable innovation to market-ready solutions. She started her academic journey at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, where she built a strong foundation in biotechnology and life sciences. To complement her scientific expertise with business acumen, Laure pursued General Management studies at Vlerick Business School and completed an additional course in commercial and corporate law. This interdisciplinary background equipped her with skills in management, strategy, and entrepreneurship enabling her to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact. 

Building on this foundation, Laure co-founded W’Ice, a Belgian startup developing eco-friendly antifreeze solutions, with a primary application in agriculture to protect fruit crops from spring frost. W’Ice aims to provide growers with a preventive, sprayable and biological alternative to existing frost protection methods. The long term vision of the company is to expand its sustainable antifreeze solutions toward industrial applications beyond agriculture. As CEO, Laure leads business development and fundraising.  

With a strong commitment to sustainability, innovation, and tangible impact, Laure combines scientific rigor and entrepreneurial vision to address climate-related challenges in agriculture, delivering solutions that are both technologically advanced and environmentally responsible. 

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Sarah Davidson

Technology Development Lead, Croda

Sarah has several years’ experience working in the chemicals industry, and in that time has become a specialist on sustainable chemistry. In her day job, Sarah indulges her passions for science and sustainability, through her role as Technology Development Lead at Croda. In this role she coordinates Croda’s external collaborations, building a vast external network. She has also had a leading role in developing Croda’s first ever Net Zero roadmaps. Prior to this, she has had various roles in Croda in R&D and Corporate Sustainability, following the completion of her Master’s in Chemistry with Industrial Experience from the University of Sheffield. She sits on the Biobased Biodegradable Industry Association board, the University of Bath’s Institute for Sustainability and Climate Change.

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George Freeman

MP for Mid Norfolk, UK Trade Envoy to Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore & Brunei

George was elected to Parliament in 2010 after a 15 year career in the Cambridge cluster founding high-growth technology companies.  

George has served in the last three Governments as UK Trade Envoy, the first UK Minister for Life Science, Chair of the Prime Minister’s Policy Board and Minister of State for Decarbonisation, Disconnection & Digitalisation at the Department for Transport. In 2022 he was appointed as Minister of State for Science, Technology, Research and Innovation at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. In 2023 George was appointed as Minister of State in the newly-created Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. He previously led the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform (TIGRR).  As Founder of the 2020 Conservatives Group of MPs, author of Britain Beyond Brexit and Chair of the Conservative Policy Forum, Freeman is a leading Conservative voice for a New Generation of Conservative Reform, Regeneration and Renewal after the divisions of Brexit and the Covid recession.  

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Veronica Greco

Co-Founder & COO, CDotBio

Dr Veronica Greco is Co-founder and COO of CDotBio, developing a universal delivery platform to improve efficacy and reduce product use across agricultural inputs. She leads commercial operations, market strategy, and IP, shaping how CDotBio’s technology is positioned, structured, and deployed within real market and regulatory environments, and aligning development with clear pathways to adoption. 

With a PhD in Synthetic Biology and a background in pharmaceutical chemistry, she works at the interface of science, commercialisation, and regulatory environments. Her work centres on translating scientific innovation into scalable, economically viable solutions that can be adopted by industry and attract investment.

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Lawrence Harris

Section Manager, Bio-transformations., Mondelēz International

Lawrence has worked in R&D at Mondelēz International for 18 years, holding roles in fundamental research, chocolate product development, and IP leadership with experience across chewing gum, candy and chocolate category technologies. He leads Mondelez’s Bio-transformations research team, focusing on wheat & cocoa crop science, cocoa fermentation and cellular agriculture – building collaborative research platforms with a start-ups around the world, linking external biotech capability to Mondelez’s strategic goals.

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Ross Hendron

CEO and Co-Founder, Wild Bioscience

Ross Hendron is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wild Bio, an Oxford University spin-out harnessing evolution to design resilient crops for a changing planet. He completed his PhD at Oxford, worked at the venture capital firm OSE, and co-founded Wild Bio in 2021. Since then, Ross has led Wild to develop new crop products from discovery through to field trials, built partnerships with industry-leading multinationals, and scaled the company through successful fundraises, most recently a $60M raise led by the Ellison Institute of Technology. 

