Peter Watson

Peter Watson OBE is the former Chairman and Chief Executive of AEA Technology, one of Britain’s largest science and engineering services businesses. It had a staff of 2500 and a £250m turnover and has a particular expertise in the environmental and transport sectors.

He brings an experience to Lontra of the development of major, strategic technologies. He spent 15 years with leading automotive Tier 1 supplier GKN, overseeing the development and commercialisation of new technologies. He has also had senior roles in British Rail, including Chairman of the Research and Technology Committee. Peter also has extensive City experience, being involved in an MBO and subsequent a trade sale (as Chairman of Porterbrook) and an IPO (as Chief Executive of AEA Technology). He was the Chairman of AGM Batteries Ltd, which manufactures market-leading Lithium-ion cells, and is a Non-Executive Director of the Health and Safety Laboratory. He is a former NED of investment fund Martin Currie Enhanced Income plc and precision instruments supplier Spectris plc. He is the Chairman of energy technology start-up Sorption Energy.

He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (USA). He has been a member of DTI advisory committees and has an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University. He is currently a Visiting Professor at Imperial College.

Colin Billiet

Colin Billiet is the CEO of Nano-porous Solutions, a supplier of innovative filter technology to the compressor industry.

He has a long track record in the compressor industry, and is the former CEO of domnick hunter group, a leading supplier of filtration and other equipment. Colin participated in an MBO of the firm and its' 1994 IPO. As CEO he tripled sales through expansion and product innovation. When sold to Parker Hannifin in 2005, in a deal that valued the company at a P/E ratio of 32, domnick hunter employed 2000 people and operated in 26 countries.

Colin has a background as a design engineer, with numerous patents and technical publications to his name. He was a director of the British Compressed Air Society for 18 years, and a member of various international compressor industry bodies. He is a former director of Tanfield Group, the manufacturer of electric vehicles.

John Spruell

John Spruell is a former CEO of high tech specialist material engineers Deloro Stellite Group, which he led through a turnaround following an MBO. He has detailed experience of managing manufacturing processes in the UK and overseas, and has managed international joint ventures and relationships throughout the engineering world.

He was previously a Divisional Chief Executive at GKN, heading the Powder Metallurgy Division, where clients were primarily automotive. He started his career with Metalbox.

John has acted as a business angel investor in a number of early stage companies, contributing both investment and management expertise, and is working with a number of VCs on acquisitions in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.

Steve Lindsey, Technical Director

Steve's background is in technical project management, delivering IT projects for blue chip companies, and he has been developing new technologies for over 20 years.

He is a director of photovoltaic technology start-up TwentyNinety.

Simon Hombersley, Business Development Director

Simon has SME management experience and a background in public affairs, working with government technology agencies such as PPARC and NERC, and commercial projects for Atlas Venture. He is a member of the London Technology Network Environment Group Board.

He is Chairman of photovoltaic technology start-up TwentyNinety.

Clive Hudson, Chief Development Engineer

Clive joined Lontra in 2008 from Mahle Powertrain, the leading engineering consultancy, where he was Principal Engineer. For ten years at the company, he worked on projects primarily in the automotive sector ranging from design through to the management of demonstrator projects. He also worked with suppliers and manufacturers in prototype and volume engineering manufacture, and project managed major engineering consultancy relationships.

He was previously Principal Engineer with fuel delivery systems specialist Airtex Products.