Young Industrialist of the Year Award 2010 winner

Jon-Paul Griffiths
Oxford Advanced Surfaces Group PLC

For his dedication and tenacity in researching novel applications of carbene chemistry which led to him setting up the spin-out Oxford Advanced Surfaces to exploit this new technology.

About the winner

Jon-Paul Griffiths graduated from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in 2000 having spent a sandwich year at Abbott Laboratories, Kent.  Jon-Paul then joined Professor John Wallis at NTU for his PhD on the synthesis of novel electrical conducting organic materials.

In 2004 Jon-Paul began a post doctoral position with Dr Mark Moloney at the University of Oxford, developing novel materials via surface modification using reactive intermediate chemistry. There he developed materials that could be used for adhesion promotion, ion exchange, biocompatibility or disinfection, leading to two patent filings.  With the help of ISIS Innovation, Oxford Advanced Surfaces Ltd (OAS) was spun out in September 2006.

Jon-Paul moved to OAS to lead technology development in the areas of advanced material design and surface modification.  Through his leadership the company attracted several multi-national development partners and then floated on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2007.

Jon-Paul continues to lead a multi-disciplinary team developing OAS's chemistry for a range of end market uses of reactive intermediates for advanced material design and surface modification.