Board of directors

David has had a long career building a number of science, technology and investment companies. He is the founder of IP Group plc, one of the UK’s leading technology commercialisation businesses, and a shareholder in the Company. Previously, he was chief executive of stockbroker Beeson Gregory (acquired by Evolution Group plc) after it acquired IndexIT Partnership, a technology advisory boutique he had founded in 1999. He was a founding shareholder of Evolution Group plc (recently acquired by Investec), and also co-founder of Ora Capital plc. He has been a founder and director of many UK technology companies including Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited, Proximagen Limited, Synairgen plc, Ilika Technologies Limited, Oxford Catalysts and Plectrum Petroleum (acquired by Cairn Energy plc). He has also acted as seed investor and/or advisor to Wolfson Microelectronics Limited, Nanoco Technologies Limited, Tissue Regenix Group plc and Arc International (now part of Synopsys). He is also nonexecutive chairman of Oxford Pharmascience Group plc.

Duncan has a proven track record in identifying, investing and growing businesses within the pharmaceutical sector. He was the founder of Aquarius Equity, a specialist investor in businesses within the life science sector, which provided investors with access to innovative, high-growth potential companies that delivered significant capital growth. Duncan started his career in a bio-science start-up business, which ultimately went on to list on the London Stock Exchange, subsequently qualified as a corporate finance lawyer with Addleshaw Goddard, then Addleshaw Booth & Co, and later joined 3i plc as an investment manager. Duncan founded Aquarius in 2005, which made founding investments into Nanoco Technologies Limited, Auralis Limited (subsequently sold to ViroPharma) and Tissue Regenix Group plc.

Alex began his career as a microbiologist, working in research for a number of years before joining an NYSE-quoted drug development company. He subsequently moved into pharmaceutical and healthcare investment and has fulfilled a number of board-level investment and operational management roles. He was a director and shareholder in Aquarius Equity from 2008, where he was responsible for identifying new investments and developing and implementing scientific strategies both pre and post-investment. These included Tissue Regenix Group plc, C4X Discovery Holdings plc and Brabant Pharma (subsequently sold to Zogenix, Inc.). Prior to joining Aquarius Equity, Alex worked for IP Group plc where he specialised in life science investments identifying, developing and advising a number of companies in its portfolio, some of which went on to list on AIM. He joined IP Group following its acquisition of Techtran Group Limited in 2005.

Thomas has been a founder and/or non-executive director of a number of UK life sciences companies including Colonis Pharma Limited, Warneford Partners Limited, Martindale Pharma Limited and Pneumagen Limited. Thomas has supported private equity and other investors in over 50 potential deal transactions, on targets in Europe and the USA, from cash constrained/chapter 11 to cash-rich with enterprise value of up to $1 billion. Before this Thomas worked in life sciences for over 20 years in senior executive roles. Starting in 1987 at Akzo Nobel Pharma he worked with hospital products, diagnostics and medical equipment as general manager for the Middle East and Africa. After this he led Rosemont Pharmaceuticals in Leeds in niche oral liquid medicines, followed by being president of Organon in Brazil. He was promoted to VP The Americas, and lastly to CMO at Organon, in charge of the global product portfolio, based in the USA. Returning to Europe he led Novartis Consumer Health in the UK. Thomas has also acted as non-executive chairman at Akcros Holdings Limited, Penlan Healthcare and Quantum Pharmaceutical.