Appointment of Peter Allen as Non-Executive Director

Thursday, July 28, 2011

TMO Renewables Ltd, a leading developer of a new process for converting biomass into fuel ethanol is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Allen as a Non-Executive Director.

Peter, aged 55, brings a wealth of experience to the role of Non-Executive Director at TMO. He currently serves as Non-Executive Chairman on the Boards of ProStrakan Group plc, Chroma Therapeutics Ltd and Proximagen Neuroscience plc. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Oxford Nanoscience Technologies Ltd.

He was Chief Financial Officer of Abacus Group plc from April 2005 until the company was sold to Avnet Inc in January 2009.  Prior to this he was Chief Financial Officer of Celltech Group plc between 1992 and 2004. In addition to managing Celltech's flotation process in 1993, Peter played a key role in several strategic acquisitions, including Chiroscience Group plc, Medeva plc and Oxford Glycosciences plc. In 2003 Peter was also appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Celltech until the company was sold to UCB in 2004. 

Commenting on the appointment, Tim Yeo, Chairman of TMO, said: "I am delighted to welcome Peter to the Board. We are extremely fortunate to be able to enhance our already strong board with the addition of an individual with Peter's exceptional experience. His track record in bringing business and commercial insights to bear while serving on the boards of a range of science-based businesses encourages me greatly as we seek to introduce our ground-breaking process solutions to more commercial partners."

For further information please contact:

TMO Renewables Ltd
Hamish Curran
01483 303305

M:Communications
Elly Williamson
+44 (0) 20 7920 2339
Patrick d'Ancona
+44 (0) 20 7920 2347

A photograph of Peter is available from M:Communications on request.

TMO Renewables Limited


TMO Renewables Limited is a world leader in the development of 'second generation' biofuels produced from biomass or biowaste rather than virgin crops.  TMO has built theUK's first cellulosic ethanol process demonstration unit (PDU) which integrates all the necessary steps in a continuous ethanol production process.  This facility has been operational since the summer of 2008. 

TMO's unique high-temperature bio-ethanol process boasts high efficiencies and fast conversion rates. It is capable of utilising all of the sugars, including complex longer-chain forms.  At the core of the TMO process is a talented, heat-loving bacterium (a thermophile) that is able to grow at high temperatures (60°C-70°C).  The bacterium, TM242, was developed from a wild type found on a compost heap and, as such, has an unusually broad appetite for biomass-derived sugars, rapidly converting them into cellulosic bioethanol.