About Paragraf

Simon has a diverse background in physics, engineering and materials science combined with many years’ experience in the fields of semiconductors, functional materials, solid state devices and capital equipment manufacture. This has perfectly equipped him to fully understand two-dimensional materials production. With expertise in materials deposition techniques, he has developed numerous new materials and structure generation processes whilst advancing the understanding of the science of materials growth.

As a global high-tech materials and engineering consultant, Simon has multidisciplinary skills in the development of equipment, deposition processes and surface science across a range of fields. The resulting technology advances have achieved new performance levels in existing semiconductor device structures and have facilitated the capability to produce novel materials and new devices.

Sir Colin has extensive experience in the commercialisation of scientific ideas and the creation of successful university spin-out companies. Low-cost, high-efficiency LEDs developed by his research group are now being manufactured in the UK. New alloys developed by the Rolls-Royce University Research Centre – which he founded and directed – are now flying in Rolls-Royce engines.

He is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in materials science and has received many international medals for his research. Sir Colin is Professor of Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London, a Fellow of Selwyn College Cambridge and Emeritus Professor of Materials Science at Cambridge University. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering and is repeatedly invited to speak at materials science conferences.

With over 30 years’ experience in the semiconductor industry, Tony has held numerous leadership positions within the compound semiconductor field, His background is focussed in electronic material processes, volume manufacturing and capital equipment development and production.

Previously as Managing Director within the semiconductor capital equipment field, Tony led the organisation responsible for the development and manufacture of complex material deposition systems. More recently as VP of Global Operations for a leading compound semiconductor material supplier, Tony established and led the global teams responsible for the successful growth and volume production of materials for a diverse range of device applications including 3D sensing, RF power devices, solar power generation and optoelectronic telecommunications.

Andrew has over 25 years experience in the product development and volume manufacture of electronic and optoelectronic devices for wireless and data communications markets. In his previous role, Andrew served as Senior Director developing 3D-sensor and related products for the world’s leading cell phone manufacturers.

With a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Surrey, UK and post-doctoral fellowship and visiting scholar positions in the Chemistry Department of Harvard University, USA, Andrew brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role of Chief Development Officer at Paragraf. As CDO, Andrew leads the teams to transform the complex core technologies within Paragraf into high volume deliverable products.

Following the completion of her master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Liverpool, Cathy pursued her keen interest in business and finance by training as a chartered accountant. During her time in practice Cathy progressed from being a junior trainee to managing a varied portfolio of businesses.

Before joining Paragraf Cathy spent 17 years developing her finance expertise as an auditor and business advisor at one the countries top accounting firms. This allowed Cathy to develop expertise in statutory reporting and taxation, financial control, governance, and budgeting. Cathy also developed a keen interest in people development, being heavily involved in recruitment, training, and mentoring.

Cathy’s role at Paragraf covers Finance with her stepping up as interim CFO. This allows Cathy to combine her love of technology, her strong understanding of all areas of business finance and her passion for people and organisational development.

Rupert brings extensive leadership experience in global technology sales and business development, with a strong track record of scaling commercial operations in advanced electronics and sensing technologies. Most recently CEO of Lizard Monitoring, he led the company’s growth in precision environmental monitoring solutions across industrial and infrastructure markets. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President at RF Arrays Inc., where he expanded international sales and strategic partnerships for cutting-edge RF and microwave systems.

As Senior Vice President of Sales at Paragraf, Rupert is focused on accelerating commercial adoption of the company’s pioneering graphene-based technologies. With deep domain expertise and a customer-centric approach, he plays a key role in building strategic relationships and driving market penetration across sectors including quantum, medical, aerospace, and beyond.

Andrew is a serial entrepreneur and executive, focused on early-stage high technology opportunities and academic spin-outs. He has helped lead numerous businesses from initial concept through to product commercialisation. His business experiences encompass start-up, fundraising, growth and trade sale exits, as well as leading both Orthomimetics and CamGaN to trade sale exits as CEO.

Andrew currently serves as CEO of Fluidic Analytics and sits as a non-executive director on several boards, including the Cambridge Network. He was an inaugural winner of a Science|Business Academic Enterprise Award in Europe, and appeared on U.S. Technology Review magazine’s list of the world’s top young innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs.

Specialising in technology and strategy, Ed holds an MBA and BSc from Manchester University, and started his career with Henkel and Scientific Generics.

He now has over 20 years’ venture capital experience, since co-funding the $50m Venture Technologies deep-tech fund in 1996. He has achieved excellent returns with several high-profile exits. Since co-founding deep-tech investor IQ Capital in 2006, he has directed the firm’s technology strategy. It is currently investing from its £136m IQC Fund III, seeking investments in machine learning, data-based propositions and disruptive IP.

Simon has a diverse background in physics, engineering and materials science combined with many years’ experience in the fields of semiconductors, functional materials, solid state devices and capital equipment manufacture. This has perfectly equipped him to fully understand two-dimensional materials production. With expertise in materials deposition techniques, he has developed numerous new materials and structure generation processes whilst advancing the understanding of the science of materials growth.

As a global high-tech materials and engineering consultant, Simon has multidisciplinary skills in the development of equipment, deposition processes and surface science across a range of fields. The resulting technology advances have achieved new performance levels in existing semiconductor device structures and have facilitated the capability to produce novel materials and new devices.

