Steve graduated in chemistry from Hull University nearly 50 years ago. From 1976 to 2000 he worked both in R&D and as a plant manager for a heavy chemicals company based in Ellesmere Port Cheshire. Whilst there he headed up a number of new initiatives, he also invented and later commissioned a new manufacturing plant for HBr gas at Amlwch in North Wales.

Steve left his plant manager role in 2000 and moved the family to the North East where he took up a role as New Product Introduction Manager for Chirex, now Sterling Pharma Solutions, a large independent CDMO headquartered near Cramlington, north of Newcastle.

Having led numerous teams, as a project manager, involved in the costing, development and transfer of pharmaceutical processes from companies worldwide Steve retired from Sterling in 2021 and became involved with North East Pharma.

He researched and co-authored the North East Pharma report ‘Profile and Importance of the North East Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Cluster’ which was published in 2024.

Michael was educated in Cambridge and moved to the North-East of England in 1994 via a chair at University College London.

From 2000, Michael was closely involved in forming and delivering the North East regional strategy in the Healthcare and Life Science areas, particularly in the areas of ageing, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. He coordinated the regional pharma manufacturing initiative, First for Pharma.  He has been active nationally at the Wellcome Trust and has acted as secretary of the British Society for Cell Biology. 

He is a Fellow of the Society of Biology, the Marine Biological Association, the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and of the Academy of Medical Sciences.  In addition, he has been a board member of Centre for Excellence in Life Sciences (Bionow), the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult and is a trustee and Fellow of the Marine Biological Association. 

He is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Centre for Process Industries, a subsidiary of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. He also holds directorships in three companies in the energy sector and a life sciences consultancy.

Michael is emeritus Professor of Physiology in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University.

Kevin has over 40 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He started working life with Robinson Brothers as an Assistant Plant Manager before progressing to Senior Plant Manager. Kevin then joined Boots Pharmaceuticals with responsibility for commissioning activities on a new pharmaceutical plant. In 1993 Kevin joined Sterling Organics and has supported the site through several mergers and acquisitions over a 20 year period. In that time, he has held positions as Operations Director for Chirex, Industrial Director for Rhodia Pharma Solutions and President of Shasun Pharma Solutions.

In 2010 Kevin joined Aesica Pharmaceuticals as the Managing Director for the API business unit with a clear focus on growth through increasing the customer and product portfolio. Kevin returned to Shasun Pharma Solutions in 2013 as CEO of the pharmaceutical service business. In 2016 Kevin established Sterling Pharma solutions, through a buy out of a development and manufacturing facility based in the North East of England. Today Sterling is recognised as a top tier global CDMO business with sites in the UK, US and Ireland. Kevin retired from Sterling in November 2025.

Martin Inskip has had a career in pharmaceutical secondary manufacturing primarily in a plant in the North East England, part of a global supply division for a USA based major research innovator company.

Experience of oral solid dose high volume production and packaging, technical and project management, lean manufacturing methods and site leadership.

A director of NEPIC and was part of the MMIC front end study and design team.

Peter brings 30 years’ experience in the chemicals and chemistry‑using sectors, supporting pharma ingredient manufacturers, CROs and a wide range of life sciences supply‑chain businesses across our region. His work spans both complex chemical manufacturing and biopharma.

A former in‑house lawyer at ICI and later INEOS, Peter joined the North East Pharma board in 2025. He is Head of the Chemicals Group and Manufacturing Sector Group at UK/US law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD), working between the firm’s Newcastle office and the Wilton Centre.

Before joining WBD, Peter supported several of ICI’s international speciality chemicals businesses. Today, he supports many of the major companies in our sector across the North East, as well as the region’s rapidly growing SMEs.

Peter promotes the life sciences sector as a major driver of economic growth and as a compelling career destination for the next generation. Working closely with colleagues across WBD’s US offices, including major life sciences hubs such as Boston, the Carolinas and San Francisco, he helps promote the North East’s capabilities internationally, supports inward investment, and assists local businesses to scale and expand globally.

He also sits on the board of NEPIC, helping to align the work of the region’s two main trade bodies supporting our industry.

Originally from Leicestershire, Philip moved to the North East to work as the Production Manager for Glaxo at their large scale Penicillin production facility near Blyth.

He is a Biochemical Engineer and has extensive experience in the use of biotechnology for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

His experience include time at the Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS) where he assisted companies and Universities to exploit biotechnology, particularly the commercialisation of stem cell science.

Philip has performed Business Development roles for a number of SMEs and international project management in California, leading a project to produce biopharmaceutical clinical trial material.

He joined NEPIC in 2012 to help deliver the Business Acceleration SME assistance programme and has enjoyed helping SMEs sell into the process sector with the invaluable help of their diverse membership. Currently CEO at NEPIC helping 300 member companies grow in the region by embracing decarbonisation, innovation, and the Tees Freeport opportunity.