Andrew Whitney is a Cambridge postgraduate-educated strategy specialist, with 18 years' experience in materials, energy / cleantech, digital media, luxury, and automotive-related fields. Previously he's been with Bain & Co. and Bain Leveraged Buyout practice, and has private-equity turnaround experience at the management board level. He has 16 years' experience as an entrepreneur, often as CEO / founder.

Andrew's entrepreneurial activities have covered a number of sectors, always with a strong emphasis on IP and the importance of strategy as a foundation for the creation of significant value.

As the special advisor for Nanomaterials & Graphene at Haydale Plc (www.haydale.com), a UK company that is a world leader in functionalized graphene technology, Andrew reports directly to the CEO, and is charged with developing an effective market position for Haydale's technology in both the US and key sectors globally, including energy, automotive / transportation, defense & aerospace, and consumer goods.

Andrew's skills, capabilities, and interests stretch beyond the traditional private-equity model into identifying and implementing effective strategies to achieve commercial success, then optimizing organizational design, to drive valuation. He has strong leadership skills and believes that success is ultimately a function of solid strategy, effective motivation, integrity, and a pure focus on results in the absence of ego.

Andrew is a former Reserve member of two branches of the UK Armed Forces and enjoys shooting, motorcycles, cars, skiing, and films.