Our Management Team
Our management have in-depth knowledge, expertise and experience in a wide range of critical functions within the industry.
Simon Knowles
Simon is a highly motivated and experienced CEO with extensive international experience in outsourcing and partnering in the CMO arena across the Pharmaceutical, Agrochemical, Aroma and Speciality Chemical sectors; always looking to progress new challenges and the development of new product portfolios.
He boasts a proven track record in the development and management of global sales and business development, financial budgeting, compliance, performance review, reporting, on time delivery and commercial risk reduction.
Simon has a strong chemistry and technical background in commercial and operational management with extensive experience in all aspects of project management, in particular technical transfer, commercial scale up, continuous improvement, process development, waste minimisation and sustainable supply chain strategies in order to deliver significant COGS savings.
Following the successful earn out of an established UK based Fine Chemicals company to a well-known Global Chemicals player in April 2020, it has allowed Simon to establish Millstone Durbax in order to provide the industry with well needed commercial and technical support in the various aspects of outsourcing project management.
Simon holds an BSc in Chemistry from the University of Manchester.
Email: sknowles@millstonedurbax.com
Dr. David Reeves
Dave is a highly qualified synthetic organic chemist and ex-Technical Director of a UK based Fine Chemicals manufacturer, with a wide range of experience in the development of synthetic organic chemical processes for operation at industrial scale. He has taken many new products into chemical plants in the UK, Europe and Asia and made significant optimisations and cost reductions to existing products.
Prior to this role, Dave lived in France where he worked for a Global speciality and advanced materials company at the Centre de Recherche Rhone Alpes. Here, he filed 2 patents in the field of organo-silanes and made numerous improvements to products within the companies range of the Chloro Toluenes Division.
Dave has also had roles in R&D and Pilot Plant Management, worked as a Production Process Technologist and a Plant and Process Development Chemist for a range of companies within the Fine Chemicals sector. The latter included experience of a 3K Gallon liquid ammonia Birch reduction process and a 10 MT/day paracetamol plant.
In 1978 Dave was awarded a PhD from the University of Liverpool. His research work was in the field of nitrogen hetrocyclic compounds where 3 of his discoveries led to publications in JCS (Chem Comms and Perkin Transactions). He also made many innovations in his first industrial role post study which led to 7 patents in the fields of DIR Couplers and dye diffusion transfer systems.
Elliot Pryce
Elliot started his career in the laboratory, taking his first role as a Quality Control chemist for a small, privately owned Fine Chemical manufacturer in the Northwest of England. Here, he focused on serving the Pharmaceutical, Speciality, Agrochemical & Flavour & Fragrance industries. Despite being given the opportunity to lead the Quality department within 18 months, it was clear that Elliot’s future within the Chemical industry was outside of the lab as he was keen to pursue opportunities in the Commercial sector.
Since stepping into this area, Elliot played a vital role in the substantial growth and subsequent acquisition of the UK based company; driving and leading various key aspects of the organisation including commercial sales, operational outsourcing, procurement, supply chain improvement & demand planning. Since stepping into a high-level role within the organisation, Elliot helped drive sales from £7m/annum to £16m/annum in under 5 years. Elliot has held multiple roles within the industry, including Business Development Coordinator, Project Manager & Commercial Manager.
With an in-depth knowledge of the chemical industry & the ability to build a custom solution to fit specific client needs while communicating and organising efficiently and effectively, Elliot is equipped to advance and develop all aspects of diverse projects to deliver the client’s desired results. He is dedicated and client-orientated, with the skills to adapt to challenging and exciting new ventures. Elliot is constantly open to innovative ideas and has an ardent desire to build long-standing, solid client relationships.
Elliot holds a BSc in Applied Chemical & Pharmaceutical Science from Liverpool John Moores University.
We work closely with affiliated partners who advise on:
• ERP and CRM
• CLP and REACH regulations
• Export/Import licenses
• Government regulations
• Financial services
