About Us

Frank is Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FIS360 Ltd and an expert in the commercialisation of technologies, from concept to commercial product. He has developed and delivered several commercialisation programmes, including Sellafield’s Game Changers open innovation programme. He has over 20 years’ of experience commercialising early-stage technologies, licensing and spin-out, into a wide range of sectors both nationally and internationally, including working in the Middle East to establish a technology transfer business unit and innovation investment fund for Dhahran Techno Valley Company (DTVC), Saudi Arabia.

Frank has also spent many years working in the steel, space and aerospace industries in the UK and US. He currently mentors early-stage companies, sits on several innovation committees, and has a real passion and enthusiasm for making a difference.

Deborah has built a diverse and impactful career across a range of industry sectors since gaining her PhD in Materials Engineering and Design from the University of Nottingham. Early in her career, she focussed on the delivery of specialised laboratory testing and analysis across various industries. Highlights include leading the corrosion testing division for a globally recognised independent laboratory in the oil and gas sector and driving innovation by delivering advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing projects to industry partners and clients in the pharmaceutical sector.

Deborah joined FIS360 in 2017 and took on an expanded role in 2021, where she now oversees general company operations. Key responsibilities include managing our environmental and quality management system, spearheading the implementation of innovative solutions to optimise processes and supporting the culture of excellence that underpins all aspects of the business.

Stuart is an experienced innovation consultant and senior manager helping innovative companies to develop and commercialise new ideas.

Stuart’s experience spans two decades in managing innovation and research. His career has encompassed business strategy development, entrepreneurship, knowledge exchange, new venture creation, business engagement, incubation, economic development, private investment, grant funding, commercialisation of intellectual property rights (IPR), and he is an experienced non-exec of high-tech early stage companies.

Stephanie joined FIS360 in November 2022 and she has over 10 years of experience working in a variety of administrative roles. She has worked in a range of areas including the private sector, civil service, and higher education, and in this time has developed many administrative skills combined with a client focussed approach.

Stephanie enjoys the multi-faceted aspects that her role in administration brings by being involved across all areas of the business and the programmes delivered by FIS360.

Janet has almost 30 years’ experience in high-technology product development, manufacturing and commercialisation. Previously Production Director of an instrumentation SME, Janet has spent the last 15 years at the front end of innovation and founded Genmhor Ltd to work with and support a range of pre-start and early-stage technology companies to understand their commercial opportunity and take products from proof of concept to manufacture.

Janet has personally negotiated over £10m in commercial contracts and has experience in a wide range of markets including lighting, agritech, gas sensing, security and defence, nuclear, aquaculture, marine, and scientific research.

• Mentor of the Year TechX Accelerator, Oil & Gas Technology Centre 2018
• Institute of Physics Business Innovation Awards Judge 2018 – 2022

Rob joined the FIS360 team in the summer of 2022 as a placement student. He then worked part-time while completing his final year BSc in Business Management at The University of Lancaster. Rob now works full-time for FIS360 across several areas of the business, including business development and project management. Rob is also progressing through his APM Project Management Qualifications.

Outside of work, Rob is a keen tennis player and enjoys getting out on the Fells.

Ellen graduated with a degree in biology & food science from Oxford Polytechnic. She then specialised in microbial physiology, completing a PhD from Oxford Brookes University, sponsored by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries plc, in 1996.

After a further 2 years in biosciences research, Ellen migrated from the lab bench to the world of technology transfer, joining UMIST Ventures Ltd in 1998. Her role at UVL included fostering SME engagement under a European Regional Development Fund programme, negotiating research contracts and implementation of the Genetic Innovation Network in collaboration with Manchester Innovation.

Ellen has lived in the Lake District since 2006 and spent time working in the local hospitality industry whilst gaining accountancy qualifications. The next chapter began in 2020 when Ellen joined FIS360 on their mission. Ellen’s main role is supporting delivery of the Game Changers programme.

Kirstie graduated with a degree in Materials and Design Engineering from Loughborough University and has since gone on to complete a PhD in Nanostructured Materials at the University of Manchester.

After an 18-month Research Associate position focused on developing multifunctional resins for SLA 3D printing including in situ polymerisation of conductive polymers and nanomaterials for electrochemical applications, Kirstie joined the RAIN hub (Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear) as the Outreach and Project Manager. This involved engagement with industry, regulatory bodies and schools, whilst supporting the implementation of the overall RAIN project plan as the central contact point for demonstration activities across the UK.

Kirstie joined FIS360 in 2022 as a Project Manager, contributing to diverse programmes like the Game Changers innovation programme, where she facilitates communication about innovation challenge opportunities. Additionally, she plays a key role in the development of FIS360’s products.

Outside of work, Kirstie’s hobbies include hiking, camping, cycling, going to festivals, and reading.