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Damian Kelly

VP of Innovation & Technology Development, Croda Europe

Damian holds a BSc in Chemistry, MSc in Surface Science & Catalysis and a PhD in Tribology from the University of Cambridge. Upon graduation Damian joined the Croda Graduate Development Programme in 2001. Over the past 23 years Damian has held several positions across different Croda markets, divisions and functions including Personal Care Sales Manager for Latin America, Performance Technologies Business Development Manager for North America and Life Sciences Vice President for Europe with both Technical and Commercial responsibility. Damian is presently Vice President Innovation & Technology Development for all Croda businesses globally and has responsibility for the acquisition and licensing of new technologies that match the needs of all Croda’s end markets. 

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Prithvi Kodialbail

Head of Partnerships, Extracellular

Prithvi Kodialbail, Head of Partnerships at Extracellular, brings over 14 years of experience in development and bio-manufacturing including cell-based technologies for food, cosmetics, nutraceuticals & therapeutics. 

She serves as an advisor for NFX (Novel Foods Advisory UK), collaborating closely with the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Prithvi is actively engaged with global regulatory agencies, as well as key industry bodies such as EFfCI and BBIA. 

Previously, she led process engineering teams at Shiok Meats, led upstream and downstream process teams at Akamis Bio and collaborated on viral vaccine projects with Bristol Myers Squibb. 

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Zayd Lakhi

Co-Founder & CEO, Amplisynth

• Specialist in genomics, oncology and molecular biology
• Shortlisted for a £3M grant by Pfizer at 21 for an independently developed treatment for Huntington's Disease
• Employee no. 7 at Imperial College Spinout acquired for $117M, then subsequently acquired for $10B

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Thierry Le Goff

Commercial Director, National Measurement Laboratory

Thierry Le Goff is the Commercial Director at the National Measurement Laboratory, the UK’s designated institute for chemical and bio‑measurement. He leads diverse teams across programme management, business development, and training/consultancy, and oversees all commercial engagement with industry, academia and research organisations. His work focuses on integrating metrology and standards into key innovation areas, including engineering biology, in vitro diagnostics, novel foods, advanced therapeutics, precision medicine, and nanotechnology. 

Passionate about bridging the gap between scientific discovery and real‑world application, Thierry is driven by the potential of emerging technologies to improve health outcomes, protect the environment, and advance sustainability. 

He holds a PhD and postdoctoral research experience in Environmental Analytical Chemistry, with a career spanning academia, industry, and start‑up creation. 

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Daniele Leonarduzzi

Senior Scientist II, Reading Scientific Services Ltd

Daniele is a Material Scientist holding a DPhil in Chemistry from Oxford University. He has a dynamic career spanning the fine chemical and energy sectors, where he has successfully launched new products and processes. 

During his 8 years at RSSL, Daniele has leveraged his scientific expertise to enhance clients’ understanding of ingredients and processes. He plays a crucial role in evaluating the regulatory and technical feasibility of novel technologies, advising clients on the scientific requirements for novel food regulatory dossiers, and ultimately, bridging the gap between innovation and regulatory compliance. 

 

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Vjera Magdalenic-Moussavi

Head of Research & Innovation Services, Kew Gardens

Vjera is an experienced leader with 20 +years of experience in innovation and translation of bio-based research spanning academia, SMEs, UK and EU governments and corporates in BioPharma, MedTech, Nutrition, Energy, FMCG. At Kew, Vjera leads a new department with a focus on delivery of biodiversity-based innovation for novel solutions across policy and bioeconomy both nationally and internationally. 

Prior to joining Kew, Vjera was at Imperial College for 11 years as Director of Industrial Partnerships and Commercialisation for the healthcare portfolio. This included industrial research partnerships, IP management, licensing, and spin-out creation. Previously Vjera co-founded Lux Assure, an industrial biotech providing bio-based technology solutions across several industries. She acted as CBO, leading on all commercial aspects of the business. In addition, Vjera acts as an assessor and advisor for European Commission Innovation and Research Councils (EIC and ERC) across programmes since 2012 and La Caixa foundation since 2023. Vjera is passionate about entrepreneurial systems building and developing entrepreneurial mindsets. To this end she teaches on innovation across a number of Imperial College Masters programmes and has authored a chapter on the topic of healthcare innovation for Oxford University Press Handbook, published in 2025. 

