OUR MANAGEMENT
Mohammed Khan
CEO
Prof. David Fairen-Jimenez
Founder, President and CSO
Owen Garrigan
CTO
OUR BOARD MEMBERS
Mohammed Khan
CEO
Prof. David Fairen-Jimenez
Founder, President and CSO
Jogchum Brinksma
Chairman
Ate Visser
Director
Alan E. Nelson
Director
Rafael Larraz
Director
Chevron Technology Ventures
Observer
Peter Robson
Observer
Gregory M. Wilson
Observer
THE SCIENCE TEAM
Prof. David Fairen-Jimenez
Founder, President and CSO
Dr Ceren Camur
Lead Scientist
Dr Robin Babu
Senior Scientist
Dr Gerard Boix
Research Associate
Dr Naveen Kumar
Synthetic Chemist
Dr Ram R. R. Prasad
Synthetic Chemist
Dr Lik Hong Wee
Research Manager
Dr Amir Farmahini
Senior Computational Scientist
Dr Aurelia Li
Computational Scientist
Christie Burton
Lab Technician
Valdis Suharevs
Lab Technician
THE ENGINEERING TEAM
Owen Garrigan
CTO
Nikos Stephanopoulos
Senior Process Engineer
Dr Amin Koochaki
Process engineer
Dr Mohamed Abdelraouf
System and process engineer
Ailsa Morrison
Process Design engineer
Sam Affleck
Systems Engineer
Dr Hesam Maleki
Senior Process Engineer
Matthew Langley
Senior Process Engineer
Rory Hayes
Lead Process Engineer
The commercial team
Charu Sharma
Business Development Associate
Robin Gillham
Business Development Manager
Ed Hackett
Programme Manager
IP
Nigel Roberts
IP DIRECTOR
Finance
Jacquie Fisher
Finance DIRECTOR
HR
Sarah Evans
HR Manager
OUR ADVISORS
Neil MacDougall
Ex-Chair of Silver fleet Capital and BVCA
Board Member of UKBAA
Board Member of UKBAA
Andrew Milnes
Ex BP Executive
Commodity Specialist
Non Exec Director
Venture Investor
Commodity Specialist
Non Exec Director
Venture Investor
Michael Pambianchi
Ex Corning executive
Breakthrough ENERGY FELLOW
Breakthrough ENERGY FELLOW
John Walker
Ex Board Member Johnson Matthey
FTSE 100 Board member
Ex-CEO Clean Air
FTSE 100 Board member
Ex-CEO Clean Air
Mohammed Khan
CEO
Mohammed is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of transforming and growing a range of businesses from energy, chemicals, specialities, life sciences, water and other industrial markets. Common themes spanning a career over 27 years include technology commercialisation, creating enterprise value, customer intimacy and partnerships, full M&A cycle including joint ventures experience. Mohammed has operated in most industrial geographies across the world and brings significant customer insight and business leadership experience to Immaterial with a career spanning across Johnson Matthey, BP and a number of SMEs.
Prof. David Fairen-Jimenez
Founder, President and CSO
David is a co-founder of Immaterial and leads the development of our fundamental technology. He is a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Reader in Molecular Engineering in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, where he leads the Adsorption & Advanced Material Laboratory. His research into the application of MOFs in energy applications and nanoscale drug delivery is underpinned by fundamental studies into molecular recognition and self-assembly processes inside nanoporous materials.
Jogchum Brinksma
Chairman
Jogchum is an entrepreneurial senior executive with a detailed experience in different industries, both large private and public corporations. He became fascinated by the recent enhanced possibilities of computational analytics of large datasets for complex decision making and analytical review. Over the past years he invested in a broad range of university spin-outs with innovative breakthrough technology, which benefit from these enhanced capabilities in their scientific research towards promising commercial applications. He supports the companies with capital and advises on strategic challenges, in a capacity as Non-Executive Director or Advisor. His deep experience and relationships in energy markets support Immaterial in accelerating the commercial growth of the company.
Ate Visser
Director
Ate brings nearly 40 years of broad, international senior executive experience in the energy and chemicals industries. He has successfully developed and managed large integrated upstream and midstream natural gas/LNG, Gas-to-Liquids and chemicals businesses. During his Shell career, he served as a member of the Upstream Asia Leadership Team, and the global Integrated Gas and Shell Chemicals Leadership Teams. Ate supports various other start-ups, a global consultancy and serves on the Supervisory Board of two companies. Throughout his career, Ate has consistently focussed on using cutting-edge R&D to overcome world-scale technology challenges, and unlock significant value through innovation. For Immaterial, with its ground-breaking platform technology, he sees opportunities to advance the state-of-the-art in a broad range of industries and applications. Ate is an active member of the Immaterial team.
