I am proud to be the fourth generation of the Swan family to work for the company. As Managing Director I am committed to expanding the business into new markets by building on our firm foundation of trust, experience and a passion for our industry.

I joined the company in 2002 to launch the new Carbon Nanomaterials business – just one of the products which demonstrate our drive for innovation. I took over as Managing Director in 2006 and, in addition to my responsibilities to Thomas Swan, I currently sit on the Board of Innovate UK, the Chemical Industries Association and the Chemistry Growth Partnership. I also chair the Advisory Board of the Centre for Education Collaboration at York University.

After graduating from Durham University in 1998 I started my working life as a Scientific Affairs Manager for Monsanto Plc. - followed by two years at Regester Larkin Ltd., providing technical and scientific advice to major international companies. My focus is now on leading Thomas Swan into an exciting new future, developing our credentials as an innovative global player and to maintain our core values of outstanding quality and customer service.

I am a graduate chemical engineer and chartered management accountant with extensive experience in finance and general management positions. My career has included periods in the Chemicals Industry and International Banking with the Royal Bank of Canada.

I am a highly experienced advisor and investor in the private equity tech space and was previously Managing Partner of venture capital firm MTI Ventures. At MTI I was responsible for several of their most successful transactions and became Managing Partner in 2003, I was actively involved in much of MTI’s fund raising activity; with 6 institutional funds over 20 years. Before joining MTI in 1985, I was the Chief Financial Officer in a $5 million start-up venture in the oil processing sector.

Since leaving MTI I have continued to be involved in early stage investing as an Non Executive Director and investor/advisor/consultant. I work as a non-exec with Thomas Swan and also with the Foresight Group, chairing three funds focusing on the waste/recycling sector.

I am active in a number of industry bodies, a regular media commentator on the early stage and technology space and speak regularly at industry conferences on these topics.

I hold a number of Chairman, NED and advisory roles, linked by my passion for how technology transforms business and our daily lives.

As well as chairing IG Group plc, a global leader in online trading and the Digital Catapult, an initiative to help grow the UK Digital Economy, I am SID at Avanti plc, a global broadband satellite operator. I'm also an advisory Chairman at npGroup, which offers technical resourcing solutions across the world and I advise Tagos, DockOn, the Eight Great Technologies Fund and Thomas Swan.

As President of UK Space, co-chair of the UK Space Leadership Council a member of the CBI President's Committee, I am a trustee and Vice Chair of the Disasters Emergency Committee, a trustee of ABESU and The Tech Partnership, and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute.
 Recent previous roles include SID at ARM Holdings PLC, board member of the CBI, member of the Digital Economy Council and Chairman of DockOn AG. 
 
I was CEO and a member of the board of Logica plc from January 2008 to August 2012. Prior to joining Logica, I had been a board member at BT Group plc from 2001. During my 21 years at BT, I held many senior positions, including CEO BT Global Services and CEO BT Openworld. 
 
I have previously served on boards in Europe, Asia and the US, including, until July 2008, the board of Navteq Inc. I began my career with Shell and subsequently joined Deloitte Haskins & Sells.