 

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Emmet McCallion

Responsible Innovation Lead Engineering Biology, DSIT

No bio provided

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Matt McCann

Head of BioCapital Network at SEC and Head of Portfolio at Zinc VC, SEC/Zinc

At Zinc, Matt leads on all things portfolio. Through building our co-investor network with other health and environment venture funds, he works directly with our portfolio founders to support their fundraising efforts.

Matt brings several years experience working in the early-stage life science and climate innovation ecosystem spanning roles in corporate venture capital, university spin-outs, recruitment, lab incubator spaces and science writing.

Alongside his day jobs, Matt co-founded the Science Entrepreneur Club, a not-for-profit building communities that enable innovation in the life sciences. Here, he launched the BioCapital Network and has grown the community to over 500 life science investors from across the UK and beyond. Alongside, he has supported the BioEntrepreneur Club to grow to over 500 C-suite and has led the delivery of five cohorts of an accelerator with alumni going on to raise over £65m post-programme.

Matt holds a BSc in Biology from the University of Leeds and an MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Cambridge.

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Sarah McMullen

CEO, RemePhy

Sarah McMullen is Co-Founder and CEO of RemePhy, an Imperial College London spinout developing plant–microbe systems to clean contaminated soil in a faster, cheaper and less disruptive way. The company’s biological approach enables plants to grow in heavily contaminated soils and extract metals as they grow, allowing remediation to take place in situ while creating additional value through the recycling of metals recovered from the biomass. 

Sarah brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in global investment management. Most recently she served as CEO of PGIM UK and Head of EMEA at PGIM Fixed Income, where she led an $86bn regional business spanning multiple countries and regulatory jurisdictions. 

At RemePhy, Sarah focuses on commercial strategy, fundraising, partnerships and translating breakthrough science into scalable real-world solutions. She is particularly interested in building category-defining companies at the intersection of climate, biology and deep tech. 

Sarah is a CFA charterholder and holds a BSc in Physiology from the University of Edinburgh. 

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Fiona Mischel

Associate Director, Strategic Development, Holiferm

Fiona is the Associate Director of Strategic Development at Holiferm, a commercial-scale UK biochemicals company. Her work covers business development, strategic partnerships, investment, and developing compelling narratives to illustrate the impact of biology over petrochemicals. Fiona began her career in science communication, and she previously worked as the Director of International Outreach for SynBioBeta. She was also previously a member of the OECD's Expert Focus Group on Synthetic Biology and has worked closely with national and international bodies to advance bioeconomy policy and collaboration. 

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Alex Neves

Co-Founder & CEO, Clean Food Group

A successful entrepreneur with 13 years of experience in FMCG and food and beverages. 

Alex co-founded UK based chilled food business Scratch Meals Ltd in 2009 – a business with UK and international distribution across a portfolio of brands and own label business. 

In 2018, Alex joined the management team of EMMAC Life Sciences as Head of Wellness (Consumer Goods Division). 

Through securing key private label partnerships with international retailers such as WBA and leading the business through the regulatory pathway for Novel Foods as well as steering a portfolio of brands, Alex helped grow the business which later sold to CuraLeaf in March 2021. 

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Line Kloster Pedersen

Founder & CEO, Visibuilt

The company was founded by Line Kloster Pedersen. Line's inspiration to start Visibuilt came during one of her runs around the lakes of Copenhagen, where she reflected on how fungi play a crucial role in the soil ecosystem in nature, and wondered whether the same logic could be applied to creating road surfaces in our cities.

When she began researching the asphalt industry, she was shocked to discover that the current asphalt market is still dependent on oil-based binders, similar to those used a hundred years ago, with few or no alternatives available. This realization sparked her imagination and led her to consider the possibility of a natural, mycelium-based binder, inspired by nature’s own solutions.

This became the foundation for Visibuilt’s solution, visiBINDER, a technology aimed at reducing our infrastructure’s dependence on fossil-based binders and contributing to the global development of groundbreaking climate technologies for pavement materials.

The team behind Visibuilt has since expanded to 19 employees, and brings together diverse expertise spanning science, marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, and engineering. Based near Copenhagen, we are positioned at the heart of Europe’s biotechnology innovation hub.