Alan E. Nelson
Director
Alan E. Nelson is the Vice President of Technology at SLB, and previously was Senior Vice President of Battery Materials for Redwood Materials, Chief Technology Officer for Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC), Chief Technology Officer and CEO of New Business Development for Johnson Matthey, Global R&D Director for The Dow Chemical Co., and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Univ. of Alberta. He is also the 2024 President of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Alan has led the development and commercialization of environmentally sustainable technologies, including lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen production. Alan is a Chartered Engineer in the U.K., a Fellow of AIChE, and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). He received a BS from University of Minnesota Duluth and PhD from Michigan Technological University, both in chemical engineering.
Michelle Robson
Director
Michelle Robson is a Senior Investment Manager with AP Ventures focused on investment, portfolio management and management of the Fund’s portfolio construction. Michelle is a director on the board of Starfire Energy, HPNow, and Immaterial, and an observer on the board of Amogy and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies. Michelle has extensive experience in portfolio and business development, commercial strategy creation and implementation and new and innovative deep tech and digital technologies. Her international experience spans Europe and Australia. Prior to AP Ventures, Michelle held several group and commercial strategy roles within Anglo American including establishing and leading Anglo American’s first digital and innovation function. Before this, Michelle was a Manager with boutique management consulting firm L.E.K. Consulting. Michelle received her first-class honours degree in Industrial Chemistry (Engineering) from the University of New South Wales (Australia).
Rafael Larraz
Director
Rafael Larraz is the Director of Research and Development at Cepsa and brings a wealth of experience to the table with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and three decades of service within Cepsa, a Spanish player in the oil and gas industry, renowned for its leadership in sustainable energy provision. With a solid background in petrochemical projects spanning two decades, Larraz stands out for his expertise in spearheading advanced biofuel initiatives and driving the decarbonization of industrial processes.
Peter Robson
Observer
Peter Robson is Managing Director Fund Management of Energy Revolution Ventures and also Portfolio Manager of ERV Fund I. He has 36 years of global investing experience, managing institutional portfolios across the capitalisation spectrum. Prior to joining Energy Revolution Ventures, he was Director of Bury Street Capital, Chief Executive TreeTop Asset Management Ltd and Partner of TT international. He holds an Engineering Science degree from University of Oxford and held a Short Service Commission in 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.
Gregory M. Wilson
Observer
Dr. Gregory Wilson is the Vice President for Science and Advanced Technologies at JERA Americas. Dr. Wilson is an expert in decarbonized fuels; power generation with zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels; hydrogen synthesis from both renewable electricity and natural gas with CCS; hydrogen transport and storage; renewable energy including photovoltaic devices and reliability plus deep expertise involving the crystalline silicon photovoltaics supply chain. Dr. Wilson was at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) from 2011 to 2018 where he was the Director of the National Center for Photovoltaics. In 2018 he started his own consulting practice focused on the technology and business opportunities associated with the rapid decarbonization of the global energy system. He joined JERA Americas in 2021.
Owen Garrigan
CTO
Owen has more than twenty five years experience of leading technical, innovation, and operational activities in global industrial and specialty chemical companies. During that time he has led teams in product and process development, capital projects, operations management, open innovation and collaborative ventures, working internationally through a career including ICI, AkzoNobel, FUJIFILM and Johnson Matthey.
Dr Ceren Camur
Lead Scientist
Ceren leads all the wet-lab R&D activities. Prior to joining Immaterial, Ceren was a Research Associate in the Adsorption & Advanced Material Laboratory (AAML) at the Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology and a College Research Associate at St John’s College at the University of Cambridge. She completed her PhD in Materials Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain in 2019. During her PhD, she successfully created synthesis processes using the spray-drying method, enabling the manufacture of MOF powders at a multi-kilogram scale in collaboration with AxelOne, Lyon, France under a Horizon 2020 project called ProDIA.
Dr Robin Babu
Senior Scientist
Robin is responsible for scaling up our MOFs and the research and development of new MOF materials. Robin completed his PhD in Chemistry from Pusan National University in South Korea, where his research was focused on the development of numerous materials (metal organic frameworks, mixed metal oxides, and nano materials) for catalytic applications. He also holds an MTech degree in Industrial Catalysis and MSc degree in Chemistry. To date, Robin has published 22 international papers related to the design, green synthesis, and investigation on the structural properties of MOFs for carbon capture and transformation catalysis.
