HydRegen appoint Joe de Sousa as a Non-Executive Director
HydRegen, the revolutionary bioscience company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Joe de Sousa as Non-Executive Director. With a background in pharmaceutical leadership and manufacturing development, his deep technical knowledge and extensive network will assist the company in developing its innovative technology and commercialisation.
“With HydRegen, I was immediately struck not only by the energy and ambition of the team, but also by the potential HydRegen technology has to make a real impact in the pharmaceutical sector and many others” - Joe
Joe has more than 30 years’ experience across the pharmaceutical and life sciences R&D sector and an extensive network of influential leaders across the academic, industrial, healthcare, public sector and policy sectors. Having held international leadership responsibilities across the UK, Sweden, US and China, including collaborations across and beyond the pharmaceutical sector and academia, Joe is an experienced communicator who provides strategic direction, affects change and drives improvement. In addition to current roles that include Council Member at the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council and Trustee at the British Science Association, Joe spent over 27 years at AstraZeneca where he held a broad variety of leadership roles covering all disciplines across chemistry, engineering and pharmaceutical sciences.
With a deep technical knowledge of scale-up, from lab to commercial manufacturing, and a comprehensive network across and beyond pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing, Joe provides valuable independent insights and advice that will assist HydRegen in developing, implementing and delivering its strategic goals and vision. Having worked with investors and public sector funding bodies he will provide support and guidance to the company in attracting investment and non-dilutive grant funding to deliver its industrially relevant bio-based manufacturing technology that solves real problems on the journey to sustainable chemical manufacturing.
HydRegen is developing bio-based manufacturing technologies that are cleaner, safer and more efficient than current processes, addressing the unmet needs of the chemical sector. Its proprietary enzyme-based platform enables sustainable chemical manufacturing by switching the power source for biocatalysis from glucose to hydrogen gas, reducing its environmental impact. HydRegen’s vision is to replace finite resources for hydrogenation reactions, like metal catalysts, with environmentally and economically sustainable alternatives and encourage energy intensive businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.
Dr Holly Reeve, CEO at HydRegen said: “We are very excited to have Joe join our Board as a Non-Executive Director. His phenomenal expertise and depth of experience will be a huge asset as we work towards commercialising our technology. Joe is an influential leader across the pharmaceutical, chemistry and engineering sectors with an extensive network of industry leaders with knowledge across all stages of development, scale-up, manufacture, supply and commercialisation. His valuable insights and support will help us to achieve our mission of simplifying the adoption of bio-based processes for cleaner, safer and more sustainable chemical manufacture.”
Dr Joe de Sousa, Non-Executive Director at HydRegen comments: “The pharmaceutical industry is eager to incorporate novel, flexible manufacturing processes and technologies that can bring step change improvements in the sustainability of medicines manufacture and supply. My industry experience has led to me sourcing and working with novel technologies, like HydRegen’s, and to supporting their development and growth. With HydRegen, I was immediately struck not only by the energy and ambition of the team, but also by the potential HydRegen technology has to make a real impact in the pharmaceutical sector and many others. Their innovative biocatalysis technology provides an efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional chemical manufacturing processes, and they have already started to demonstrate real world applications and impact. I look forward to working with HydRegen in the continued development of its technology and demonstration of its value in a sector that is ready to embrace novel 21st century, sustainable manufacturing solutions.”
Dr Will Barton, Director and Chairman at HydRegen adds: “I am delighted that Joe has joined us. His considerable experience, operating over many years at senior levels in roles ranging from concept to commercialisation in the pharmaceutical industry, will be invaluable as we seek to identify and exploit the most impactful opportunities to commercialise our own novel technologies. I look forward to working with him.”