Chief Executive Officer
Michael J. Butler
Mike has 20 years of experience in science-driven businesses in Europe, the US, and Asia and is motivated by the organizational challenges at the interface of science and business. Before joining Xceleron, Mike was the President, Scientific Operations, and Chief Scientific Officer with Aptuit. During an acquisition-driven expansion, he consolidated and integrated API, preclinical, formulation, solid-state chemistry, and drug product manufacturing operations.
Before Aptuit, he was Group Vice President at MDS Pharma Services where he managed the companys largest operations and commercial organizations. Ten clinical and chemistry operating units were located in North America and Europe with clients in North America, Europe, and Asia. Prior to MDS, Mike was the Group Director, Business Development for Huntingdon Life Sciences, UK.
Vice President
David Higton
Highly experienced scientist with a proven track record of delivering innovative, effective solutions in LC-MS, bioanalysis and automation. A logical thinker, using expertise in LC-MS and automation for problem solving and to provide novel solutions. Championed the use of accelerator mass spectrometry which has delivered significant cost and time saving for absolute bioavailability data.
Noted for my analytical skills and rapidly draw conclusions on complex issues. Excellent communication and team working skills developed when leading and contributing to cross functional, global and external teams.
Expertise in providing critical bioanalytical and biotransformation data to deliver key solutions for many projects. Over 20 publications including peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and invited to present at external conferences on several occasions. Course organiser and tutor on a DMPK course for new scientists.
Chief Financial Officer
Craig steele
Craig has an MBA in Finance from University of Chicago. His career in Life Sciences began over 25 years ago with the pharmaceutical division of Monsanto, G D Searle.
From 2009 through 2012, Craig was VP of Finance for Wolters Kluwer Health and CFO of the Pharma Solutions business unit. He was instrumental in completing the divestiture of the businesses in Pharma Solutions with part to a strategic buyer and the rest to a private equity group. Craig was CFO for Excelsior Medical, a medical device company owned by a private equity group, from 2006 to 2008.
Prior to Excelsior, Craig served as CFO/Vice President of Finance for the Late Stage Development division of MDS Pharma Services. His last two positions were CFO of Searle Canada and CFO of Searle Europe. Craig joined the Xceleron team in December 2012 as the part-time CFO.
Director
Ed Lascelles
Ed joined the corporate brokering department of Charterhouse Securities in 1998, focusing on primary and secondary fundraisings.
He worked for ING Barings advising small- and medium-growth companies prior to joining Close Venture Management in 2004 (now Albion Ventures LLP), one of the largest and most successful venture capital trust managers and a subsidiary of Close Brothers Group Plc.
Director
Frank Armstrong
Frank is an experienced, medically qualified, Pharmaceutical Executive who has worked to Board level in the UK, US, Switzerland, and Germany. He currently works as an Independent Advisor, Consultant, and Board Member to Life Science Companies. Most recently, he led Medical Science and Innovation (MSI) in R&D at Merck Serono and previously led Worldwide Development at Bayer and the Worldwide Medical Organisation at Zeneca.
With extensive experience in all aspects of Medical Development and Product Development in large and small company environments, he has led successful product approvals for the US and EU across a range of therapeutic areas. Frank has led major improvement programs at Merck Serono, Zeneca, and Bayer.
Director
Mark Seymour
Mark trained as a biochemist at University College Cardiff and obtained his PhD in comparative drug metabolism (in vitro/in vivo correlations) from the University of London in 1988.
Throughout his career, Marks research has focused on novel detection methodologies for drugs and their metabolites, including immunoaffinity chromatography; direct coupling of gas and liquid chromatography; and the use of 13C:12C ratios to detect abuse of endogenous steroids. The move to Xceleron and the use of accelerator mass spectrometry as an ultra-sensitive, enabling technique in biomedical research was a logical progression.