Dr Gerard Boix
Research Associate
Gerard completed his PhD in chemistry at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain. His research was focussed on the development of MOF-based composite materials for applications such as water remediation, biomedicine, and drug delivery. He also holds a MSc in Industrial and Research Chemistry and a BSc in Chemistry both from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Gerard’s role at Immaterial is the design, synthesis, and optimisation of monolithic MOFs as well as developing the technologies for their industrial scale production.
Dr Naveen Kumar
Synthetic Chemist
Naveen is a synthetic chemist who recently joined Immaterial in November 2022. He completed his PhD in 2021 from University of Limerick, Ireland, where he continued as a postdoctoral researcher for approx. a year and then moved to Virginia Tech, USA for another postdoc from June 2022 to October 2022. His research expertise is design, synthesis, and characterisation of Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for adsorption and/or separations. Naveen’s role at Immaterial is to work on the development of monolithic MOFs for industrial applications.
Dr Ram R. R. Prasad
Synthetic Chemist
Ram completed his PhD in Chemistry at the University of St Andrews, UK where his research focused on developing post-synthetically functionalised metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for cascade catalysis. He later joined the University of Sheffield as a Research Associate, working on developing novel metal-organic
nanosheets (MONs) for catalysis and sensing applications. At Immaterial, Ram’s role centres on the development of monolithic MOFs for carbon capture.
Dr Lik Hong Wee
Research Manager
Lik Hong is leading the synthesis, processing and upscaling of zeolites for catalytic and separation applications at Immaterial. He completed his PhD in Chemistry at Manchester Metropolitan University (2008) where he developed novel methods for the fabrication of ultra-thin zeolite films. After completing his Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen (FWO) research fellowship at the University of Leuven, he joined the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge as a senior FWO research fellow. He specialises in the design, synthesis and processing of nanoporous materials such as zeolites, metal-organic frameworks and ordered mesoporous silicas.
Dr Amir Farmahini
Senior Computational Scientist
Amir is a Senior Computational Scientist at Immaterial specialised in molecular and process systems engineering (MSE/PSE). His expertise span across multiscale and multiphysics modeling and simulation of chemical engineering systems from atomistic scale through to process and device scale. Amir has numerous first-class publications in adsorption science, nanoporous materials, and carbon capture technologies. At Immaterial, Amir is leading the efforts for the development of energy efficient carbon capture technologies based on Immaterial’s innovative metal-organic framework monoliths, where insights from molecular simulations are combined with process level understanding for large-scale system design.
Dr Aurelia Li
Computational Scientist
Aurelia is responsible for screening large datasets of materials using molecular simulations to find the most promising ones. Prior to joining Immaterial, Aurelia completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge with Prof. David Fairen-Jimenez. Her work focused on the development of datasets of porous materials (metal-organic frameworks and cages). She also holds an MPhil in Advanced Chemical Engineering from the same university and a Diplome d’Ingenieur (equivalent to MSc) from Centrale Paris.
Christie Burton
Lab Technician
Christie is responsible for maintaining and supporting the labs, and helping in large-scale MOF production and synthesis. Prior to joining Immaterial, she gained extensive lab experience as a Lab Support Technician and holds an MSc in Volcanology and Geological Hazards from Lancaster University, with knowledge in environmental processes and climate change.
Valdis Suharevs
Lab Technician
Valdis brings a wealth of expertise in laboratory management and quality control. As a Senior Laboratory AID Level 3 at Illumina Centre, Valdis managed materials, international shipping, and chemical purchasing. Previous roles include Laboratory Technician at VWR/Astrazeneca and Quality Controller at Hexcel Composites Ickleton, where Valdis demonstrated expertise in operational laboratory support, inventory management, and precise materials testing for aerospace clients. With a detail-oriented and logical approach, Valdis contributes to the efficiency and excellence of laboratory operations.
Nikos Stephanopoulos
Senior Process Engineer
Nikos holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and an MSc in Advanced Process Engineering from Imperial College London. He is also in the process of completing his dissertation on Industry 4.0 readiness models for his MBA with Warwick Business School. Prior to joining Immaterial, Nikos has worked within Operations Management and Process Engineering in the food industry specialising in process improvement, standardisation and design. In his current role at Immaterial, Nikos is responsible for managing process safety, design and equipment selection to scale up the manufacturing process.
