Meet the Team

Executive Team and Board Members

Karl Wills

Executive Chair

Karl is a serial inventor and entrepreneur who has built and sold a number of highly innovative businesses including Pelipod (sold to BT), MetaPack (sold to Stamps.com), and Abacus (sold to MindCTI) and has invented and brought to market a number of products and information systems.

Russell Bright

CEO and Director

Russell is a chartered engineer with 30+ years in business, most recently leading businesses in technology-driven markets including Water, Industrial Services, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Chemicals. He has diverse experience gained in large blue-chip corporates, SMEs, and family owned businesses. He had great success maximising profitability and driving business growth using creative and innovative commercial solutions, including Veolia Water Industrial Outsourcing.

Stephen Burt

Finance Director

Stephen is a Chartered Accountant and Governance professional with 25+ years in business. Having qualified with PriceWaterhouse he has worked across a variety of South Wales’ blue-chip manufacturing businesses. Most recently leading the Clinical Solutions business of Berendsen plc (£60m turnover, 600 employees, 4 UK locations) as Managing Director. He has been involved in a number of SME start-ups and lead the turnaround of Rocialle Ltd. Stephen currently serves as a business coach with the Welsh government’s Accelerated Growth Programme.

Staff and Management Team

The Executive Management team is supported by a team of highly skilled and experienced workforce which blends scientific knowledge and water industry experience.

Sales and Marketing

Matt Baldry

Director of UK Sales

Matt has over 25 years’ experience in the construction and water industries. He brings a diverse range of experience from sales and account management to operational and commercial management gained across both multinational companies and SMEs alike.

Justine Buxton

Marketing Manager

CIM qualified marketer, with a varied and extensive career in Marketing for small and new businesses.

Engineering

Dan Boardman

Project Manager

Dan is a specialist in technological development and delivery of nature-based solutions. A trained civil engineer with a PhD in environmental engineering, Dan has worked on developing bio-reactors and biological filtration, both in R&D and product delivery. Alongside this, Dan has gained 5 years of experience in construction project management.

Mitch Stalley

Service Engineer

Mitch is a HNC qualified mechanical and electrical engineer with experience working in the water industry. His knowledge and experience is ever growing in his field of expertise.

Science Department

Dr Thea Ekins-Coward

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr Thea Ekins-Coward is one of the world’s leading applied algal scientists. Her career is diverse ranging from bio-remediation, process intensification of the UK water industry, utilising new technologies for carbon capture, production of bioplastics from renewables, investigating aquaculture waste as a biocoal feedstock, producing high-value products from marine resources, and production of biodiesel from microalgae. Thea’s background has developed her ability to adjust effectively, think innovatively, is why she is the best fit for us here at I-Phyc, leading the Scientific team from strength to strength.