Management Team
Glen Illing - Founder and Executive Director
Glen is the Founder and Executive Director of Roslin Technologies, who spearheaded the business from concept to implementation providing its vision and strategic direction.
As an international entrepreneur and Venture Builder he has a focus on Agri-Tech, Aquaculture, the Bio-economy and sustainable protein production. With over 25 years executive experience in Agribusiness, start-ups, mergers, acquisitions, and re-organisations, he is a commercially driven leader with a truly global record skilled in building and developing Life Science, Agribusiness and Biotechnology companies.
He thrives on bridging the gap between science, technology and industry and received an MBA from Bath University after graduating in Agriculture at Seale-Hayne Plymouth University, awarded a post graduate management diploma at Oxford Brookes University and is member of the ‘Institute of Directors’ and the ‘Genetics Society’. He is a partner in JBI Equity and Serves as a Board member on several disruptive technology companies.
Prof. Jacqui Matthews - Chief Scientific Officer
Chief Scientific Officer, Jacqui leads on Strategic Partnerships and manages the R&D programme focussing on bringing scientific innovations to the agri and animal health sectors. Prior to joining Roslin Tech, Jacqui managed scientific programmes in academia supported by >£13 million funding. She generated a range of industry-facing media, >140 research papers and is the inventor of the small redworm diagnostic, marketed by Austin Davis Biologics.
In 2017, she was awarded RCVS Fellowship and Elsevier’s International Journal for Parasitology Award. She is a RCVS Recognised Specialist (Parasitology) and Honorary Professor at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
John Clinkenbeard - Managing Director
John Clinkenbeard is our Managing Director. John has 25 years’ experience in finance & investment, operations, and entrepreneurial business leadership. Prior to joining the company John developed his own consulting business, working with high growth businesses across sectors and geographic regions.
John worked with Ernst & Young for a number of years in investment consultancy in the UK and USA and also specialises in large scale complex project and programme management. John is also a Director of JBI Equity, an Agri-tech advisory business who were the architects of the Roslin Technology concept.
John has a masters degree from the University of Edinburgh.
George Roy - Chief Financial Officer
George Roy is our Chief Financial Officer at Roslin Technologies. A UK qualified chartered accountant, he has over 20 years’ experience in CFO and General Manager positions with two French groups in France, P.R.China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Bangladesh, where he set up and managed agricultural, manufacturing and sales operations, before joining Roslin Technologies in July 2017. He also has extensive advisory and M&A experience in accountancy and taxation, investment banking and consultancy in the UK, Switzerland, the French Caribbean and the USA. George is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and qualified as a chartered accountant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He is fluent in French and also proficient in German and in written and spoken Chinese.
Board of Directors
Roslin Technologies’ Board of Directors comprises an innovative mix of academics, Industry experts and experienced investment entrepreneurs.
Prof. Andy Porter, Chairman
Professor of Biotechnology and Director of the Scottish Biologics Facility (SBF), University of Aberdeen. The SBF works with academics and companies across the world developing antibodies and other binding proteins for a range of diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Programmes include: anti-microbials, cardiology, liver fibrosis and CNS disease.
Currently helping to commercialise a new SBF biologics platform based on shark VNAR single-domains with a focus in inflammation and oncology. This new University spin-out is called Elasmogen Ltd (Feb 2016).
Glen Illing, Executive Director
Founder and Executive Director of Roslin Technologies who spearheaded the business from concept to implementation providing its vision and strategic direction. As an international entrepreneur and Venture Builder he has a focus on Agri-Tech, Aquaculture, the Bio-economy and sustainable protein production. With over 25 years executive experience in Agribusiness, start-ups, mergers, acquisitions, and re-organisations, he is a commercially driven leader with a truly global record skilled in building and developing Life Science, Agribusiness and Biotechnology companies. He thrives on bridging the gap between science, technology and industry and received an MBA from Bath University after graduating in Agriculture at Seale-Hayne Plymouth University, awarded a post graduate management diploma at Oxford Brookes University and is member of the ‘Institute of Directors’ and the ‘Genetics Society’. He is a partner in JBI Equity and Serves as a Board member on several disruptive technology companies.
Dr. Nigel Kirby
Experienced Managing Director and non-Executive Director with demonstrated history of working in the research industry. Skilled in Business Planning, International Business, Plant Breeding, Intellectual Asset Management and Agriculture Research for Development. Strong business development professional with a PhD from University of Leeds UK. Chair of ICRISTAT Governing Board and Chair of NIAB EMR. Non-Executive Member of the Roslin Technologies Board since April 2017.
Simon Hopkins
Simon is a Singapore-based entrepreneur who currently serves as CEO of Milltrust International Group, Chairman of Milltrust Agricultural Investments, and Chairman of British Innovation Fund. He has been a senior figure in the investment management industry for more than two decades, following a successful investment banking career spanning more than a decade at S.G. Warburg/UBS, HSBC James Capel and Nomura. He serves as a member of NUS Medicine International Council (NIC). Mr Hopkins graduated from the University of Bristol Faculty of Law (LLB Hons), and holds a post graduate diploma in board governance.