Dr Amin Koochaki
Process Engineer
Amin, who holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, has extensive experience in various computational techniques. These techniques encompass MD and MC simulations, as well as DFT calculations, specifically applied to the fields of carbon capture and water uptake with MOFs. With a background as a process engineer, Amin has contributed to numerous projects focused on sizing and rating process engineering equipment. At Immaterial, Amin is responsible for using process modeling techniques to analyse adsorption systems, with a particular emphasis on carbon capture.
Dr Mohamed Abdelraouf
System and Process Engineer
Mohamed has a background in fluid mechanics, coatings, and process simulation which he has developed during his Ph.D. and MSc. Mohamed is currently leading a system project which is focused on the design and simulation of a unit operation for carbon capture and purification from gas-fired boiler flue gas.
Ailsa Morrison
Process Design engineer
Ailsa divides her time between optimising and delivering kg-scale MOF production onsite, and undertaking research and design work for future tonne-scale projects. She holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London. Prior to joining Immaterial, she worked as an Applications Engineer, specialising in advanced metrology equipment, working with customers to develop innovative quality assurance solutions in industries ranging from medical devices to aerospace.
Sam Affleck
Systems Engineer
Sam is a chemical engineer at Immaterial responsible for integrating, designing and optimising MOF-based adsorption systems, including carbon capture and hydrogen storage. He holds an MPhil in Advanced Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge, where his research focused on the quantification of interparticle forces within powders through fluidisation tests. Sam completed his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Lancaster University, where he also worked on Monte Carlo simulations as part of an academic research team. His industrial experience also extends to the water and wastewater industry, where he worked as a process engineer.
Dr Hesam Maleki
Senior Process Engineer
Hesam is a Senior Process Engineer at Immaterial with a research background in material science and process design of adsorptive and catalytic systems. He has developed several process models involving gas-solid interactions and is interested in exploring ways to utilise carbon dioxide and hydrogen to address climate change. At Immaterial, Hesam is working on the design and optimisation of carbon capture processes using state-of-the-art MOF monoliths.
Matthew Langley
Senior Process Engineer
Matthew is a chartered process engineer with experience across the nuclear sector, from designing prototype test rigs to support Fusion technology development, to delivering large scale projects on decommissioning and operating power plants. Matt brings a strong and broad skillset to compliment the design and development of novel MOF systems, supporting the delivery of projects at Immaterial.
Rory Hayes
Lead Process Engineer
Rory graduated from the University of Nottingham with a MEng in Chemical Engineering. He has since gained over ten years of experience in engineering design, working on and leading many Process, Systems and Technology projects. His background before Immaterial was in the oil and gas and sustainable chemistry sectors. He brings experience in delivering projects at all phases, from feasibility study through to EPC.
Charu Sharma
Business Development Associate
Charu holds an Accounting and Finance degree from the University of Liverpool, which equipped her with a strong foundation in financial analysis and strategic decision-making. She is a n Business Development Associate with a diverse background spanning the mining, energy, banking, education and training and hospitality sectors, with experience gained from living and working in three continents that bring a global perspective and a deep understanding of international business practices. Throughout her career, She has demonstrated expertise in identifying and capitalising on business opportunities, forging strategic partnerships and driving revenue growth.
Robin Gillham
Business Development Manager
Robin started his career as a concept and feasibility design engineer for JLR. He then worked in a start-up, where he was responsible for introducing a new coating technology to the Flow Control, Oil & Gas and Power Generation sectors. He has experience working closely with customers, trade associations and test facilities to successfully develop market applications and gain the required approvals and accreditations.
Edward Hackett
Programme manager
Edward oversees the smooth delivery of Immaterial’s ongoing projects with partners, customers, and funding agencies. Additionally, he works in Immaterial’s commercial team to develop deployment opportunities for Immaterial’s technology portfolio. Edward holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge and an MEng from University College London and the London School of Economics where he researched the technological and economic viability of large-scale aerogel production.
Nigel Sommerville Roberts
IP Director
Prior to joining Immaterial as IP Director, Nigel was a senior technologist at Procter and Gamble. After a 26 year career at P&G, he left to work as a consultant specialising in product/process-based Intellectual Property development and product/process development. He is now also a visiting academic at the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield. He regularly gives University teaching on technical and business subjects including solids (pharma) processing, product and process design, critical thinking and innovation mechanisms.
Jacquie Fisher
Finance Director
Jacquie has headed up the finance function for 20+ years; sitting on and/or advising the Board on strategic direction. She has an impressive track record of working with organisations of multiple sizes and sectors but predominantly SMEs in the technology sector; helping them to grow either organically or by M&A activity which in turn increased enterprise value. Jacquie is a keen advocate of sustainability and endeavours to include this important measure in corporate reporting. She has played an instrumental part in the success of design technology, SaaS models for remote access, distance to fault and ‘field to fork’ applications, specialist manufacturing, financial services and world-class education.
