The Bia Analytical Executive team

Chris is Professor of Food Safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast. He served as Pro Vice Chancellor for the Medical and Life Sciences Faculty between 2015 and 2018. He is also Professor of Food Security at Thamassat University in Thailand.

He has published more than 500 peer review articles relating to the detection and control of agriculture, food and environmental related contaminants. Protecting the integrity of the food supply chain from fraud is a key research topic and Chris led the independent review of Britain’s food system following the 2013 horsemeat scandal.

Over the years Chris has developed a high level network of collaborators across Europe, the United States , the Middle East and Asia. He is a visiting Professor at the China Agriculture University in Beijing. He is a recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal Society of Biology. Chris has received numerous prizes and awards for his work. In 2017 he was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Theophilus Redwood Prize and was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2020.

Simon brings over 25 years of extensive experience in building and leading companies from start-up through to their critical growth stages. Passionate about the transformative power of technology, he has particular experience in the software and SaaS product development arena. Simon has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of data management and analysis industry over many years, bringing disruptive technology while also working with regulatory bodies to define industry standards. His leadership at Automated Intelligence was marked by visionary strategies, product excellence, and a collaborative people first and growth focused company culture. As CEO, Simon will continue to build upon the existing innovation excellence and world leading scientific research, and seek to augment this with world class technology to keep Bia Analytical at the forefront of combining Scientific Research and ground-breaking Technology.

Terry McGrath is a founder and CSO of Bia Analytical. Terry is passionate about detecting food fraud. Before joining the company full time, Terry was a Research Fellow in IGFS at Queen’s University Belfast where his latest research was developing spectroscopic methods, both laboratory based and field deployable, in conjunction with chemometric models to detect food fraud. This research aimed at supporting the food industry to detect food fraud/adulteration in a way that would allow them to increase efficiency and protect consumers from unsafe food. Terry has more than 20 years’ experience working on food safety, security and authenticity from both a commercial and academic perspective. From 1997-2001 Terry was employed by Precision Analysis, an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, where he was involved in agri-food testing and development of the laboratory portfolio of accredited methods as well as the development, maintenance and transfer of near Infrared spectroscopic models for proximate analysis of animal feeds and raw materials. From 2001 to 2009 he was employed by a newly launched university start-up company where he was involved in new product development including method validation, sample preparation, project management and marketing activities. Terry returned to university in 2009 to undertake his PhD and remained a Research Fellow since completing his thesis in 2012 until he joined Bia Analytical.

Simon is a founder and Academic Consultant at Bia Analytical advising the company on laboratory-based methods and chemometric models. Simon is a Senior Research Fellow within IGFS at Queen’s University Belfast. His current research interest is the use of molecular spectroscopic tools (e.g. RAMAN/NIRS/FT-IR/Hyperspectral Imaging) to detect food and feed fraud, authenticity, quality and safety. He has expertise in: Spectroscopic “Fingerprinting” techniques for detection of adulteration of food and feedstuffs; Development of risk management models for ranking hazards in food and animal feed sectors; Expertise in the use of Raman, FT-IR and NIRS to detect adulteration of feed oils such as soya oil (with transformer oils and mineral oils), soya meal (with melamine), chili powders (with Sudan dye), Oregano (with cheaper waste leaves). Furthermore, he is Technical Manager for IGFS’s ISO accreditation. Simon has published more than 80 scientific papers on the topic of food safety and food authenticity. He previously spent more than 8 years as a Senior Research Scientist in a university start-up company where his activities included research, product development and manufacturing of in vitro diagnostic kits.

Dr. Pamela Galvin-King, a co-founder of Bia Analytical Ltd. has worked as a Research Scientist in the company since 2020. Pamela holds a BSc. and MSc. from the University of Limerick and went on to complete her PhD at Queen’s University Belfast.

Pamela’s PhD thesis on “The detection of economically motivated adulteration in the herb and spice industry” paved the way for her research and development in the field of herb and spice authenticity testing. Pamela is dedicated to the protection of food systems by working as part of a team to develop industry leading cutting-edge methods to detect food adulteration across supply chains.

With over a decade of expertise in the development of authenticity testing techniques, Pamela  continues to enhance her knowledge and expertise in the field of spectroscopy and chemometrics through the exploration of a diverse range of food products, and by embracing cutting-edge technologies which will pave the way for exciting opportunities for the company in the future.

Dr Stephanie Heaney studied Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition with professional studies at Queen’s University, Belfast. She subsequently completed her doctorate in 2021, which explored the use of vibrational spectroscopy techniques and chemometrics as a quality control method, to enhance the sustainability of tea manufacture.

Dr Heaney has worked for leading food companies in food safety and quality departments. As Research Scientist at Bia Analytical, she is a crucial member of the team that has developed industry leading, cutting-edge methods to detect adulterated food in order to protect the food supply chain.