Helen graduated with a degree in Veterinary Sciences from the Royal Veterinary College, before completing a PhD in Evolutionary biology and biochemistry at the University of Liverpool. Her PhD position was sponsored by Genus PLC and included a secondment at the University of Maryland. Helen then undertook a 2.5 year postdoctoral position at Uppsala University within the Evolutionary Biology department.

Applied research has always interested Helen. After completing her postdoctoral position, she took a role as project manager within the medical engineering department at King’s College London. She relocated to Manchester in 2017 to become the Outreach and Project Manager for the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear (RAIN) Hub, where she worked to build relationships and collaboration across academia and industry to support the development and deployment of innovative technology for nuclear applications. In 2020, Helen took on a different role at the University of Manchester, as project manager for the Nuclear Waste Services Research Support Office (RSO). The RSO was tasked with building and managing an expanding portfolio of NWS funded academic research to enable the delivery of a Geological Disposal Facility. Helen joined FIS360 in 2023 as a project manager.

Kate has a PhD in Physics from the University of Glasgow. It was a collaborative project with University Tor Vergata, Rome, and Northern Foods, UK, and used computational modelling of electromagnetic fields at microwave frequencies to investigate practical applications of non-invasive temperature measurement.

Following her love for travel, Kate then moved into the world of Student Recruitment and has over 18 years’ professional experience recruiting students to the Higher Education sector in a variety of senior roles. She has worked internationally, within the EU and across the UK for a small private company and the University of Glasgow. Kate loves to meet new people and has forged many strong relationships when working in her markets in Japan, Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Russia, South America and the EU.

Kate joined FIS360 as Project Manager in 2023 and works on various projects for both Open Nuclear and Game Changers. She relishes a challenge and is passionate about science and the novel solutions it can bring to everyday life.

Scott graduated with a degree in Chemistry from Heriot-Watt University before joining a leading oilfield services company as a Drilling Fluid Analyst. He moved into a role offshore as a Drilling Fluid Specialist on oilfield drilling rigs. Over the course of the following 8 years, he progressed to become a Senior Drilling Fluid Specialist, overseeing Junior Specialists as the lead on high-focus, multi-million-pound contracts.

He then moved on to an onshore role as a Project Leader within the corrosion team at an independent oilfield testing laboratory. This position involved engaging with clients to determine the challenges they faced and how best to resolve them.

With his experience of project management, technical reporting and in-depth knowledge of the oil & gas sector, Scott joined FIS360 as a Project Manager in 2024. He has a keen interest in finding innovative solutions to complex problems. He works on a variety of programmes, with a focus on our intrapreneurship programmes, preparing grant funding reports and conducting market research for a diverse collection of organisations.

Scott’s hobbies include watching football, cooking and days out with the kids.

Lauren joined the FIS360 team in May 2023. She is responsible for the communication and marketing of company services, programme challenges, news and events.

Lauren has a background in chemistry and hazardous waste, followed by online marketing, working with scientific, engineering and manufacturing companies across the UK.

Leo joined FIS360 in June 2024 as a summer placement student in the role of Innovation Assistant. He has achieved a diploma in Mathematics from Durham University and now works part-time for FIS360 while he pursues further education in computer science and AI.

Leo lives in the Lake District and in his free time enjoys walking, cooking, and paddleboarding.

Gordon is a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and is an energy industry veteran with 35+ years industry experience. He has been the chairman of two university spin-outs and an oil and gas software start-up. Through the Scottish Enterprise Proof-of-Concept programme and High Growth Ventures team, Gordon has worked as an advisor to 50+ start-up and spin-out businesses mainly in the energy and digital sectors.

He was a Director of Entrepreneur Business School Ltd between 2017 and 2021.

Derek has over 40 years’ experience working in the Energy sector covering conventional, renewable and nuclear power generation, transmission, distribution and storage. The majority of that time was spent in industry where he led teams focussed on research and development, technology transfer and innovation commercialisation.

He joined Innovate UK in 2010 as Innovation Lead for Energy and Head of their nuclear innovation programme. He designed and was responsible for a total portfolio of over £100m ‘challenge-led’ nuclear innovation competitions driving innovation into the nuclear sector. During this time, he worked with numerous start-ups, SMEs and large businesses providing innovation support to take products from concept through to commercialisation.

He is a former member of the UK Government’s Nuclear Innovation & Research Advisory Board (NIRAB).

Barry is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Professor of Applied Control and Nuclear Engineering Decommissioning at the University of Manchester. He holds a Royal Academy Chair in Emerging Technologies, and is the academic lead for the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) initiative in Cumbria, which aims to develop technology to support the decommissioning of the UK’s legacy nuclear facilities. He has been responsible for the development and deployment of numerous robots that have characterised active nuclear facilities in the UK and overseas and is a member of the UK Government’s Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM).

He has experience in the commercialisation of technology, having co-founded Perceptive Engineering (a process control solutions provider that employed more than 30 FTEs before being sold to Applied Materials in 2020) and helped to start up Ice Nine Ltd (a business that specialises in the development of nuclear decommissioning robots).