Sarah Evans
HR Manager
Sarah is an experienced generalist HR professional with a degree in Business and CIPD. She joined Immaterial to help guide people through the next phase of growth. Sarah brings 20 years of experience in small- to medium-sized businesses across different industries, with areas of expertise in employee relations, training and development, people leadership, performance measurement, and policy work. She enjoys fostering a positive work environment and supporting employee growth and development with a pragmatic and realistic approach.
Mohammed Khan
CEO
MANAGEMENT
BOARD
Mohammed is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of transforming and growing a range of businesses from energy, chemicals, specialities, life sciences, water and other industrial markets. Common themes spanning a career over 27 years include technology commercialisation, creating enterprise value, customer intimacy and partnerships, full M&A cycle including joint ventures experience. Mohammed has operated in most industrial geographies across the world and brings significant customer insight and business leadership experience to Immaterial with a career spanning across BP and Johnson Matthey.
Prof. David Fairen-Jimenez
Founder, President and CSO
MANAGEMENT
BOARD
Science
David is a co-founder of Immaterial and leads the development of our fundamental technology. He is a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Reader in Molecular Engineering in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, where he leads the Adsorption & Advanced Material Laboratory. His research into the application of MOFs in energy applications and nanoscale drug delivery is underpinned by fundamental studies into molecular recognition and self-assembly processes inside nanoporous materials.
Owen Garrigan
CTO
MANAGEMENT
BOARD
Engineering
Owen has more than twenty five years experience of leading technical, innovation, and operational activities in global industrial and specialty chemical companies. During that time he has led teams in product and process development, capital projects, operations management, open innovation and collaborative ventures, working internationally through a career including ICI, AkzoNobel, FUJIFILM and Johnson Matthey.
Jogchum Brinksma
Chairman
BOARD
Jogchum is an entrepreneurial senior executive with a detailed experience in different industries, both large private and public corporations. He became fascinated by the recent enhanced possibilities of computational analytics of large datasets for complex decision making and analytical review. Over the past years he invested in a broad range of university spin-outs with innovative breakthrough technology, which benefit from these enhanced capabilities in their scientific research towards promising commercial applications. He supports the companies with capital and advises on strategic challenges, in a capacity as Non-Executive Director or Advisor. His portfolio of investee companies has a strong focus on decarbonisation and facilitating the energy transition. His deep experience and relationships in energy- and environmental markets support Immaterial in accelerating the commercial growth of company.
Ate Visser
Director
BOARD
Ate brings nearly 40 years of broad, international senior executive experience in the energy and chemicals industries. He has successfully developed and managed large integrated upstream and midstream natural gas/LNG, Gas-to-Liquids and chemicals businesses. During his Shell career, he served as a member of the Upstream Asia Leadership Team, and the global Integrated Gas and Shell Chemicals Leadership Teams. Ate supports various other start-ups, a global consultancy and serves on the Supervisory Board of two companies. Throughout his career, Ate has consistently focussed on using cutting-edge R&D to overcome world-scale technology challenges, and unlock significant value through innovation. For Immaterial, with its ground-breaking platform technology, he sees opportunities to advance the state-of-the-art in a broad range of industries and applications. Ate is an active member of the Immaterial team.
Alan E. Nelson
Director
BOARD
Alan E. Nelson is the Vice President of Technology at SLB, and previously was Senior Vice President of Battery Materials for Redwood Materials, Chief Technology Officer for Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC), Chief Technology Officer and CEO of New Business Development for Johnson Matthey, Global R&D Director for The Dow Chemical Co., and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Univ. of Alberta. He is also the 2024 President of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Alan has led the development and commercialization of environmentally sustainable technologies, including lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen production. Alan is a Chartered Engineer in the U.K., a Fellow of AIChE, and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). He received a BS from University of Minnesota Duluth and PhD from Michigan Technological University, both in chemical engineering.
Michelle Robson
Director
BOARD
Michelle Robson is a Senior Investment Manager with AP Ventures focused on investment, portfolio management and management of the Fund’s portfolio construction. Michelle is a director on the board of Starfire Energy, HPNow, and Immaterial, and an observer on the board of Amogy and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies. Michelle has extensive experience in portfolio and business development, commercial strategy creation and implementation and new and innovative deep tech and digital technologies. Her international experience spans Europe and Australia. Prior to AP Ventures, Michelle held several group and commercial strategy roles within Anglo American including establishing and leading Anglo American’s first digital and innovation function. Before this, Michelle was a Manager with boutique management consulting firm L.E.K. Consulting. Michelle received her first-class honours degree in Industrial Chemistry (Engineering) from the University of New South Wales (Australia).