Dr Heaney is a key member of the Bia team that collaborated with the BBC in it’s investigation, “the herb and spice scam?”. Bia Analytical’s groundbreaking and innovative Biametric Portable, was used as part of the investigation of the authenticity of herbs and spices sold by a number of high street, online and health food chains.  She played a crucial role in collating and analysing the data collected, before presenting the results to Jaega Wise for BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme.

Radhika is a Laboratory Technician at Bia Analytical specialising in analytical testing and model building. With expertise in numerous spectroscopy techniques, including REIMS, FTIR, and NIR, her role also involves developing predictive models, performing instrument calibration and maintenance, and managing laboratory records to regulatory standards.

Previously, Radhika contributed to the Horizon Europe FoodSafeR project, working to combat the illegal addition of toxic chemicals in food. Her responsibilities included analysing and interpreting data from XRF and ICP-MS, generating reports, building calibration models, and performing regular quality control checks. Additionally, she conducted a comparative evaluation of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectroscopy, focusing on matrix-optimized calibration approaches. Her research provided an in-depth assessment of different ED-XRF methods, contributing to analytical advancements and promoting a safer, more transparent turmeric market.

Radhika holds a Master’s degree from Queen’s University Belfast and undergraduate degree from Amity University, India. She is certified in FSMS ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management Systems), QMS ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems), and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. With prior experience in quality control roles across the food and beverage industry, including positions at Coca-Cola, RC Cola, and Antrim Hills Spring Water, Radhika has built a strong foundation in food safety, laboratory analysis, and operational excellence

Katy began her career as a Registered Nurse before transitioning into the commercial industry, progressing from clinical product support to marketing management, sales management, senior leadership and strategic market entry with medical device companies Aircraft Medical, BioMonde and Eakin Healthcare. Now, with over fifteen years’ experience enabling commercial teams Katy specialises in sales and marketing operations and strategic planning, particularly within innovative start-up and scale-up environments.

Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Business with distinction from Edinburgh Napier University, Katy further expanded her skills by completing the Chartered Institute of Marketing Professional Diploma at Cambridge Marketing College.

Katy’s professional journey has been complemented by her personal experiences living internationally, having resided in Canada, America, Scotland, and now settling in Northern Ireland.

At Bia Analytical, she transfers her strategic experience into the food industry to facilitate the successful adoption of novel scientific solutions across the supply chain. Throughout her career, Katy has consistently focused on driving growth in new markets, disrupting standard practice, and delivering tangible value to customers. Katy is driven by the purpose of delivering exceptional customer service, maintaining high standards within the customer experience and driving change internally through continuous improvement.

Emma Linden joined Bia Analytical as our Account Director in 2024. Shortly after obtaining her Integrated Master of Law (MLaw) from the University of Northumbria, Emma embarked on a solo travel trip around the world, settling and working in Australia for over 8 years, building upon her legal and commercial experience as Manager at Robert Walters Legal Recruitment Team.

Emma has strong experience in commercial and strategic roles, particularly within the supply chain industry. During her time at Gartner, she has successfully supported various global multinational companies and prides herself on helping find and solve problems within the supply chain. Emma has a strong passion for all things food integrity in her personal life and this shines through in her dedication to helping clients improve their existing testing frameworks and ultimately improving business performance.

With dedication to helping others and creating positive change, in her spare time Emma volunteers as a mentor with the YMCA Y’s Girls Mentoring Programme. She supports young girls who enter the YMCA programme by offering guidance, encouragement, and a safe place to be heard. Her commitment to this role reflects her broader passion for young girls to gain confidence and achieve their full potential.

Dr Maeve Shannon has worked for Bia Analytical Ltd from 2020; beginning in the role of Research Scientist but has taken up the role of Customer Success Director since September 2024. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition, Masters degree in Advanced Food Safety and PhD in Food Science all within the Institute for Global Food Security, QUB (2009-2017). Following her completion of her PhD studies, she worked as a Research Assistant in the area of food safety and fraud in the Institute for Global Security, working closely with Professor Chris Elliott (2017-2020).

Maeve has extensive experience in method development for the detection of fraud in a number of food commodities, specifically in herbs and spices. She has published a number of peer reviewed papers in food safety and more recently, in the area of food authenticity. Her most recent publication, “The detection and determination of adulterants in turmeric using fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy coupled to chemometric analysis and micro-FTIR imaging” was brought to fruition through her research and development work with Bia Analytical Ltd. Maeve has collaborated with many industry leaders to develop industry leading, cutting edge methods to aid in the fight against food fraud.

David Corkill serves as Technical Director at Bia Analytical, where he manages and develops the cloud infrastructure powering the company’s innovative Biametric™ Solutions. With over 18 years of experience across professional services and technical domains, David brings expertise in translating complex requirements into practical cloud-based applications.

