H.E.L. Group, a global manufacturer of laboratory tools for process optimisation, safety and scale-up, has appointed Louise Madden as CEO. The announcement follows on from the UK company having also secured a £5.9 million (~US$7.3m) investment from UK-based private equity firm Connection Capital. The investment will be used to ensure the highest levels of product innovation, delivery and post-sales support for its global customers, in addition to accelerating sales in high growth markets such as the US, China and India.
Louise joins H.E.L. from Applied Photophysics where she was CEO, and also held positions as Chief Operating Officer and Commercial Director. Her experience within the analytical instruments field spans more than a decade, having been Global Service Manager at Biolin Scientific AB, and previously Finance Director at Farfield Group Limited. With a BA in Law and Accountancy from the University of Manchester, Louise spent 11 years at KPMG, where her clients ranged from owner-managed businesses to multi-national PLCs. During this time, Louise also gained extensive experience of mergers and acquisitions.
The scientific instruments and software designed, developed and manufactured by H.E.L. make it possible to optimise the efficiency and productivity of process scale-up across a wide range of chemistry and biology R&D applications. The company has a long history of solving complex challenges for its customers working in fields spanning pharma, biotech, chemicals, energy and petrochemicals.
With the support of Connection Capital, the company will continue to invest in the development of H.E.L. Group’s innovative technology and software platforms, and to bolster post-sales teams with additional resources in service and technical support. Significant investment in process and infrastructure improvements will also be carried out, with an increased focus on value-added activities not only for customers, but also as part of staff development.
In addition, H.E.L. Group plans to extend its reach into rapidly developing markets such as India and China, where the company’s instruments, software and automated solutions are playing a pivotal role in improving the safety of chemical and industrial processes.
Madden said: “H.E.L. Group has been working with customers for over 30 years to develop and better understand complex R&D processes that ultimately will help create a healthier, safer and more sustainable world. From an already strong and profitable base, we have ambitions to extend our reach in existing and new geographies. The investment by Connection Capital acts as a real catalyst for us to make the investment in our people, processes, infrastructure and product innovation to facilitate H.E.L.’s growth. I’m excited to be steering the H.E.L. team, and look forward to us realising our full market potential.”
