NCIMB has appointed Dr Edward Green as its new chief executive, taking over from Dr Carol Phillips, who is retiring after 12 years in the post.
He joins the Aberdeen-based provider of analytical services, microbial cultures and biological material storage from CHAIN Biotechnology, a microbiome therapeutics company which he founded in 2015.
Prior to that he founded Green Biologics, a biotechnology company using bacteria to manufacture renewable chemicals.
Green said: “It’s great to be starting this new chapter with a move to new purpose-built premises, which will provide a fantastic foundation for continued growth and development of this innovative company.”
NCIMB was established in 1950 as a publicly-funded microbiology resource, before being spun-out and transitioned to a commercial company, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
As well as working to help companies identify and monitor microorganisms where they are causing problems, NCIMB provides support for customers developing new or improved microbial products and processes.
Chairman Barry Philpott said: “Edward's experience in raising finance and building successful biotech companies makes him ideally placed to contribute to the next phase of NCIMB’s growth, at a time when a shift towards an increasingly bio-based economy is expected.
“Of course, I would also like to thank Carol for the huge contribution she has made over the past 12 years, to making NCIMB the thriving, customer-focussed company it is today - and I’m pleased that she will remain on the board as a non-exec director.“
Phillips added: “I am very pleased to be handing the reigns over to somebody with so much experience in realising the potential that microorganisms have for industrial application, as this is at the heart of NCIMB.
“What’s more, as an NCIMB customer in his previous roles, Edward has a good understanding and appreciation of the high-quality services we strive to deliver for our clients.”
NCIMB stands for, and is home to, the UK’s National Collection of Industrial, Food and Marine Bacteria. The collection is part of the UK Biological Resource Centre Network, with strains used by scientists around the world for quality control and research purposes.
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