NanoSight

John Knowles (Chairman) is an experienced investor in high technology companies. He is also Chairman of Stratophase Ltd, and Michelson Diagnostics Ltd, and is a Director and shareholder in a number of other high technology companies where he has helped raise venture capital funding. John has a BSc in Civil Engineering and after an early career in the Army, held a number of Chairman/CEO/Director roles in engineering companies. John recognised the early potential of NanoSight after meeting Dr. Carr and being impressed with him and with the technology. John was then instrumental in getting the company funded.

Jeremy Warren (CEO) is an experienced businessman at CEO level with a background in sales and start-ups.  Following a degree in Chemical Engineering, Jeremy worked for Unilever in production management where he qualified as a Chartered Engineer. He then set up a successful chemicals manufacturing business in Belgium, before completing an MBA at INSEAD.  After a period in strategy consultancy with Booz Allen, Jeremy began a series of CEO roles in SME’s across a wide range of industries.  This experience has centred on developing technology businesses with private equity finance.

Dr Bob Carr (CTO) is the inventor of the NanoSight technology and co-founder of the Company.  Originally a microbial biochemist, his 20 year career at the leading UK Government Research Establishment at Porton Down (CAMR) led him into laser/fibre optics instrumentation, biophysics and nanotechnology and specifically the application of biophysical techniques in the detection and analysis of nanoparticles. In 1996 he left CAMR and formed his own R&D and Consultancy Company, Macranal Ltd., which developed the basic ideas and principles on which NanoSight is currently based. With John Knowles, he formed NanoSight (through acquiring Macranal) in 2003/4. 

Bob has significant multidisciplinary experience in the areas of microbiology, laser-based nanoparticle detection and biosensor technology and has had published over 200 scientific papers, technical notes and Conference proceedings and 10+ patents. He has initiated, as Principle Investigator and/or Coordinator, a wide range of UK- and EU-funded international R&D projects and continues to lead the development of NanoSight technology in an increasingly wide range of applications and Industry sectors. 

John Foster is a non-executive director. He is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and is also a Chartered Accountant. John is the owner of Sarum Hydraulics, a small precision engineering company. Sarum Hydraulics does much of the engineering and fabrication work for NanoSight and is expected to continue to do so while production volumes remain relatively low.  John is also project managing non-software development work.

Hugh Stewart is a non-executive director.  He is a Managing Partner of Shackleton Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in secondary investments and has 26 years’ experience in venture capital.  In 1983, he joined Electra Investment Trust plc, a quoted investment company investing in a broad range of unquoted investments.  In 1989 he moved to a subsidiary of Electra’s management company that was formed to focus on technology investments.  In 1997 he founded Strathdon Investments and as Chief Executive led it from start-up through to flotation on AIM prior to his leaving in 2006 to form Shackleton.  Before joining Electra he spent seven years in industry in general management, marketing and planning.  He holds an Economics degree and an MBA with distinction from INSEAD.