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Divya Vijay Pratheek

VP, Product and Marketing , Ribbon Bio

Divya is a biotechnology leader with over a decade of experience in product and commercial strategy, managing global portfolios for both established companies and startups. She has held impactful roles at QIAGEN, Automata, and Congenica, leading cross-functional teams and driving growth for multi-million-dollar portfolios across automation, reagents, and software. Divya holds a B.S. in Microbiology, Zoology, and Chemistry from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, and an M.S. in Communication Science from North Carolina State University, positioning her at the nexus of biotech innovation and product development. 

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Wendy Quainoo

Senior Data Insights Executive, BioIndustry Association

As a Data Insights Executive, Wendy specialises in gathering and analysing data across the UK and global biotech sectors. Her work revolves around turning complex datasets into clear, actionable insights that support strategic areas within the BIA. She translates data into intuitive visualizations and reports, allowing key stakeholders and the biotech community to easily understand market trends, research developments and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Wendy managed laboratory operations at Randox Health, where she used statistical software to analyse data and provide meaningful insights.

As an IT Business Analyst, Wendy facilitated effective communication between stakeholders and technical teams, guiding projects from planning to deployment. Additionally, she managed vendor relations, ensuring clear deliverables and adherence to project timelines.

Wendy has a BSc in Biomedical Science from Coventry University and an MBA in Business Analytics from the University of East London. Wendy has also received Microsoft-accredited AZ-900 and DP-900 certifications, demonstrating her knowledge in key data principles and databases.

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Lauren Ray

Senior Principal Scientist in Synthetic Biology, Syngenta

Lauren Ray is a Senior Principal Scientist in Synthetic Biology at Syngenta, where she leads the advancement of engineering biology and genomics to drive sustainable agricultural innovation in Biologicals Research and Development. Since joining Syngenta in 2016, Lauren has progressed from a Technical Specialist to the scientific leadership of teams who deliver across the entire R&D pipeline—from early-stage Discovery through to Development. Her expertise in natural products research and biosynthesis is underpinned by a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Warwick and postdoctoral research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD. 

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Hannah Regan

Engineering Biology Growth Lead, DSIT

Dr Hannah Regan is the infrastructure and R&D lead in the Engineering Biology Policy Team in the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT). She is responsible for ensuring infrastructure and R&D policy for engineering biology support growth of the UK’s sector.  Prior to joining the engineering biology team, Hannah worked in central DSIT, and for the Office for Life Sciences. Hannah holds a doctorate in biological engineering from the University of Sheffield. 

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Toby Reid

Executive Director, Pioneer Group

Toby is a Executive Director of Pioneer Group, the UK's largest combined venture builder and real estate operator in the knowledge economy with innovation campuses across the UK and Ireland. 

He has a background in engineering and project management, as well as business startup and venture capital finance. He has a degree in Engineering from the University of Nottingham and qualified as a chartered engineer with Arup. He founded several startups and worked in company financing before joining BioCity (one of the UK’s leading Biotech incubators) in 2011. Toby was CEO of BioCity Group from January 2019, negotiating and guiding the company through its merger to form Pioneer Group.  

Toby oversees all venture building activities at Pioneer. He was an early UK advocate of 'evidence-based entrepreneurship', the bedrock of Pioneer's approach to supporting high-growth companies. He is focused on creating and maintaining vibrant innovation ecosystems and support structures to create environments in which innovation can flourish and technology businesses of all types and sizes can thrive. 

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Beatriz San Martin

Partner, Arnold & Porter LLP

Dr Beatriz San Martin is a leading intellectual property partner at Arnold & Porter in London, advising life sciences and biotechnology companies on strategic issues across the product lifecycle. Her practice sits at the intersection of IP, trade secrets, data, compliance and dispute resolution, with industry experience spanning engineering biology, digital health and artificial intelligence. Beatriz regularly advises clients on complex issues affecting innovation and commercialisation, as well as supporting transactions, resolving disputes and enforcing IP rights. She works closely with in-house teams to deliver pragmatic, business-focused solutions aligned with scientific and commercial realities.

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Oliver Sexton

Investment Director, UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund

Oliver is an Investment Director at UKI2S. Specialising in life science investments he has managed the enlarged £33m engineering biology sub-fund since its inception in 2014. He has invested in a broad range of companies in sectors as diverse as therapeutic, agritech and clean biotech.  

He sits on multiple boards and has overseen exits including the £85m sale of Quethera to Astellas. He is also a member of the Future Planet Capital ESG steering group.  

