Profile of Steve Brookes

Steve Brookes, BSc (Hon), PhD – Managing Director

Born: 1962
Nationality: British

Commenced employment with the scientific instrument manufacturer Europa Scientific in 1988, direct from PhD studies, at Manchester Polytechnic.

Initially appointed as Applications Biochemist, with the brief to develop the human metabolic market for isotope analysis. This involved experimental work, instrument demonstrations, installations at customer sites and the preparation and presentation of scientific material. His major achievement came with identification of the need for a carbon-13 breath test system, followed by involvement in its development and commercial introduction.

He went on to establish and manage a metabolic research unit, when the company decided to service the market by creating applications based sectors. This involved management of sales, marketing, R&D, production, budget control and service for this sector. He was later promoted to Sales and Marketing director for the companies research products in 1997 (£2.6M turnover). Duties involved managing the sales team, marketing activities, customer service and applications development. At its height, this involved management of 11 people. Europa Scientific was forced into receivership in late 1998. After being bought out of receivership, and becoming PDZ Europa Ltd, he was retained as Sales & Marketing manager to achieve sales of £1.5M, despite tbeir loss in market credibility and budgetary constraints.

During his time at Europa Scientific he made a large number of contacts with key people in the stable isotope community and contributed to that community by setting up many industry-academia collaborations.

When the time was right to move away from the scientific instrument supply industry in the year 2000, he co-founded Iso-Analytical Limited with Charles Belanger and Ian Begley. Their aim was to apply their 'Expertise In Stable Isotope Analysis' by setting up a contract analysis laboratory that could be used by Academia and Industry alike.

Main responsibilities in Iso-Analytical: Sales, business planning and administration, advertising and sample analysis.