Meet our team

Bob Redfern BSc

Managing Director

After gaining BSc Hons in Chemistry from UMIST, Manchester, Bob joined Laporte Industries Ltd, Luton in late ‘60s, initially as Research Chemist, working on process and applications research on caprolactone, subsequently transferring to Market Research/Market Development, then appointed as Product Manager for Organic Peroxides and Caprolactone in Warrington.
Bob joined Wendstone Chemicals, Billingham as Commercial Manager an 1984, shortly after it acquisition by Laporte, where he first worked with Roy and Stuart. Bob later founded HFR with Roy and Stuart in 1988, initially at Mountjoy Research Centre Durham, relocating to Bowburn in 1996

Roy Valentine BSc, PhD

Research Director

Roy worked as a laboratory technician for four years at Ciba Geigy in Manchester before going to London University where he was awarded a BSc. Roy then undertook postgraduate research in organo fluorine chemistry at UMIST and was awarded PhD.

In 1979 Roy became Laboroatory Manager at Givauden in Surrey for 3 years. Then in 1982 Roy helped set up Wendstone Chemicals and was appointed Research Director.
Wendstone Chemicals was later taken over by Laporte Ltd.

Roy set up High Force Research in 1988 and became Research Director.

Stuart Penny BSc

Operations Director

Stuart is a founding member of HFR and holds the position of Operations Director. He introduced GMP operations to HFR and is currently responsible for overseeing development of new chemical entities through development to small scale GMP manufacture.  He previously worked in the Fine Chemicals Industry where he gained many years experience as a Process Development Chemist.

Zoe Lilburn BSc(hons), MSc

Quality Assurance Manager

Zoe worked as a laboratory technician at GSK before joining HFR in 1996 where she initially started work as a technician in the synthetic development laboratories. Zoe studied for her BSc (hons) part time at Northumbria University while completing this role, but quickly became involved with the GMP aspects of HFR’s work and was fundamental in setting up the quality control department. Zoe later became the QC Manager of this department and continued her studies by completing a MSc in Analytical Chemistry. Zoe has been a key figure in the architecture of HFR’s quality system for the past 10 years and has great experience in this area. Zoe is now responsible for all quality related activities at HFR.