Rafael Larraz
Director
BOARD
Rafael Larraz is the Director of Research and Development at Cepsa and brings a wealth of experience to the table with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and three decades of service within Cepsa, a Spanish player in the oil and gas industry, renowned for its leadership in sustainable energy provision. With a solid background in petrochemical projects spanning two decades, Larraz stands out for his expertise in spearheading advanced biofuel initiatives and driving the decarbonization of industrial processes.
Chevron Technology Ventures
Observer
BOARD
Peter Robson
Observer
BOARD
Peter Robson is Managing Director Fund Management of Energy Revolution Ventures and also Portfolio Manager of ERV Fund I. He has 36 years of global investing experience, managing institutional portfolios across the capitalisation spectrum. Prior to joining Energy Revolution Ventures, he was Director of Bury Street Capital, Chief Executive TreeTop Asset Management Ltd and Partner of TT international. He holds an Engineering Science degree from University of Oxford and held a Short Service Commission in 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.
Gregory M. Wilson
Observer
BOARD
Dr. Gregory Wilson is the Vice President for Science and Advanced Technologies at JERA Americas. Dr. Wilson is an expert in decarbonized fuels; power generation with zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels; hydrogen synthesis from both renewable electricity and natural gas with CCS; hydrogen transport and storage; renewable energy including photovoltaic devices and reliability plus deep expertise involving the crystalline silicon photovoltaics supply chain. Dr. Wilson was at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) from 2011 to 2018 where he was the Director of the National Center for Photovoltaics. In 2018 he started his own consulting practice focused on the technology and business opportunities associated with the rapid decarbonization of the global energy system. He joined JERA Americas in 2021.
Dr Ceren Camur
Lead Scientist
science
Ceren leads all the wet-lab R&D activities. Prior to joining Immaterial, Ceren was a Research Associate in the Adsorption & Advanced Material Laboratory (AAML) at the Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology and a College Research Associate at St John’s College at the University of Cambridge. She completed her PhD in Materials Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain in 2019. During her PhD, she successfully created synthesis processes using the spray-drying method, enabling the manufacture of MOF powders at a multi-kilogram scale in collaboration with AxelOne, Lyon, France under a Horizon 2020 project called ProDIA.
Dr Robin Babu
Senior Scientist
science
Robin is responsible for scaling up our MOFs and the research and development of new MOF materials. Robin completed his PhD in Chemistry from Pusan National University in South Korea, where his research was focused on the development of numerous materials (metal organic frameworks, mixed metal oxides, and nano materials) for catalytic applications. He also holds an MTech degree in Industrial Catalysis and MSc degree in Chemistry. To date, Robin has published 22 international papers related to the design, green synthesis, and investigation on the structural properties of MOFs for carbon capture and transformation catalysis.
Dr Gerard Boix
Research Associate
science
Gerard completed his PhD in chemistry at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain. His research was focussed on the development of MOF-based composite materials for applications such as water remediation, biomedicine, and drug delivery. He also holds a MSc in Industrial and Research Chemistry and a BSc in Chemistry both from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Gerard’s role at Immaterial is the design, synthesis, and optimisation of monolithic MOFs as well as developing the technologies for their industrial scale production.
Dr Naveen Kumar
Synthetic Chemist
science
Naveen is a Synthetic Chemist who recently joined Immaterial in November 2022. He completed his PhD in 2021 from University of Limerick, Ireland, where he continued as a postdoctoral researcher for approx. a year and then moved to Virginia Tech, USA for another postdoc from June 2022 to October 2022. His research expertise is design, synthesis, and characterisation of Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for adsorption and/or separations. Naveen’s role at Immaterial is to work on the development of monolithic MOFs for industrial applications.
Dr Ram R. R. Prasad
Synthetic Chemist
science
Ram completed his PhD in Chemistry at the University of St Andrews, UK where his research focused on developing post-synthetically functionalised metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for cascade catalysis. He later joined the University of Sheffield as a Research Associate, working on developing novel metal-organic
nanosheets (MONs) for catalysis and sensing applications. At Immaterial, Ram’s role centres on the development of monolithic MOFs for carbon capture.
