Management Team

Michael Short, CEO

Michael Short has been CEO of GlycoForm since March 2005. Michael was Founder and CEO of two biotech companies, Iridia (2000-1) and RioTech Pharmaceuticals Ltd (2001-4). Michael also ran a successful biopharmaceutical consultancy when he worked for listed and privately held companies between 1997 and 2005. PathoGenesis (now Novartis) appointed him as General Manager (1998-2000) to head and build the team to launch TOBI in the UK and Ireland as well as to Chair the European Launch Committee. Prior to this Michael held senior roles in general management and business development at Baxter International (1986-1996), including mergers and acquisitions as well as developing new business units and divisions.

Michael's roles have given him significant responsibilities in markets and businesses in Europe and North America as well as exposure to other markets such as Russia, India and the Far East.

Michael undertook a full-time MBA at Aston University which he received in 1992.

Dr Chris Urch, Head of Research

Chris Urch joined GlycoForm in 2004 as research manager. From 2001 to 2004 he was head of chemistry at Amura Ltd where he managed the development of an oxapenem antibiotic. Previously he was a team leader with ICI/Zeneca where he worked principally on sterol biosynthesis inhibitors and acetylcholine agonists.

Chris took a double first in natural sciences and chemistry at Cambridge University. He then remained at Cambridge to complete his PhD with Ian Fleming before undertaking post-doctoral research at the University of Wisconsin with Barry Trost. He has over 70 publications and patents and is a referee for the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Board of Directors

Dr Mario Polywka, Non-Executive Chairman

Dr Mario Polywka has been a Member of the Executive Committee of Evotec since 2004. He became President of the Pharmaceutical and Development Division in 2004 and was promoted to Executive Vice President Operations of the Services Division in 2005. Between 2002 and 2004 Dr Polywka ran a number of spin-out companies in the Oxford area, and still serves as Chairman on the boards of Pharminox and GlycoForm. Following the merger of EVOTEC BioSystems AG with Oxford Asymmetry International plc (OAI) in 2000 he was Chief Operating Officer until 2002. Dr Polywka was a Founding Chemist of OAI in 1991, became Director of Chemistry in 1993 and a Board Director in 1996. In 1999 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer and in 2001 Chief Executive Officer of OAI plc. From 1989 to 1991 he worked as Senior Chemist at Oxford Chirality Ltd, the forerunner to OAI. Dr Polywka received a doctorate from the University of Oxford in mechanistic organometallic chemistry and continued at Oxford with post-doctoral studies on the biosynthesis of Penicillins. He held a number of college lectureships at Oxford University between 1988 and 1994. Dr Polywka is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and has a number of publications and patents mainly in the field of asymmetric synthesis.

Landon T. Clay, Non Executive Director

Mr. Clay is a Managing Member of East Hill Advisors, Chairman of the Clay Mathematics Institute, and Chairman of the Caribbean Conservation Corporation. Prior to founding East Hill, he was CEO and Chairman of Eaton Vance. Landon serves on various other boards including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He received an AB cum laude, from Harvard College

James Mallinson, Non Executive Director

James joined Isis in April 2003 to manage the equity stakes in spin-out companies held by the University. Prior to Isis, he worked in the private equity group at Abbey National Treasury Services where he was responsible for technology investments. James gained his MBA from Cranfield in 1990 and has over ten years' experience in venture capital as both investor and adviser. James gained his first degree in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, following which he trained and worked as a software engineer, initially with Marconi Underwater Systems.

Elizabeth Phelps for ZWM Ltd, Non Executive Director

Elizabeth Phelps founded ZWM Ltd in 1999, since when she has been providing commercial, financial and company secretarial services, including assisting in financing rounds. Prior to that she held various general management positions in AEA Technology (a contract research and development company) latterly specializing in acquisitions and disposals, and served as director and company secretary to a number of subsidiaries. She graduated from Warwick University and went on to complete an MA in comparative literature at the University of East Anglia.