The Team
The Senior Team
Brendan Cluff
Director
Brendan is a Venture Capitalist at Endeavour Ventures and has more than ten years’ experience as a financial adviser and fundraiser. He has played a key role in fundraising for a wide number of quoted and unquoted companies through Endeavour, and specialises in post-Seed, pre-Series A funding for manufacturing and technology companies.
Chris Grindal
Finance Director
Chris is an experienced Finance Director and has been involved in several start-ups and technology businesses. He has a wealth of knowledge in all areas of capital transactions covering funding, acquisitions, divestments, in- and out-licensing and spin outs. Chris has held many positions including NED, Finance Director & Company Secretarial.
David Gray
Investment Director
David, previously an equity and derivatives broker, founded and now runs Parkwalk Search (in association with Parkwalk Advisors, a company specialising in investing in UK university technology spin-out companies). David works closely with emerging IP rich technology companies to find investment, collaborations and executive leadership.
Dave Hatfield
Rail Director
Dave is a Chartered Engineer with over 30 years of extensive technical, commercial and managerial experience in relation to rolling stock procurement, maintenance, refurbishment and modification, as well as having experience of delivering high profile projects.
Paul Howard
Technical Director
Paul is a highly experienced technical leader, with over 15 years of global engineering and management experience in the automotive and rail sectors, including major tier-1 suppliers of emissions control and green-tech products. Paul has an extensive background in product development, from concept incubation through to commercialisation, having led the successful delivery of multiple high value projects.
Simon Pickess
Commercial Director
Simon has a wealth of Business Development experience from the automotive and green fuel sectors. Previously at British Gas Simon was involved in pioneering natural gas as an alternative fuel to diesel in heavy duty diesel engines. Simon focuses on all commercial relationships including clients, suppliers and project funding.
Chris Smith
Managing Director
A solicitor by profession, Chris has successfully founded and run businesses in the UK and in emerging markets abroad (India, Ukraine) in sectors such as property, eyewear, retail fashion and cosmetics. Chris founded G-volution in 2008 and remains the Managing Director, and a major shareholder in the company.
Non-Executive Directors and External Advisors
Michael-John Charlton
Michael, recently senior vice president, Global Manufacturing Development, was responsible, for Tenneco’s global manufacturing strategy and competence development, including optimizing the company’s manufacturing operations, overseeing its TMS [Tenneco Manufacturing System] and Process Excellence programs.
Previously, Michael was managing director, India, overseeing all Tenneco’s business activities in India. Before that, he served as executive operations director, emission control, Europe, where he was responsible for operations across 22 manufacturing sites and contributed to the business unit’s strong performance improvement.
Professor Doug Greenhalgh
Doug has been involved with G-volution since it was formed in 2008 and advises on disruptive technologies and fuels of the future. As well as gaining over 35 years of ICE research working with BMW, Honda, Nissan, Ford, Shell and Cosworth Doug has held the following positions:
Past Professor and Head of Automotive Engineering, Cranfield University.
Past Head of School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University.
Past Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean, Glasgow Caledonian University.
Swapan
Kataria
Swapan has over 20 years extensive experience in forming E&P ventures and has experience working with National Oil companies in different countries. His experience ranges from wellhead contracts to downstream allocations of Natural gas, Mid-Stream allocations of Liquid Petroleum Gas & Oil derivatives. He is also The Founder and Promoter of LNG Source/LNG-9, which is focused on Spot Cargo trading of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
Dean M.
Junayed Miah
Dean has over 20 years’ experience in the Oil & Gas sector specialising in international trade, maritime law, including environmental, banking and Finance.
Through his company, Xpronet Inc, Dean is promoting G-volution technology in the territories of MENA, (Morocco, Algeria, Egypt), Africa, Turkey and the former CIS countries working closely with local partners, UK Trade, UK FCDO, UKEF and respective Ministries within UK and abroad.
Professor
Hua Zhao
Professor Hua Zhao is currently Pro Vice Chancellor at Brunel University London. He advises G-volution on future fuels and combustion. Other posts current and past include:
Vice Provost and Dean at College of Engineering, Design and Physical Science.
Director at Centre for advanced powertrain and fuels.
Research Fellow at Imperial College London.
College Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge.