Directors Summaries
Howard Cleveley Marshall (Non-executive Chairman, aged 65, British)
Howard is a graduate mathematician and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from London Business School. He is a Non Executive Director of Hill & Smith Holdings plc, a British infrastructure group and Non Executive Chairman of Imaginatik plc, a UK based innovation software company. His current and previous appointments also include a governorship of Birmingham City University, Chairman of Orchestra of the Swan and Director of LJM Consultancy Ltd. From 1989 until 2000 he was Managing Director and later Chief Executive of Ash & Lacy plc and from 2001 until 2003 he was Chief Executive & Chairman of Bullough plc which were both active in the wider engineering sector.
John Thomas Shermer (Chief Executive, aged 52, British)
In 1984 John Shermer established the Centre of Access Technology as a resource centre operated by Birmingham local authority which offered expertise and training on technology and disability to other local authorities within the United Kingdom and overseas agencies. During this time he led the development of software for training and innovative methods for working with people with disabilities. He has acted since 1989 as a consultant to various local education and social services authorities, providing advice on the procurement and implementation of computer hardware and software and equipment to benefit people with disabilities. John established SRS Technology Group plc in 1991 where he held various senior executive and Board positions until his resignation in 2006, following the sale of SRS’s only trading subsidiary to a competitor. From 1992 until 1994 he assisted in the management of a spinal injuries clinic at Southport Spinal Injuries Hospital and was a consultant to the European Commission from 1992 to 1996 advising on the implementation of computer technology prospects for the benefit of people with disabilities.
Frank Barry Tiller (Non-Executive Finance Director, aged 55, British)
Frank is a Chartered Accountant with over thirty-eight years of professional and senior management experience. After obtaining his accountancy qualification, Frank spent a further three years in the profession before moving into industry. He joined Waterline Group Plc (then known as Holloway Furniture Company Limited) in 1980 as Finance Director. Frank remained with Waterline until 2005 and saw turnover grow from £400,000 to almost £75 million per annum with over 250 staff worldwide. He was instrumental in establishing management and reporting systems for the geographically diverse group and worked on Waterline’s successful admission to AIM. Since leaving Waterline Plc, he has joined the board, as Finance Director, of GEM BioFuels Plc, a company admitted to AIM in 2007. Frank also provides corporate finance consultancy to other multi million pound turnover private companies. Frank is responsible, with assistance from external advisers, for the compliance of the Company with financial regulations.
John Scot Sinclair (Chief Technical Officer, aged 42, British)
John has been writing software professionally for over 25 years. In 1989 he established Tetra Systems Ltd, initially developing telephony and front of desk management systems for the hotel sector, later designing RF, infra-red remote home control systems and working with John Shermer in the development of computer interfaces for patients at the spinal injuries clinic at Southport Spinal Injuries Hospital. In 2001 John joined SRS Technology Group Plc as Director of Technology and was instrumental in the development of SRS’s product suite of advanced environmental controls for the severely physically impaired.