After eight years of leading the company, Rowena Sellens is now stepping down as CEO of British cleantech company Econic Technologies.
She is succeeded by Keith Wiggins, whose broad experience in running advanced manufacturing businesses and commercialising technologies across global markets will prove an asset in taking the company to the next level.
“I look forward to being part of the growth story ahead,” said Wiggings, who called it an ‘honour’ to join Econic Technologies at a time when the business is poised to scale and commercialise.
Founded in 2011 by Charlotte Williams, now a professor at Oxford University, Econic Technologies has developed energy-efficient catalyst technologies allowing CO2 generated by industry to be captured and used to replace part of the oil-based feedstocks in polymer production. Its first success came with the development of a range of CO2-based polyols, a precursor of polyurethanes. The amount of CO2 is tuneable, which makes customisation of the polyols’ performance properties possible.
Econic is now working to extend the applications of its technology to other market areas, such as surfactants, lubricants, and applications where high molecular weight polymers are necessary.
This will require further advancing key partnerships alongside a forthcoming fund raise on the back of recently secured investment from existing shareholders and the UK government’s Future Fund.
Sellens, who was appointed in 2014 and oversaw Econic Technologies’ initial funding rounds; the launch of a UK-first customer demonstration facility; and the conclusion of the firm’s first joint development agreements, including a partnership with Drax. She will remain active in a number of non-executive roles.