Prior to joining UKI2S, Oliver worked at the venture fund Imperial Innovations as well as other roles in the industry. He has a background in strategy analysis and consultancy including roles in New York and has a masters from the University of Bristol and commenced a PhD in bioremediation at the University of Nottingham. 

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Claire Skentelbery

Director General, EuropaBio

Claire has worked in the development of scientific networks and associations for over 20 years. Following a degree in agriculture and a PhD in crop science, she worked in scientific communications and as a biotechnology National Contact Point for Framework Programme Five. Her work took her to the fast growing Cambridge (UK) biotechnology cluster in 2000, where she was part of her first business association (now One Nucleus) from where, as part of a Europe-wide founding team, she launched the Council of European BioRegions (CEBR), a network of biotechnology clusters.

Her role as Network Manager for CEBR brought her to Brussels in 2009, where she also became Secretary General of the European Biotechnology Network, a network with the mission to build collaboration for exploitation of science. Through EBN she became involved in the Innovatove Medicines Initiative (IMI) within the ENABLE project, which developed novel Gram negative antibacterial candidates.

In 2016, Claire took on a global role as Director General of the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA), representing nanomaterials across sectors, with focus on the emerging regulatory frameworks worldwide and the positioning of nanomaterials in advanced products and processes.

In 2020, she joined EuropaBio as Director General, representing biotechnology across sectors and helping to shape the role that it plays in Europe’s delivery of a sustainable and healthy future.

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Alex Smith

Director of Biotechnology, CPI

Alex is Director of Biotechnology at CPI, who support businesses in process development, scale up and commercialisation, specialising in the translation of novel science into industrial reality and helping to bring new ideas and technologies to market faster, and with reduced risk. A chartered chemical engineer and modelling & simulation expert, Alex is experienced in the design, build, commissioning and operation of processes across multiple industries. He joined CPI in 2014 with a remit to establish and develop a strong modelling & simulation capability whilst also helping to further develop the company’s process engineering capabilities. Since 2023 Alex has been in the role of technology centre director at CPI, responsible for leading a team of 80 technical specialists including engineers, scientists and process technicians, to support a range of commercial clients and collaborative partners to scale up their Biotech and Process Chemistry processes from CPI’s Wilton Centre base.

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Hendrik Waegeman

Head of Business Operations, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant

Hendrik Waegeman obtained a master’s degree in Biochemical Engineering at Ghent University (2007) and holds a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences-Chemical Engineering (2011), also obtained at Ghent University. During his doctoral research he metabolically engineered Esherichia coli to improve recombinant protein production. During his post-doctoral research, Hendrik Waegeman was involved in a number of projects that focused on precision fermentation targeting specialty carbohydrates. He is also one of the founders of the biotech company Inbiose NV, founded in 2013, which develops fermentatively produced human milk oligoscaccharides.  In 2012, he was guest lecturer at the University of Incheon, South-Korea where he lectured a course on Industrial Biotechnology. 

Since 2012, he has a position at the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant in Ghent, Belgium. Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is globally one of the largest Pilot- and Demonstration Facility for Industrial Biotechnology. Since 2019 Hendrik is Head of Business Operations and responsible for the operational management of BBEPP.  

Hendrik is also board director Biobased Industries Consortium (the private partner in BBI-JU and CBE-JU, Bio.be (the cluster of Belgian biotech companies), Smart Delta Resources (large energy and resource-intensive companies in the Flemish-Dutch Schelde-Delta region) and the European Biosolutions Coalition (representing VBO-FEB, the Organization for Belgian Enterprises).  

Hendrik is a strong believer in the bioeconomy and industrial biotechnology. 

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Jo Wongcharoenyai

Partner, SeaX Ventures

Jo is a Partner at SeaX Ventures, where he leads investments in early-stage companies shaping the future of deep tech, healthtech, and climate. With over 14 years of experience across venture capital, private equity, and special situations, he brings a cross-disciplinary perspective on scaling breakthrough technologies globally.

Prior to joining SeaX Ventures, Jo was part of the investment teams at Ares Management (NYSE: ARES), PROPARCO, Lakeshore Capital, and Bangkok Bank, with experience spanning distressed investing, impact investing, growth equity, and buyouts.

He holds an MBA from the University of Oxford and is both a CFA® charterholder and a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM®).

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