Somu Subramaniam is the co-founder and Managing Partner of New Science Ventures (NSV). In addition to Paragraf, Somu serves on the Board of Directors of Achronix Semiconductor Corporation, BrightVolt, Cambridge Epigenetix, Dali Wireless, Ferric, Inc, Oxyrane, Pakal Technologies, ProterixBio, Ralexar Therapeutics, Resolve Therapeutics, Svelte Medical Systems, Ventyx Biosciences, Inc and Zeotap GmbH.

Prior to founding NSV, Somu was a director at McKinsey & Company where he advised leading multinational companies in the pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, photonics, software and semiconductor industries. At McKinsey, Somu was leader of the Strategy Practice, the Technology Practice, the Biotechnology Group, and the Healthcare Practice. He also served on the firm’s Investment Committee and led its Equity Portfolio Committee.

Somu holds a B.Tech. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Amer Siddiqui is an Executive Director at Mubadala Investment Company and Head of Asset Management for the UAE Clusters platform, overseeing a portfolio of strategically significant assets across Aerospace, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Advanced Materials, and ICT. He is responsible for driving enterprise value, capital allocation, and long-term strategic positioning.

Amer serves in multiple board leadership roles, including Chairman and Vice Chairman positions, providing oversight on strategy, governance, risk, and performance, with responsibilities across audit, risk, and human capital committees.

Amer is also a member of the Investment Committee for Mubadala’s UAE Investments Platform, contributing towards decision making on capital deployment and strategic direction.

With over 25 years of experience, Amer brings deep expertise in investment management, corporate finance, and operational transformation. As CFO of Strata Manufacturing, he led a major restructuring that repositioned the business as a globally competitive aerospace manufacturer.

He previously held senior roles at PwC, Halifax Bank of Scotland, Cable & Wireless, and Dubai World. Amer is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the ICAEW.

Jean-Michel Richard is a seasoned C-suite executive and CFO with over 30 years of experience in various technology led businesses, delivering measurable results by bringing a combination of financial rigour and entrepreneurial thinking to complex business challenges. His career spans a broad range of high-impact disciplines, including corporate restructuring and recovery, high-growth strategy, M&A, LBO, IPO readiness, joint ventures, treasury, investor relations, and exit planning.

Most recently, Jean-Michel served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at LPKF Laser & Electronics AG, a publicly listed German technology company, a role he held for over four years. He has also served as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Governance Committee at Ebury, the London-based fintech firm, during a pivotal period in its growth.

Jean-Michel currently sits on the board of Sciensus as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, a position he has held since February 2020.

Since January 2020, Jean-Michel has acted as a Finance Value-Add Adviser to Vitruvian Partners, the London-based growth equity firm, where he advises and coaches more than 45 CFOs across the firm's portfolio companies.

Since April 2022, he has also served as European Advisor to Berkeley SkyDeck, the University of California Berkeley's startup accelerator, mentoring early-stage companies on a pro bono basis through the SkyDeck Europe programme in Milan.

Jean-Michel Richard is a seasoned C-suite executive and CFO with over 30 years of experience in various technology led businesses, delivering measurable results by bringing a combination of financial rigour and entrepreneurial thinking to complex business challenges. His career spans a broad range of high-impact disciplines, including corporate restructuring and recovery, high-growth strategy, M&A, LBO, IPO readiness, joint ventures, treasury, investor relations, and exit planning.

Most recently, Jean-Michel served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at LPKF Laser & Electronics AG, a publicly listed German technology company, a role he held for over four years. He has also served as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Governance Committee at Ebury, the London-based fintech firm, during a pivotal period in its growth.

Jean-Michel currently sits on the board of Sciensus as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, a position he has held since February 2020.

Since January 2020, Jean-Michel has acted as a Finance Value-Add Adviser to Vitruvian Partners, the London-based growth equity firm, where he advises and coaches more than 45 CFOs across the firm's portfolio companies.

Since April 2022, he has also served as European Advisor to Berkeley SkyDeck, the University of California Berkeley's startup accelerator, mentoring early-stage companies on a pro bono basis through the SkyDeck Europe programme in Milan.

Oreste Donzella is a Semiconductor industry veteran with over thirty years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing and capital equipment companies, having held engineering and leadership roles at Texas Instruments, Micron Technology and KLA Corporation.

Frequent keynote speaker at industry events and featured in several technical publications, Oreste was awarded with VLSI Semiconductor All Star in 2020.

Currently, Oreste serves as Senior Advisor to several organizations, including KLA and imec, and as independent board member for Aion Silicon, Synergie-CAD, Unisers and Infinitesima.

Oreste earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University La Sapienza in Rome, Italy.

Oreste Donzella is a Semiconductor industry veteran with over thirty years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing and capital equipment companies, having held engineering and leadership roles at Texas Instruments, Micron Technology and KLA Corporation.

Frequent keynote speaker at industry events and featured in several technical publications, Oreste was awarded with VLSI Semiconductor All Star in 2020.

Currently, Oreste serves as Senior Advisor to several organizations, including KLA and imec, and as independent board member for Aion Silicon, Synergie-CAD, Unisers and Infinitesima.

Oreste earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University La Sapienza in Rome, Italy.

Thomas A. Piliszczuk is a semiconductor industry leader with over 30 years of experience. He is currently Executive Vice-President and Chief R&D Programs and Portfolio Officer at imec.

Previously, he served as Executive Vice-President for Global Business and Strategy at Soitec, held various management positions at KLA and worked with DARPA and SEMATECH on next-generation lithography.

In addition to his assignments across the US, Asia, and Europe, Thomas holds an Electrical Engineering degree from Gdansk University, a PhD from Heidelberg University, and an MBA from Stanford University.