Throughout his career, he has successfully led data migration strategies for large-scale customers including UK central government departments and banking institutions. His problem-solving mindset and innovative approach enables him to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical technology implementations, applying his skills in cloud architecture and AI to advance capabilities throughout the company.

Devarti Mahakalkar is an experienced Data Scientist with a strong background in data analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and began her career in software development and data science in India. Driven by a passion for data-driven solutions, she moved to the UK to pursue an MSc in Data Science at the University of Bath.

With experience spanning multiple industries, including finance and manufacturing, Devarti has applied data science to solve complex challenges. Now, at Bia Analytical, she specializes in researching and advancing chemometric techniques, driving innovations to combat food fraud and enhance food integrity. She is also focused on making these solutions cloud-deployable, ensuring accessibility through applications for a broader audience.

Clive was appointed Chairman of Bia Analytical upon the Company’s formation in 2020. He has close links with The Queen’s University of Belfast having gained his Ph.D on corporate strategy in the Northern Ireland food industry at the college. More latterly, he is a founding member of the Queen’s City Leadership Group, which seeks to enhance the university’s links to the City of London and wider financial markets, and is Chairman of the Industry Advisory Board of the Institute for Global Food Security, founded by Professor Chris Elliott.

Following five years as Head of Food Policy at the National Farmers’ Union, Clive joined Northern Food plc under Lord Haskins as a strategist before moving into equity research analysis with leading mid-market British bank Charterhouse Tilney, which became ING Financial Markets, where he was Head of Pan-European Retail Research. In 2003 he became a Founding Director and Head of Research at Shore Capital Markets, where he was voted City AM Analyst of the Year in 2013 and which has a strong presence advising the food system in these Isles, including A.G. Barr, Cranswick, Greencore, Marks & Spencer, Moy Park and Wm. Morrison Supermarkets.

Additionally, Clive is a Non-Executive of The Community Shop, a charitable venture seeking to reduce food waste and assist the development of human capital in some of Britain’s most socially challenged districts, Chairman of Mash Direct, Chairman of Morellis Ice Cream and a Senior Advisor to Coriolis Consulting and Edward Billington Group.

Chris is a founder and President of Bia Analytical. He is Professor of Food Safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast. He served as Pro Vice Chancellor responsible for the Medical and Life Sciences Faculty between 2015 and 2018.

Simon Cole was appointed as CEO and a member of the Executive Board of Bia Analytical in December 2023, Simon will continue to build upon the existing innovation excellence and world leading scientific research, and seek to augment this with world class technology to keep Bia Analytical at the forefront of combining Scientific Research and ground-breaking Technology.

Terry McGrath is a founder and CSO of Bia Analytical. Terry is passionate about detecting food fraud. Before joining the company full time, Terry was a Research Fellow in IGFS at Queen’s University Belfast where his latest research was developing spectroscopic methods, both laboratory based and field deployable, in conjunction with chemometric models to detect food fraud.

David is an Investment Manager with QUBIS Ltd, the early stage investment fund responsible for the commercialisation of technology from The Queen’s University of Belfast.

He has been actively involved in a range high-growth technology based businesses for over 20 years.  His experience covers both a range of technology sectors and various stages of company growth.

David has been involved with a number of the QUBIS portfolio companies from the initial pre-company cap sheet discussions at incorporation, through venture capital and corporate investment rounds, and on to eventual exit from either trade sales, management buy-out or IPO.  He currently holds Non-Executive Board positions with a number of the existing QUBIS Ltd spin-out ventures.

Paul is founder and Chairman of Good For You Group Ltd., a UK-incorporated safe food brand delivering unique, healthy and certified safe foods from the UK and other locales to consumers in China.  The Group is currently active on bring to market a self-auditing farm marketplace in South-East Asia, initially for the seafood industry.  Recently, he was Head of Asia Pacific and Strategy for Muddy Boots Software Ltd. (Herefordshire), an agri-management and retailer supply chain authentication software developer but prior to that was Executive Vice-President Asia Pacific & Head of Greater China for AVEVA, a Cambridge-based FTSE 250 company, managing all facets of AVEVA’s business and growth throughout the Asia-Pacifica and the Greater China region (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau) across all business lines and disciplines.

Prior to that Paul was founder and Chief Executive of the Honiton Energy Group, where he built China’s only successful foreign-owned wind power producer from start to a $350m business. Honiton was the first independent foreign energy provider to amass over 2,200 square kilometres of land usage, first to build its own wind farm, first to connect to China’s grid, and first to receive carbon credits for the three farms that Honiton eventually built up.  With a previous career in Investment Management in Canada, Paul has come to specialize in China strategic and operational management, debt and equity fundraisings, and Chinese JV negotiations.

Paul has a Finance degree from the University of British Columbia, is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and has currently relocated back to the UK.