Dr Michael John Dinnis Brand

Michael was a loving husband and father to Christopher.

Throughout his life, he was dedicated to promoting science and healthcare. He earned a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Bristol before completing a PhD in Analytical Chemistry at Imperial College London, where his thesis focused on flame photometry for sodium and potassium analysis.

Following his studies, Michael worked for ICI and later Technicon Corporation in the United States, where he played a key role in the development of the SMAC (Sequential Multiple Analyzer Computer) system using sodium and potassium sensors. It was during this time that we met.

Throughout his distinguished career, he also worked for Occidental Chemical Corporation, Engelhard, and 3i Group plc. He later served as a Professor at Texas A&M University before undertaking further studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management in Boston, where he earned an MBA.

After returning to the United Kingdom, he founded and ran two companies, Captum Capital Limited and Sensor 100, both of which sought to support the life sciences industry. He also served as a Non-Executive Director of Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where he contributed to the development of the new Royal Derby Hospital.

While living in Boston, USA, Michael founded NEBBA (the New England Britain Business Association), now known as BABCNE (British American Business Council of New England), an organisation that continues to successfully promote business relationships between New England and the United Kingdom.

Michael became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 2007.

Suzanne and Michael were married for 53 years.