Our People

Martin spent over 20 years in international diplomacy with the British Government with appointments across the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and North America spanning counter-terrorism, conflict resolution, trade and inward investment. Following a posting as Consul-General to Western Canada, Martin settled in British Columbia and joined the private sector, serving as CEO and Director of several private and public companies in the public safety and defence sectors, including Patriot One Technologies (PAT:TSX), before joining Syniad Innovations in 2021.

He has also served as Honorary Colonel of a Canadian Army Reserve Regiment, Regional Director of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council, Advisory Board of the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission and Advisory Board of International Yacht Training Worldwide. Martin has a BA in International History and Politics with Economics from the University of Leeds.

Ceri is an advisor to Oxford Science Enterprises. She joined the team after 20 years on the public sell side. Ceri began her career as a Life Science / Healthcare analyst at Beeson Gregory, then founded / headed up the Life Sciences team as Specialist Sales at Peel Hunt and most recently Numis Securities. Both teams achieved #1 rankings by corporates and fund managers during her tenure, whilst she has been ranked #1 individually since 2009. Ceri has been extensively involved in both primary and secondary fund raisings for the UK healthcare and life science sectors and is passionate about supporting the commercialisation of UK assets and their role in securing the UK as the globally leading centre for innovation. Ceri has an MB ChB from University of Birmingham Medical School, and post-graduation specialised in cardiology and trauma medicine. Her love of adventure & nature seeded her passion for white water rafting & photography.

John has over two decades of experience in the field of university research strategy and research commercialization. He holds a BA in law from Oxford, a MA from McGill and is a qualified chartered accountant. He was the Financial Director of IndexIT, a successful London-based technology advisory boutique and then went on to become a founding director, CFO and COO of IP Group plc (LSE: IPO), partnering with British universities to help commercialize their research assets. He subsequently joined the founding team of Scientific Research Capital, a business that invested in deep science origination and commercialization, primarily in Europe. In 2010 John moved to Vancouver, BC. He served as an adviser to UBC for a short period before setting up Syniad Innovations in 2016.

Iain is responsible for leading Syniad’s investment strategy, overseeing the investment process, and managing all of Syniad’s investment activity across its frontier science domains. He co-founded Syniad Innovations with John Davies in 2015 with more than 20 years of experience building, investing in, and scaling deep science and technology ventures. He leads portfolio company Anodyne Chemistries as its Chief Executive, developing a new generation of chemicals through the integration of synthetic biology and electrochemistry.

Prior to founding Syniad Innovations and launching Anodyne Chemistries, Iain served as Chief Technology Officer at Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s technology investment strategy. He helped establish the innovation portfolio, supporting companies and applied R&D initiatives focused on applications in precision health, manufacturing, and natural resources.

Previously, Iain was Advisor to the President of the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he focused on innovation strategy and strategic partnerships. Earlier in his career, he held investment and technology commercialization roles with Yaletown Venture Partners and TPV Ltd. and worked with the United Nations Environment Programme.

Iain holds a PhD & M.Phil from the University of Cambridge, and B.Sc. (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh.

Samuel is the Chief Financial Officer of Syniad Innovations. Sam, who holds a B.Sc. in Economics and Econometrics, is a chartered management accountant. His professional expertise combines exceptional business analytical and business strategy skills. He began his career in the UK retail sector on the finance graduate program at Sainsbury’s (a national supermarket chain) and held several positions across their finance team culminating in finance business partner to the trading team. After relocating to Canada, he worked as a risk management consultant for HSBC before moving to Constellation Brands (a Fortune 500 company) and then Arterra Wines Canada, initially as finance manager before taking on a senior role in revenue growth management.

Hannah joined Syniad Innovations in late 2018. Prior to joining Syniad Innovations, she held positions at two of the top national public health agencies (UK Health Security Agency and Public Health Wales) in the United Kingdom for six years and completed a two-year fellowship programme in field epidemiology (UK FETP). With a demonstrated history of working in epidemiology, Hannah specialized in the analysis and reporting of various disease surveillance systems, (co-)published several scientific papers, and served as a guest speaker at multiple national and international conferences. Earlier in her career, she also worked as a Research Assistant at Queen Mary University of London. Hannah holds a Master of Science in Public Health Research from Edinburgh University, and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology from Durham University.

Caitlin Embury has 10+ years of experience in high-level administrative positions, most recently working as Executive Assistant to the CEO and Board of Directors of a fast-paced publicly listed company in the safety and defense sector (PAT:TSX) for 3+ years.  Prior to that Caitlin served as an Administrator for various government-funded programs through WorkBC, assisting clients in career and educational planning and with grant funding applications.

Caitlin ensures the smooth operation of the Company and its Board of Directors by facilitating a robust corporate governance structure and acting as a proxy for the management team. She has experience in project management, policy development, and maintaining proper board and committee effectiveness. She prides herself on cultivating long-lasting relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Caitlin is a Business Administration graduate and has completed programs in Project Management for Administrative Professionals, and Leadership Excellence for Administrative Professionals through the UBC Sauder School of Business.

Prior to assuming his current role as an Analyst for Syanid Innovations, Brando served as a Technology Investment Analyst. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the University of British Columbia, specializing in market research and financial/competitive analysis with a concentration in social impact and sustainability. Brando’s previous scientific projects have been focused on energy storage, bioelectrocatalysis, quantum computing, and multi-functioning materials. His concentration in social impact investing has led him to work as a Responsible Investment Assistant for the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics.

Cyrus Taghdissian is a highly accomplished materials engineer with a strong business background. He graduated with distinction from the University of British Columbia, where he excelled in materials engineering and business. Cyrus received the Robert Quarrington Maxwell Scholarship from UBC in 2020 and the BC Ministry of Education Academic Achievement Scholarship in 2018.
Cyrus has practical experience at Patronus Technologies, a Syniad Innovations venture, where he played a key role in developing ballistic body armour and advanced ceramic alloys. He also contributed to research and
development projects and managed timelines. In addition, at Syniad Innovations, he facilitated the commercialization of science and engineering research.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Cyrus enjoys playing ice hockey, tennis, and soccer. He is fluent in English, conversational in French and Farsi, and continually seeks opportunities to expand his language skills.
Cyrus Taghdissian combines his technical expertise, business acumen, and dedication to community service, making him a promising and well-rounded professional in materials engineering.