Management team


David Knibbs - Chief Executive Officer
After completing a degree in Economics at Sheffield University, David joined the Mars Corporation as a graduate trainee. Over the next 9 years David took on a number of roles in both sales and marketing, rising to the position of National Sales Manager. David joined HP Bulmer, the UK listed drinks business, in 1997 as Sales & Trade Marketing Director and then in 2000 David became CEO of their North American business where he spearheaded the launch of the Strongbow brand in the USA. In 2003 David was appointed Group Marketing Director of Grampian Country Food Group (the UK's leading meat and poultry supplier and a top 5 supplier to each of the major supermarkets). David brings extensive experience in sales and marketing in both customer and channel management and in brand development. David was appointed Commercial Director of the Company on 1st March 2007 and CEO in December 2009. David is a member of the DfT Stakeholder advisory group, Vice Chair of the REA's Renewable Transport Fuels Group (for which he has authored key policy proposals) and a member of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership Fuels Group.

Andrew Hartley - Finance Director
Andrew is a qualified chartered accountant having completed his training with KPMG in Leeds. In 1987 he left KPMG to join Encon plc, a venture capital backed insulation manufacturer and distributor as Group Financial Controller, later becoming Finance Director of Encon RGS Insulation Limited, the group's distribution division. In 1992, Andrew took up the position of Group Financial Controller with the listed engineering and fluid transfer group, Syltone plc and was promoted to Financial Director in 1997; during this time he was part of a small executive team that restructured and grew the business up to its acquisition by a US company in 2004. Andrew was appointed to the Company as Finance Director in October 2005.

Ged Russell - Technical Director
Gerard (Ged) is a graduate in quantity surveying and construction economics from the University of Salford. After completing his degree, Ged worked for the Mossmorran project in Fife for Shell⁄ Esso, and then progressed into various roles for local authorities in the North East, eventually being promoted to the head of the building economics unit for North Yorkshire County Council. In 1989 Ged joined Baker Mallett LLP where he worked on projects for ICI, Enron Power, Uniqema, Synetix, Katalco and other chemical products businesses throughout Europe and the US. In 1994 Ged was appointed as a partner with the firm and in 2004 ⁄ 05 managed the Baker Mallett team which took the Biofuels Corporation plc biodiesel plant project from flotation through to physical completion. Ged was appointed as Technical Director of the Company on 19 January 2006.

Gareth Jones - Commercial Director
Gareth is an engineering graduate from the University of Nottingham. After completing his degree, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1993. Following a year with the British Printing Company, Gareth joined Syltone plc as Group Accountant and shortly afterwards in 1996 he was appointed Finance Director of Emco Wheaton, one of Syltone plc's manufacturing facilities responsible for the design and manufacture of oil valves. In 2000 he was appointed Group Financial Controller of Syltone plc.

In 2004, following the acquisition of Syltone plc by US listed company Gardner Denver Inc, Gareth was appointed to the post of European Finance Director and Finance Director for the Blower Division, the largest of the company's divisions.

David Salkeld - Non Executive Chairman
David Salkeld (BSc (Econ), Dip PM, FIGD) was formerly Group Chief Executive of Grampian Country Foods Group, Chief Executive of Arla Foods plc, and Managing Director of Northern Dairies. Born in Middlesbrough and a graduate in Economics from London University, David has extensive experience in building and developing companies, and substantial experience in Agricultural businesses, Manufacturing and Retail. David was Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director for Kelda Group Plc from 2000 to 2008, and is currently a Non-Executive Director of px Holdings as well as CEO and investor in Symingtons Limited.

Peter Jones - Non Executive Director
Peter Jones has been engaged as a consultant to Vireol since November 2006 to advise on the wheat market and strategic issues. Peter has recently retired as wheat director of Rank Hovis McDougall where he had the responsibility for buying 1.5 million tonnes of wheat per annum. He is a former Chairman of the Wheat Committee of the National Association of British and Irish Millers, as well as a regular industry negotiator with the National Farmers Union, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, and the European Commission.

Malcolm Ritchie - Non Executive Director
Malcolm Ritchie was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of United Biscuits. He was appointed following the business being taken into private equity ownership in 2000. As CEO, the business was transformed via a new strategy that included acquisitions and disposals, restructuring and cost programmes and branded sales growth. In 2006 the business was successfully sold via a breakup to maximise value for the shareholders. Prior to joining United Biscuits, Malcolm was a main board director of the H. J. Heinz Company, where he had executive responsibility for Europe, Middle East and Africa. He has also had other key general management roles with Hillsdown Holdings and Premier Brands. Prior to general management, Malcolm was a finance professional (FCMA) and worked for Cadbury Schweppes, Digital Equipment Corporation and Philips UK Ltd.

Tim Levy - Non Executive Director
Tim is CEO and founder of Future Capital Partners Limited, one of the UK's leading alternative investment boutiques, specialising in renewable energy, international property, healthcare and media & entertainment investing and financing. FCP has originated and executed over £6.0 billion of structured finance transactions whilst Tim has been its CEO. He is also a director of the Aramid Entertainment Fund (and its technical advisor, Aramid Capital Partners), a trade finance company specialising in making loans to the entertainment sector. Aramid Entertainment Fund has $280m under management and has generated an annualised IRR in excess of 13% since its launch. Tim has been involved in the structured finance business since 1997 prior to which he was an insurance broker specialising in natural catastrophe risks.

Rob Harris - Non Executive Director
Rob Harris is Senior Vice President (Business Head - Global Renewables) for Reliance Industries ...... India's largest business enterprise with activities spanning exploration of oil and gas, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochems, textiles, retail and infotel. Prior to this he was President and Chief Operating Officer at PetroAlgae.  Until May 2009 Rob served as the Commercial Director at NSG-Pilkington where he was responsible for European operations and oversaw pricing, sales, competition compliance, marketing and strategy for the $2.2 billion business in the building products sector.

Rob's industry sector experience is in refining, petrochemicals, lubricants, polymers, glass and plastics.  Prior to NSG-Pilkington, he served as the MD for VitasheetGroup at the Private Equity firm Texas Pacific Group (TPG).  Here he was responsible for the Thermoplastic Sheet business with fiduciary accountability for 10 international companies.

Before TPG, Rob worked with BP PLC in a number of senior management roles including Director of Procurement for BP's refining and chemical portfolio, General Manager of BP's worldwide solvents and industrial chemicals business, Global MD of specialty refinery products, European Mergers and Acquisitions Manager, Global General Manager of BP-Amoco's merged polybutenes business and as a Non Executive Director for 3 international companies.

Previous to his 17 years with BP, Rob served as the MD of Exxon Mobil's European Specialty Chemicals business.

Rob holds a 1st Class Honours degree in chemistry from the University of London (UCL).