Kristian Bennetsen
Co-founder of JBI Equity. Previously Investment Manager at Emirates NBD Private Banking in Dubai involved in fund selection across most asset classes. Previously an analyst at Bloomberg London. Originally from Denmark with six years agribusiness experience managing large dairy, poultry and feed mill operations in Denmark. Non-Executive Member of the Roslin Technologies Board since March 2016.
Griff Williams
Co-founder of Milltrust Agricultural Investments and Chief Investment officer of NZ & Australia Farmland Funds, and CIO of the British Innovation Fund at Milltrust International Investments. Experience of agriculture and equity funds management, private equity and investment consulting. Non- Executive Member of the RT Board since Apr 2017.
Prof. Simon Best
Prof. Best is a seasoned veteran of the global Lifescience Industry with experience, both as a Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman or board member of entrepreneurial companies and as a Chairman or board member of major industry bodies. Non-executive Member of the Roslin Technologies Board since April 2020.
Scientific Advisory Committee
Peter Jeffries
Peter is a veterinarian, recently retired from an international career with multinational companies and in the not-for-profit sector. Peter has over 30 years’ private sector experience, holding management roles in global and strategic marketing, technical support and business development, based, across his career, in Zambia, Kenya, France and the United States. After many years with leading animal health companies, in 2013 he returned to the UK to join GALVmed (www.galvmed.org) as CEO, retiring from this position in 2019. Peter brings a breadth of experience at the interface between animal health research and market opportunity, built over his career in the private and not-for-profit sectors.
Ruth Clements
Ruth Clements graduated as a Veterinary Surgeon from Edinburgh University in 2008 and has a degree in molecular biology. Ruth lives in Oxfordshire with her husband, two small daughters and an assortment of animals. She started working in sustainable agriculture in 2002, joining FAI Farms full time in 2010 and continuing to work for the Benchmark group to date.
Ruth is best known for her work on lameness in sheep where her 5 Point Plan approach has now been accepted by industry stakeholders as the national control strategy against this disease, with prevalence levels and associated antibiotic use in the UK steadily declining.
She now takes these principles across agriculture and aquaculture, looking towards tackling some of the most challenging disease-based blockers to sustainable production in various sectors.
Ruth has been involved in the creation and evolution of a veterinary sustainability group called” Vet Sustain” and has a strong interest in regenerative farming systems and holistic health management.
Prof. David Argyle
David Argyle is a graduate of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery from the University of Glasgow. He gained his PhD in Immunology and Oncology from the same department. He has served as a clinical academic for the Universities of Glasgow, Wisconsin-Madison and Edinburgh. He has served as Chair of Clinical Studies and as Postgraduate Dean for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. In 2011 he was appointed William Dick chair of Veterinary Clinical Studies and Dean of Veterinary Medicine at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. He is also Deputy Head of College for The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. He is chair of the examination board for the ECVIM sub-specialty in Oncology. He is an RCVS and European recognized specialist in veterinary oncology, his major interests are cancer biology and comparative oncology. He was elected FRSE and FRCVS in 2016 for meritorious contributions to knowledge. He was elected FRSA in 2019 for contributions to social progress and development.
Prof. Grace Mulcahy
Grace is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and spent ten years as Dean of Veterinary Medicine at University College Dublin. She leads an active research group focussing on helminth immunobiology, vaccines for veterinary parasites, and One Health. Grace served two terms as a member of the Veterinary Council of Ireland and has been a member of American Association of Veterinary Medical College Board of Directors and on the Board of the Agri-food and Biosciences Institute, Northern Ireland.
Our Shareholders
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1582, is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s ancient universities. One of the world’s leading research universities, it is ranked fourth in the UK for research excellence. The University is a member of both the Russell Group, and the League of European Research Universities, a consortium of 21 research universities in Europe. It has the third largest endowment of any university in the United Kingdom, after the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.
The University of Edinburgh has an outstanding history of discovery, invention and innovation. In biological sciences, The College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine is internationally renowned for basic-to-clinical translational research. The College has a history of interdisciplinary research and a commitment to the concept of one health, explicitly linking biomedicine and veterinary medicine. Impact occurs in the areas of human and animal health and welfare, and the College’s reach extends to influencing policy and international impact, providing valuable, wide-ranging medical and veterinary solutions.
The British Innovation Fund is an investment fund managed by Milltrust International LLP, award-winning investment organisation co-headquartered in London and Singapore. Milltrust offers a range of innovative investment solutions seeking to address the development of emerging economies, rising food demand, technological innovation and climate change. Clients include pension funds, sovereign entities, family offices, and entrepreneurs. The firm operates in a regulated capacity across multiple jurisdictions including the UK, Singapore, Ireland, Cayman and Mauritius. Milltrust affiliate Milltrust Agricultural Investments is the advisor to the British Innovation Fund (BIF), dedicated to UK university spinouts. BIF provided the Series A capital to make the dream of Roslin Technologies a reality, and today holds the second largest participation after the University of Edinburgh.
JBI Equity (formerly JB Equity) are highly experienced practitioners in Agribusiness and Aquaculture and are industry leaders in the development and implementation of technology commercialisation vehicles. They are the original architects of the Roslin Technologies concept after creating a joint venture with the University of Edinburgh. JBI Equity’s partners are senior agribusiness experts who combine technical and operational skills with experience from investment management, corporate finance and new business venturing. JBI Equity still maintain an active participation in the Roslin Technologies journey with a presence on the Board.