LEADERSHIP TEAM

Billy Blackburn joined Alexium with 25 years’ experience and a successful record of product commercialization and driving profitable revenue growth. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina business school. He specializes in driving growth in businesses with technical offerings. He has led the startup, growth and sale of a specialty chemical business focused on sustainability and high-purity chemistry. He has led companies through successful turnarounds via positive culture changes that shifted organizational focus to customers and world class service.

Robert (Bob) Brookins, Ph.D., M.A.E. B.A. B.Sc is the Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Brookins served as the CEO of Alexium between 2019 – 2022 and led the organization through developing many of its commercial products. He has experience in organic synthesis, materials chemistry, and chem/bio decontamination. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in the areas of synthesis and characterization of conjugated poly-electrolytes and polymers with an emphasis on developing new polymerization methods. Upon completion of his Ph.D., he worked at the US Air Force Research Laboratory at Tyndall AFB, FL where he developed decontamination methods for chemical and biological threats and developed novel synthetic routes for reactive and functional surfaces. Dr. Brookins now leads Alexium’s R&D, Product Commercialization and Technical groups as the company enters its next growth phase.

Over the past 22 years, Jason Lewis has worked with ArrMaz, a global specialty chemical company in mining, fertilizer, phosphate, asphalt and oil and gas industries. For the past six years, Lewis has held the position of Vice President of Finance. He joined the company in a senior accounting role with cross-departmental work for sales, marketing and operations groups for seven years. Lewis has a strong track record of value creation by way of revenue growth through pricing, long-term customer contracts, cost optimization through analysis tools, negotiation of services, department restructuring, debt management and working capital reduction through controls and process improvements. He also has strong international experience including greenfield start-ups.

Rosheen Garnon (BEc (Accounting major), LLB, FCA, CTA, GAICD) has had a distinguished career in the accounting profession as a chartered accountant and taxation advisor. She was a senior partner with KPMG and held senior executive leadership roles with the Firm in Australia and at a global level. Garnon was a member of the KPMG Australian Executive Leadership Team for six years as the National Managing Partner for a significant client services division. She has extensive experience of working with Boards and C-Suite executives.
Garnon started her career with Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co (a predecessor firm of KPMG) in 1987 and was made partner in July 2000. She has extensive experience working with multinational organisations particularly in the mining, oil &gas, and defense industries. Garnon’s prominence in the accounting profession was recently recognized in her appointment to the Board of Taxation, an Independent Advisory Board, that advises the Federal Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer on Australia’s Taxation Policy.

General Stephen Cheney was a decorated Marine and is the former Inspector General of the Marine Corps and Commanding General of Parris Island Marine Base. He was appointed on April 15, 2015 to Alexium’s board. He is also the former Deputy Executive Secretary to U.S. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and was also a member of Secretary of State John Kerry’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board. General Cheney serves as the chairman of Alexium’s Remuneration Committee.

Mr Dennis is an operational management professional with over 25 years’ experience with expertise in Consumer and Pharmaceutical Goods. As a former CEO and commercial director, Mr Dennis has deep skills in new product development, sales and marketing, international brand management and operational execution. Mr Dennis was the CEO and co-owner of Vital Merchandising Services for 11 years which was acquired by Imperial Logistics Limited in 2007, and he went on to hold both operational and business development roles with Imperial Logistics. Throughout his career, his clients have included Blue Chip FMCG organisations with globally recognised brands.  Over the past five years Mr Dennis has focused in creating new markets for international Australian consumer brands across Asia, Middle East and Africa. Mr Dennis has a Bachelor of Commerce with major in Business Economics from University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Simon Moore, a Senior Partner of Colinton Capital Partners, has been appointed as non-executive director. Mr. Moore has over 20 years of experience in senior private equity roles including previously acting as Managing Director and Global Partner of the Carlyle Group. He currently serves on several boards in the roles of NED at Dimero Cleaning Services, NED at AMS Group, Deputy Chairman AMA Group Ltd and Chairman Palla Pharma Ltd.

Dr. Paul Stenson BSc (Science), PhD (Chemistry) has had a distinguished career with the research, development, manufacture, and commercialization of new materials.  Dr. Stenson is currently President and CEO of StanChem Inc., comprising of two companies – StanChem Polymers, and Albi Protective Coatings. Dr Stenson has over 20 years of experience in senior management positions in the polymer and chemicals industry.  Dr. Stenson is also the chairman of TopChem Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) which is a manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients.