What will you be speaking about at CHEMUK, and why is this topic important right now?

At CHEMUK I will be speaking about how to achieve robust, cost‑efficient oil‑in‑water emulsion stability without defaulting to increasingly energy‑intensive processing solutions.

Across cosmetics, personal care, and adjacent sectors, many stability issues that emerge during scale‑up or manufacturing are still being treated as processing problems. In reality, they are often rooted much earlier, in interfacial design, formulation sensitivity, and how shear is applied in practice. Increasingly complex ingredient systems, sustainability pressures, and the need for faster, more reliable scale‑up are making these weaknesses more visible.

This topic is particularly important right now because manufacturers are being pushed to do more with less: less energy, less over‑specification, and less tolerance for rework or late‑stage reformulation. High‑pressure approaches can deliver results, but they are not always the most efficient or future‑proof route. By better aligning formulation science, interfacial behaviour and engineered shear, many O/W systems can be stabilised more predictably and with lower processing burden.

The session will share practical insight into where emulsion stability is actually decided, why processing tends to expose rather than fix weakness, and how multi‑stage inline shear, supported by CFD analysis, can be used intelligently as part of a broader, science‑led manufacturing strategy.

What are the biggest challenges you see for the UK chemical and process industries in the next 3–5 years?

One of the biggest challenges facing the UK chemical and process industries over the next three to five years is how to remain technically competitive while operating under increasing constraints.

On the technical side, formulations and products are becoming more complex, while tolerance for instability, rework, and late‑stage reformulation is decreasing. At the same time, manufacturers are under pressure to reduce energy consumption, simplify processes, and avoid over‑engineering. This creates a real tension between performance, robustness, and cost efficiency, particularly in areas such as emulsions, dispersions, and formulated systems.

Regulatory and sustainability pressures are also accelerating change. Reformulation driven by ingredient restrictions, environmental targets, or supply chain shifts often introduces hidden instability risks that only become visible during scale‑up or manufacturing. Companies that treat these changes as box‑ticking exercises rather than system‑level redesigns are likely to struggle.

Finally, there is a growing skills and knowledge gap between formulation science and process engineering. Many challenges now sit at the interface between chemistry and processing, yet organisations often address them in silos. Bridging that gap, and making decisions based on a deeper understanding of how materials behave under real manufacturing conditions, will be critical for resilience and long‑term competitiveness.

Where do you see the main opportunities for innovation or growth in the sector?

The main opportunities for innovation lie in smarter formulation and process alignment, rather than adding complexity or intensity to manufacturing. With energy prices remaining high and sustainability targets tightening, there is strong momentum toward approaches that deliver robust performance with lower energy demand and more predictable scale‑up, particularly for formulated products such as emulsions. Growth will favour organisations that integrate formulation science, process engineering, and regulatory awareness to design systems that are both efficient and resilient under real manufacturing conditions.

What is one practical insight or takeaway you hope CHEMUK visitors will gain from your session?

Some of the most significant opportunities for innovation in the UK chemical and process industries lie in how we design, manufacture, and scale formulated systems more intelligently.

There is clear growth potential in technologies and approaches that reduce complexity rather than add to it. This includes better alignment between formulation science and process engineering, where decisions around ingredients, interfaces, and processing conditions are made together rather than in isolation. Companies that invest in understanding material behaviour under real manufacturing conditions, rather than relying solely on lab‑scale performance, are likely to move faster and with less risk.

Another major opportunity sits in process efficiency and energy reduction. With increasing pressure around sustainability and operating costs, there is strong momentum behind solutions that deliver comparable or improved product performance while using less energy, less capital‑intensive equipment, and more predictable processing routes. This is especially relevant for formulated products such as emulsions and dispersions, where improved interfacial and process understanding can unlock simpler manufacturing strategies.

Finally, there is scope for growth in cross‑disciplinary capability. Many of today’s challenges sit at the interface between chemistry, engineering, and regulatory compliance. Organisations that break down these silos and build integrated expertise are better placed to innovate, adapt to regulatory change, and bring products to market with greater confidence. In that sense, innovation is increasingly about how knowledge is connected and applied, rather than about any single breakthrough technology.

If you could fly to any country tomorrow, where would you go and why?

I’d go to Japan, because it has a rare balance of deep scientific discipline, advanced manufacturing culture, and respect for craftsmanship. From a professional point of view, it’s fascinating to see how process control, materials science, and continuous improvement are embedded into everyday industrial practice, and personally it’s a country where tradition and innovation coexist very naturally.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I’ve ever received is summed up well by the British expression “fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” In formulation and processing, taking time upfront to understand the system and think things through invariably saves time, cost, and rework later. Rushing to action without proper preparation almost always creates bigger problems down the line.

What’s one thing you’re really passionate about outside of work?

One thing I’m really passionate about outside of work is travel and learning about different cultures. Experiencing how people live, work, and think in different parts of the world broadens my perspective and often influences how I approach problem‑solving and collaboration. It’s a constant reminder that there are many valid ways to innovate and create value.

If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be?

If I could switch lives with someone for a day, it would be an interpreter or cultural mediator working internationally. Experiencing a day where understanding, translating, and navigating between cultures is the core of the role would be fascinating, and it closely aligns with my curiosity about how people think and communicate across boundaries.