Staff

Dr Malcolm Butler - Managing Director

Malcolm completed a PhD from the Department of Engineering Materials at the University of Sheffield in 1992. He spent 11 years working for British Steel/Corus in a variety of posts that covered the direction of management of R&D technical resources to meet both internal and external customer needs. This culminated in his role as Programme Manager for heavy construction overseeing the definition and delivery of a £9m per annum research programme.

In 2003 he took a post as Manager of the Sheffield Polymer Centre where he rapidly expanded the profile of the Centre and its interaction with industry through contract research, training and commercialisation. At present he continues in this role as well as being the Managing Director of FaraPack Polymers Ltd.

Dr Andy Pryke - Principle Polymer Scientist

Andy has worked for FaraPack Polymers from the very beginning of the company's life and carries out the majority of the lab work. Having worked with polymers for the last 19 years in both industry and academia, he is competent in almost all aspects of polymer science. Andy gained his degree in Chemistry from Anglia Polytechnic on a part-time basis while working for Whitton Chemical Co. Ltd who specialise in the contract manufacture of a wide range of polymers. His PhD from the University of Sheffield was in the field of polymer synthesis and characterisation. It is Andy's experience, coupled with the expertise at the University of Sheffield, that enables FaraPack Polymers to offer such a wide range of services.

Dr Claire Hurley - Polymer Scientist

Claire recently completed her PhD in nanoscale analytical science at the University of Sheffield. Her research focussed on the surface modification and analysis of polymers particularly using atomic force microscopy. Prior to this she completed her master's degree, also at the University of Sheffield, working at Daresbury SRS and ESRF radiation facilities during her dissertation to investigate structure-property relationships during polymer processing.

Mr Chris Saywell - Techanical Customer Liaison Assistant

Chris is a recent addition to the FaraPack team; he completed his MChem degree at the University of Sheffield in July 2007. His final dissertation involved the synthesis of controlled structure biocompatible polymers using atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP); the project has given him a keen interest in the field of polymer science. During his degree Chris also spent a year working as an analytical scientist within the pharmaceuticals industry, where he utilised techniques including high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC).

 

Directors

David Catton - Chairman

On 1st May 1998, David was appointed Managing Director of Sheffield University Enterprises Limited (SUEL). Prior to this, he had worked for Ford Motor Company, British Leyland (now Rover), Rank Xerox Limited and Cambridge Consultants Limited. He has co-founded and invested in three start-up companies, Artificial Intelligence Ltd, Strand Software Technologies Ltd and The Customer Engagement Company.

Having worked for three large multi-national companies, one medium sized consultancy and participated in three start-ups, David enjoys pitting his broad industrial experience against the challenge of identifying how best to commercialise the vast range of intellectual property created by staff at the University of Sheffield, including FaraPack Polymers.

Dr Jim Goulding - Director

After an education at the University of Sheffield to Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Philosophy level, Jim subsequently had a 30 year career with 27 years at Director level, predominantly in the special steel and oil/gas industries. During this period he conducted business on a worldwide basis but specifically in the Middle East, Far East and North America. He initiated four company start-ups, three of which were subsequently sold to quoted/internationally recognised major companies.

Jim started at SUEL in September 2002 and supervises projects arising from the engineering department and the Polymer Centre.

Ross McMaster - Company Secretary

Ross joined SUEL in February 2003 and is a qualified ACCA Accountant. Ross previously worked in Chartered Accountancy practices following completion a degree in Accounting and Business. Ross is currently studying for the Chartered Institute of Taxation qualification.

 

Prof Tony Ryan OBE - Director

Tony's current appointment is as the ICI Professor of Physical Chemistry & EPSRC Senior Media Fellow at the University of Sheffield. He has held several posts at the University of Sheffield, including Head of Chemistry Department since he joined in 1997.

Tony has many research, commercial, media and public awareness of science interests and is regularly invited as a speaker at major international conferences and on national radio. In 2002 he presented the Royal Instutution Christmas Lectures on Channel 4.

Further details on his research interests can be found on the Sheffield University website.

Dr Walter Lewis - Director

Trained as biochemist Walter has a first class honours degree and doctorate from University of Manchester. He worked for several years in healthcare research before becoming involved in start up international biotechnology companies. This led to investment fund management in the Welsh Development Agency in Cardiff before moving to a position as Director of Research Support at University of Leeds. As such he is responsible for the administration of some £70M of research funding annually. Since late 1997, he has been seconded part time to the Faraday Packaging Partnership. It is through the Faraday Packaging Partnership, who jointly set up FaraPack Polymers Ltd, that Walter became a director of FaraPack Polymers.