The Directors

Chief Executive Officer of Nanosynth Group Plc and a figure with extensive experience in leadership and business growth, Mark Duffin is a qualified Chartered Engineer with an MBA and a wide array of specialisations.

His portfolio of non-Executive Director and Chairman roles have combined to help over 70 companies to reach and surpass their goals. Those goals have included the launch and growth of multiple start-ups and driving growth in listed companies, both as a CEO and board member.

Mark’s skills and experience encompass everything from business growth and operational management, to driving profitability through increased market share and innovative leadership to build shareholder value.

Mark’s skills and qualities have had a positive impact on many organisations prior to ours. Notable examples include Service Power Plc, where his turnaround strategy resulted in corporate profit for the first time in 14 years. Mark was also a Director of Rentokil Initial Plc, having grown an environmental start-up business which he sold and successfully integrated into the company, he then ran Rentokil’s Facilities Management Division

Dr Gareth Cave is a Nottingham Trent University Associate Professor, dedicating his academic career to researching the many applications of nanotechnology, research that has taken in everything from food security and nano medicine, to green chemistry and sustainability.

Beyond academia, as an active consultant, Dr Cave shares his knowledge and know-how across a plethora of industries including pharmaceutical, healthcare, materials, agricultural, food and drink industries.  In 2015 he formed Nanovate Ltd (previously Pharm2Farm Ltd), as a university spin-off, to help realise the full commercial potential of his nanotechnology research.

His world leading academic research and international network, from celebrity chefs to Nobel Laureates, continues to supply a strong pipeline of innovation and collaborative opportunities to the Nanosynth group.

Dr Cave holds B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. chemistry degees from the University of Warwick, is an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and has worked as an academic in UK, US and Australian universities over the course of his career.

Richard is a Chartered Accountant with substantial international, commercial and M&A experience. He has spent the majority of his career in senior executive roles in technology companies involved in aerospace, electronics, optics, semiconductors and nanomaterials.

His experience includes business restructuring, scale-up, acquisitions and joint-ventures, equity and debt financing and corporate governance, having served on the corporate governance committee of the ICAEW for a number of years. He is currently finance director of PowerPhotonic Limited, a manufacturer of advanced micro-optics for the laser industry.

Prior to joining PowerPhotonic, Richard was finance director of Xennia Technology Limited, a developer of industrial inkjet systems, which was sold to Sensient Corporation in 2015.

Richard holds a degree in economics from University College London (UCL) and an MBA from the University of Bath, in addition to an FCA with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Dr Felicity Sartain has a multi-disciplinary background established over 15 years including leadership, commercial and research in the healthcare, life science and nanotechnology sectors.

She holds a PhD in biotechnology from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in chemistry from the University of York. She was a co-inventor of the original technologies at Smart Holograms, a Cambridge University spin-off that designed and developed novel biosensors.

Dr Sartain co-founded and was the Chief Operating Officer of Closed Loop Medicine Ltd, a company developing therapeutic combination products. She is also Founder & Director at Profiscio Ltd, a consultancy business to support the translation and manage the development of scientific innovation.

Dr. Sartain provides entrepreneurial leadership to Nanosynth, helping to set the strategic aims of the company and ensuring our obligations to stakeholders are understood and met.

Peter is one of the firms’ longest standing partners. He has a wealth of experience in company sales, having advised on the sale of over 80 companies including household names such as Avent Baby Products, Antler Luggage and Marsh & Parsons.

After completing an MBA in Finance, Peter joined Cavendish in 1994 and was appointed a director in 1997. Prior to joining Cavendish, Peter worked in the corporate finance department at Clifford Chance, the leading international law firm.

Peter graduated with degrees in Law and Commerce from Melbourne University in 1984 and is a frequent lecturer and author on the subject of M&A.4.

Peter is also Chairman of Oaklins, the leading global M&A advisory firm of which finnCap Cavendish is a member.

Andrew Stedman, Chief Financial Officer for Nanosynth Group plc, is results driven & commercially focused.

Andrew’s focus throughout his career has been on driving incremental value through overcoming commercial challenges, cost transformation and stringent and inventive performance management techniques, in conjunction with cash improvement to provide a sustainable platform for business start-up and growth.

Andrew has a career that spans over 10 years in senior finance and leadership roles across a number of FTSE 100 organisations.

These Sectors have ranged from recruitment, engineering, environmental, IT and Telecoms, in regions stretching from Europe, to the USA and across Asia, building strong and sustained networks throughout.

Andrew’s experience has led to roles ranging from business case modelling, budgeting / forecasting, contract evaluation, performance management, pricing and portfolio management, strategic planning, outsourcing and cost and margin transformation.