Dr Lik Hong Wee
Research Manager
science
Lik Hong is leading the synthesis, processing and upscaling of zeolites for catalytic and separation applications at Immaterial. He completed his PhD in Chemistry at Manchester Metropolitan University (2008) where he developed novel methods for the fabrication of ultra-thin zeolite films. After completing his Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen (FWO) research fellowship at the University of Leuven, he joined the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge as a senior FWO research fellow. He specialises in the design, synthesis and processing of nanoporous materials such as zeolites, metal-organic frameworks and ordered mesoporous silicas.
Dr Amir Farmahini
Senior Computational Scientist
science
Amir is a Senior Computational Scientist at Immaterial specialised in molecular and process systems engineering (MSE/PSE). His expertise span across multiscale and multiphysics modeling and simulation of chemical engineering systems from atomistic scale through to process and device scale. Amir has numerous first-class publications in adsorption science, nanoporous materials, and carbon capture technologies. At Immaterial, Amir is leading the efforts for the development of energy efficient carbon capture technologies based on Immaterial’s innovative metal-organic framework monoliths, where insights from molecular simulations are combined with process level understanding for large-scale system design.
Dr Aurelia Li
Computational Scientist
science
Aurelia is responsible for screening large datasets of materials using molecular simulations to find the most promising ones. Prior to joining Immaterial, Aurelia completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge with Prof. David Fairen-Jimenez. Her work focused on the development of datasets of porous materials (metal-organic frameworks and cages). She also holds an MPhil in Advanced Chemical Engineering from the same university and a Diplome d’Ingenieur (equivalent to MSc) from Centrale Paris.
Christie Burton
Lab Technician
science
Christie is responsible for maintaining and supporting the labs, and helping in large-scale MOF production and synthesis. Prior to joining Immaterial, she gained extensive lab experience as a Lab Support Technician and holds an MSc in Volcanology and Geological Hazards from Lancaster University, with knowledge in environmental processes and climate change.
Valdis Suharevs
Lab technician
science
Valdis brings a wealth of expertise in laboratory management and quality control. As a Senior Laboratory AID Level 3 at Illumina Centre, Valdis managed materials, international shipping, and chemical purchasing. Previous roles include Laboratory Technician at VWR/Astrazeneca and Quality Controller at Hexcel Composites Ickleton, where Valdis demonstrated expertise in operational laboratory support, inventory management, and precise materials testing for aerospace clients. With a detail-oriented and logical approach, Valdis contributes to the efficiency and excellence of laboratory operations.
Nikos Stephanopoulos
Senior Process Engineer
Engineering
Nikos holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and an MSc in Advanced Process Engineering from Imperial College London. He is also in the process of completing his dissertation on Industry 4.0 readiness models for his MBA with Warwick Business School. Prior to joining Immaterial, Nikos has worked within Operations Management and Process Engineering in the food industry specialising in process improvement, standardisation and design. In his current role at Immaterial, Nikos is responsible for managing process safety, design and equipment selection to scale up the manufacturing process.
Dr Amin Koochaki
Process Engineer
Engineering
Amin, who holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, has extensive experience in various computational techniques. These techniques encompass MD and MC simulations, as well as DFT calculations, specifically applied to the fields of carbon capture and water uptake with MOFs. With a background as a process engineer, Amin has contributed to numerous projects focused on sizing and rating process engineering equipment. At Immaterial, Amin is responsible for using process modeling techniques to analyse adsorption systems, with a particular emphasis on carbon capture.
Dr Mohamed Abdelraouf
System and process engineer
Engineering
Mohamed has a background in fluid mechanics, coatings, and process simulation which he has developed during his Ph.D. and MSc. Mohamed is currently leading a system project which is focused on the design and simulation of a unit operation for carbon capture and purification from gas-fired boiler flue gas.
Ailsa Morrison
Process Design engineer
Engineering
Ailsa divides her time between optimising and delivering kg-scale MOF production onsite, and undertaking research and design work for future tonne-scale projects. She holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London. Prior to joining Immaterial, she worked as an Applications Engineer, specialising in advanced metrology equipment, working with customers to develop innovative quality assurance solutions in industries ranging from medical devices to aerospace.
Sam Affleck
Systems Engineer
Engineering
Sam is a chemical engineer at Immaterial responsible for integrating, designing and optimising MOF-based adsorption systems, including carbon capture and hydrogen storage. He holds an MPhil in Advanced Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge, where his research focused on the quantification of interparticle forces within powders through fluidisation tests. Sam completed his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Lancaster University, where he also worked on Monte Carlo simulations as part of an academic research team. His industrial experience also extends to the water and wastewater industry, where he worked as a process engineer.
