Road to discovery

What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include?

My first non-academic job was with Oxford Chirality, an Oxford University spin-out from Professor Steve Davies’s labs. As senior chemist (out of a total workforce of four), I managed the day-to day laboratory work, visited customers, despatched chemicals, banked money and almost everything else you would imagine needed doing in a small company.

How much was in your first pay packet and what did you spend it on?

I cannot remember exactly, but I was on about £16,000 a year. My wife Susan and I bought a house with almost no deposit and with interest rates at 15 per cent!

Describe how you career developed to the present day.

I have been effectively a one-company person, firstly at Oxford Asymmetry before it merged with Evotec in 2000. I took 18 months out in early 2003 working with Oxford spin-outs. I started by managing chemistry and then as the company grew, became a more general business and operations manager. I love the interaction of science with business.

What are the key responsibilities in your position?

As chief operating officer, I have responsibility for Evotec’s contract research business managing 400 scientists in Abingdon, Hamburg, Mumbai and Singapore. The business collaborates with pharmaceutical and biotech companies in drug discovery, and had revenues of approximately €40m (£36m) in 2009. Recently I have focused on expanding the business through acquisition of new technologies and operations.

Describe a typical day I like to start early and clear e-mails. As an ex-scientist I still struggle to keep out of the detail of the business and projects, but increasingly days then follow a pattern of operational meetings, monitoring performance, discussions with the chief executive and chief finance officer on strategic opportunities, and always keeping in touch with my managers and helping with any issues they may have. There is a lot of travel to Germany and India, too.

Who/what have been the biggest influences on your career?

Always my father, Stefan, who was the hardest working, most honest person I have known. Also, Prof Davies instilled in me an enthusiasm for organic chemistry and being a driving force behind setting up Oxford Asymmetry. And, finally, Edwin Moses, our first chief executive, who taught me all the business knowledge I have.

What has been your best decision?

To do a DPhil with Professor Steve Davies and then accept his offer to work in the start-up company, Oxford Chirality, in 1989.

And your worst?

Selling our chemical development business in 2007. It was a successful company and we got a good price, but it does not seem to have flourished under its new management.

What is the best advice you can give to someone starting out in your business?

Know your strengths and market and it will always be people who make a business, not capabilities.

What is the secret of good management?

The best manager I ever had was Edwin Moses, who always managed to push you beyond what you thought you could achieve, without ever making you feel isolated or unsupported.

Do you have a good work/life balance?

I think I do. My wife and children would probably disagree a little.

What hobbies/interests do you enjoy in your spare time?

Playing music with my kids and friends and classic motorcycling.

Is there anything in business that really irritates you?

E-mail, and the way it has created a culture of ‘must respond now or the world will end!’ How do you see your company developing over the next five years?

We have recently refocused our company back to a provider of drug discovery services and away from our own proprietary drug research. Our goal for the next five years is to become the number one drug discovery services company in the world.

What has been your most satisfying moment?

In business, when we floated Oxford Asymmetry on the London Stock exchange in 1998.

Do you believe there is enough help and support from government and agencies for growing businesses?

As part of a German public company, we rarely qualify for government grants, but in the early days we received strong funding support through the DTI Smart awards and other European grants, so I would think there is.

What is your attitude to the environment and do you have any green policies in place?

As a company that relies heavily on chemistry at our Abingdon site, we have policies in place and an environmental committee that looks at how we can reduce our carbon footprint. Our whole workforce contributes to working in the most environmentally-friendly way we can.

What is the secret of a happy workforce?

An environment where the work is interesting, everyone knows their role and how they contribute to the success of the business, and appreciation is always shown.

Is there any other job you would like to have done and why?

As a motorcycle enthusiast I think world champion Valentino Rossi has quite a good life.

What would you like to do when you retire?

Motorcycle across Europe with my wife as pillion.