Board of Directors
Harry Edward Fitzgibbons
Chairman and Non-executive Director (Age 71)
Mr. Fitzgibbons was a director of Hambros Bank from 1972 to 1983 with responsibility for United States corporate finance and for Hambros’ portfolio of international unquoted investments. He was instrumental in establishing Boston Hambro Capital Company and Hambros International Venture Fund, both of which were venture investors in the US. In 1982 Mr. Fitzgibbons started Hambros Advanced Technology Trust, a venture capital fund in the UK which was a founding shareholder in Vodafone. He established Top Technology Venture in 1986 as a venture fund manager and Top Technology Venture is now investing its fourth fund in early stage technology. Mr. Fitzgibbons was educated at Harvard College and Trinity College, Oxford and is a graduate of Harvard Law School. After briefly practicing law in New York, he serves as an officer with the United States Special Forces and with the Department of State, Washington, DC. Mr. Fitzgibbons was a non-executive director of Johnson Matthey from 1990 to 2002 and is currently a non-executive director of Polyfuel, Inc.
Scott Alan Pearson
Executive Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Age 43)
Mr. Pearson has over 15 years of experience leading a wide range of technology-based companies and organisations. His management experience includes start-up companies, turnaround situations, acquisition integrations and large commercial and institutional firms. Mr. Pearson’s professional experience spans a broad range of industries including uninterruptible power systems (UPS), electric vehicles, electronics assembly equipment and materials, digital imaging and defence systems. Previously, as President of Americas of Powerware Corporation (a leading UPS provider), Mr. Pearson oversaw a $480 million operation, significantly increasing its market share, profitability and cash flow. Mr. Pearson holds an M.B.A. from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts.
Dr. Paul Osenar
Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer (Age 37)
Dr. Osenar has extensive fuel cell experience that includes PEM development and characterisation, PEM stack and system design and hydrogen fuelling solutions, having co-founded the Company in 2000. He frequently speaks at industry and scientific meetings regarding fuel cell technology and the fuel cell industry development. Dr. Osenar has broad experience in the development and production of advanced materials and systems. Specifically, he has worked in thin films for the electronics industry, traditional polymer synthesis, organic synthesis, and novel composite materials synthesis and application in nanotechnology. His educational background is in materials science, engineering, polymer science and organic chemistry. Dr. Osenar received a B.S. from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Illinois. To date, he is co-inventor on six allowed patents and 36 pending applications.
John James Connolly
Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer (Age 51)
Mr. Connolly brings over 25 years of strong financial and operations experience to Protonex. He has significant experience in the financial management of both public and early stage high growth technology companies, as well as a record of achievement in assisting the growth of emerging companies. Most recently Mr. Connolly was the chief financial officer at geoVue, a leading provider of real estate location intelligence solutions. He previously served as chief financial officer of Robotic Vision Systems and Davox Corporation and held key financial and operational management positions at IRIS Graphics and Instrumentation Laboratory. Mr. Connolly holds an MBA from Babson College and a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley College.
John Ndoke Butt
Non-executive Director (Age 48)
Mr. Butt is Chief Executive of Conduit Ventures Ltd, an FSA authorized, UK based venture capital fund, specialising in investments across the technologies which support the generation and use of energy through hydrogen and fuel cells. Investors include various multinational corporations in the energy and material science fields. He has carried out and managed investments in Europe, North America and Asia and is recognised as a leading investor in the sector. Prior to Conduit, Mr. Butt was a Director at Citigroup Global Markets in London and Frankfurt and a Principal with Price Waterhouse LLP International Privatisation Group in Washington DC. He has over 15 years’ financial experience of Europe, North America and emerging markets including Central and Eastern Europe with large and small companies, entrepreneurs, governments and multilateral funding institutions. Mr. Butt started his career with the Bank of England based in London. Mr. Butt was educated at St Andrews University, Scotland where he obtained a degree in Biochemistry, and at the Kenan-Flagler Business School of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he obtained an MBA. Mr. Butt is a British citizen and is UK FSA registered. Mr. Butt is also a non-executive director of P21 GmbH.
Akbar Naderi
Non-executive Director (Age 57)
Mr. Naderi, as a Vice President of Operations, is leading the Emerging Technology Segment of the Parker Hannifin Corporation. His 26 years of leadership at Parker Hannifin have a history of notable results, evident in the turn around and restructuring of existing businesses for delivering a high rate of profitable organic growth. Mr. Naderi’s executive business experience includes his past responsibilities as Vice Chairman and President of a leading medical devices company. Mr. Naderi holds an MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California. Mr. Naderi has been a Director of the Company since April, 2005.
General (Ret) Charles Robert Holland
Non-executive Director (Age 62)
General Holland retired as Commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, in November 2003. As Commander, he was responsible for all special operations forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force, both active duty and Reserve. General Holland entered the Air Force in 1968 after graduating from the U.S Air Force Academy. He has commanded a squadron, two Air Force wings, served as Deputy Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command, and was Commander of the Special Operations Command Pacific. Prior to his assignment as Commander, General Holland commanded the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and was the Vice Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. In addition to his B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, General Holland holds an M.S. in Business Management from Troy State University, Ramstein AB, West Germany, and an M.S. in Astronautical Engineering from the A.F. Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. General Holland is a director of General Atomics, AeroVironment Inc. and SELEX S&AS US Inc. and an advisor to Camber Corporation.