Dr Hesam Maleki
Senior Process Engineer
Engineering
Hesam is a Senior Process Engineer at Immaterial with a research background in material science and process design of adsorptive and catalytic systems. He has developed several process models involving gas-solid interactions and is interested in exploring ways to utilise carbon dioxide and hydrogen to address climate change. At Immaterial, Hesam is working on the design and optimisation of carbon capture processes using state-of-the-art MOF monoliths.
Matthew Langley
Senior Process Engineer
Engineering
Matthew is a chartered process engineer with experience across the nuclear sector, from designing prototype test rigs to support Fusion technology development, to delivering large scale projects on decommissioning and operating power plants. Matt brings a strong and broad skillset to compliment the design and development of novel MOF systems, supporting the delivery of projects at Immaterial.
Rory Hayes
Lead Process Engineer
Engineering
Rory graduated from the University of Nottingham with a MEng in Chemical Engineering. He has since gained over ten years of experience in engineering design, working on and leading many Process, Systems and Technology projects. His background before Immaterial was in the oil and gas and sustainable chemistry sectors. He brings experience in delivering projects at all phases, from feasibility study through to EPC.
Charu Sharma
Business Development Associate
Commercial
Charu holds an Accounting and Finance degree from the University of Liverpool, which equipped her with a strong foundation in financial analysis and strategic decision-making. She is a n Business Development Associate with a diverse background spanning the mining, energy, banking, education and training and hospitality sectors, with experience gained from living and working in three continents that bring a global perspective and a deep understanding of international business practices. Throughout her career, She has demonstrated expertise in identifying and capitalising on business opportunities, forging strategic partnerships and driving revenue growth.
Robin Gillham
Business Development Manager
Commercial
Robin started his career as a concept and feasibility design engineer for JLR. He then worked in a start-up, where he was responsible for introducing a new coating technology to the Flow Control, Oil & Gas and Power Generation sectors. He has experience working closely with customers, trade associations and test facilities to successfully develop market applications and gain the required approvals and accreditations.
Edward Hackett
Programme Manager
Commercial
Edward oversees the smooth delivery of Immaterial’s ongoing projects with partners, customers, and funding agencies. Additionally, he works in Immaterial’s commercial team to develop deployment opportunities for Immaterial’s technology portfolio. Edward holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge and an MEng from University College London and the London School of Economics where he researched the technological and economic viability of large-scale aerogel production.
Jacquie Fisher
Finance Director
Finance
Jacquie has headed up the finance function for 20+ years; sitting on and/or advising the Board on strategic direction. She has an impressive track record of working with organisations of multiple sizes and sectors but predominantly SMEs in the technology sector; helping them to grow either organically or by M&A activity which in turn increased enterprise value. Jacquie is a keen advocate of sustainability and endeavours to include this important measure in corporate reporting. She has played an instrumental part in the success of design technology, SaaS models for remote access, distance to fault and ‘field to fork’ applications, specialist manufacturing, financial services and world-class education.
Sarah Evans
HR Manager
HR
Sarah is an experienced generalist HR professional with a degree in Business and CIPD. She joined Immaterial to help guide people through the next phase of growth. Sarah brings 20 years of experience in small- to medium-sized businesses across different industries, with areas of expertise in employee relations, training and development, people leadership, performance measurement, and policy work. She enjoys fostering a positive work environment and supporting employee growth and development with a pragmatic and realistic approach.
Nigel Sommerville-Roberts
IP Director
IP
Prior to joining Immaterial as IP Director, Nigel was a senior technologist at Procter and Gamble. After a 26 year career at P&G, he left to work as a consultant specialising in product/process-based Intellectual Property development and product/process development. He is now also a visiting academic at the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield. He regularly gives University teaching on technical and business subjects including solids (pharma) processing, product and process design, critical thinking and innovation mechanisms.
Neil MacDougall
ADVISOR
Ex-Chair of Silver fleet Capital and BVCA
Board Member of UKBAA
Venture investor
Board Member of UKBAA
Venture investor
Andrew Milnes
ADVISOR
Ex BP Executive
Commodity Specialist
Non Exec Director
Venture Investor
Commodity Specialist
Non Exec Director
Venture Investor
Michael Pambianchi
ADVISOR
Ex Corning executive
Breakthrough ENERGY FELLOW
Breakthrough ENERGY FELLOW
John Walker
ADVISOR
Ex Board Member Johnson Matthey
FTSE 100 Board member
Ex-CEO Clean Air
Venture intvestor
FTSE 100 Board member
Ex-CEO Clean Air
Venture intvestor
