CREATOR of plastic-free, natural materials, Xampla, continues to scale-up the commercialisation of its biodegradable Morro materials with new industry hire. The deep tech company has grown its team by more than 25% in the last year, with Dr. Francys Fernandez Zavarce being the latest recruit. Dr Zavarce joins as Specialty Chemical Business Development Manager to oversee the scale-up of Morro materials across FMCG markets. She brings more than 20 years’ combined experience in chemical science and business development, at companies including Adqot and Procter & Gamble, where she was responsible for developing commercialisation strategies, and new product developments. In her new role, Dr. Zavarce will spearhead the entry of Morro materials into market as replacements for the most polluting plastics. She will focus primarily on accelerating the commercialisation of Morro Coating. Made from plants, Morro Coating replaces “forever chemicals” and plastic coatings traditionally used on paper and cardboard packaging. The plant-based material is fully biodegradable, home compostable and safe for food contact. Zavarce will engage key stakeholders across industries, as well as collaborating with technical and product development teams, to advance R&D and commercial goals of the application. The new appointment is the latest in a series of wins for the company, as Xampla recently completed a successful funding round securing $7m of investment to advance its plastic elimination mission. Last month the company was awarded the Innovate UK Smart Grant, in partnership with 2M Group of Companies. This will see the scale-up of production of Morro materials to multiple tonnes per day at 2M’s Milton Keynes manufacturing site. The continued growth follows the appointment of new CEO, Alexandra French, last year. In her role, French is responsible for leading the scale up of Xampla’s operations and partnerships with leading brands and manufacturers. Alexandra French, CEO at Xampla, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Dr Francys Zavarce to our team as we continue to expand our team of experts year on year. “Francys brings the strategic vision Xampla needs to innovate and scale-up our revolutionary natural materials in order to successfully penetrate the market and drive our R&D initiatives forward.” Dr. Francys Fernandez Zavarce, Xampla’s Specialty Chemical Business Development Manager, said: “I’m honoured to join this thriving organisation, and to have the opportunity to drive the commercial growth of Xampla’s remarkable innovations. “The global plastic pollution crisis is an urgent problem that fuels my passion for advancing new-age solutions. I look forward to collaborating with Xampla’s talented team of experts to achieve new heights and solidify our position as industry leaders in the plastic replacement space.” Xampla welcomes former P&G chemist to team as scale-up accelerates individuals in their reproductive health and choices. With a focus on inclusivity and truly comprehensive coverage, it is redefining the landscape of reproductive healthcare and closing the gaps and exclusions that exist in traditional health insurance policies. Juniper’s launch is a progressive step towards a future where everyone can access the insurance they need to navigate their unique reproductive health journey with confidence and dignity.” Robert Lumley, Co-Founder at Insurtech Gateway, added, “When Juniper asked us to imagine dental insurance, but for your genitals, it opened our eyes to a substantial market largely ignored by traditional insurance. Juniper is removing the stigma surrounding reproductive health issues and enabling employers to offer comprehensive care for all employees. We are delighted to join them on this journey.” Ambra Zhang, CEO, and Sam Pratt, CPTO, co-founded Juniper. Ambra, drawing from her experience in investment banking and private equity at Goldman Sachs, founded Juniper after firsthand encounters with the constraints of corporate health insurance. Sam is an experienced engineer, previously Senior Engineering Manager at Brit Insurance, the second largest commercial insurer at Lloyd’s of London. Before this, he was the Head of Engineering at Gaia, the first direct-to-consumer IVF insurance startup. They are joined by Max Bacon, Head of Operations, who previously was Regional Lead for DrDoctor. In addition to the core team, Juniper’s advisors includes John Hodgson, the former Executive Director at Aviva Life & Pension; Marco Ramadoro, Founder of Satec MGA; Guillaume d’Audiffret, Co-founder of Seyna; Ruth Polyblank, Vice President, Insurance, Strategic Growth for Mastercard; and Benjamin Viaris de Lesegno, Doctor, Entrepreneur, and Co-founder of Leva Clinic and Cellen. Juniper is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an appointed representative and will launch a pilot with customers later this year.
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