Neil graduated in Chemistry from Bristol University, before doing a PhD in inorganic chemistry at Imperial College London. He started his career working in the glamorous field of weedkiller development for a small company in Bristol, followed by some time at British Gas working on gas separation processes. Neil then moved to Cornwall and spent 7 years at English China Clays / Imerys in several development areas including water treatment, mineral processing, coloured pigments and ceramics and refractories. A move to Boots The Chemist followed, where Neil spent 3 years in a variety of development roles spanning cosmetics to healthcare. Neil has worked in technical sales for Cornelius for four years in several roles and is now Business Manager for the Industrial Team.

"Rare breaks away from the job are spent indulging in cricket (more the watching than the playing these days, now the bones are beginning to creak). Also playing the guitar badly and when she really hasn’t got any better offers on the table, spending time with my partner Cath. A new baby, Henry, has recently added further interest (and expense) to life outside work "