Nottingham chemical manufacturer Promethean Particles has strengthened its senior leadership team by appointing its first chief financial officer, Paul Denney.
Paul brings a wealth of financial management and leadership experience to the role having built an impressive career starting with IT outsourcing business, Electronic Data Systems Inc. (now part of Hewlett Packard), before managing in-house M&A teams at both Experian plc and Callcredit Information Group.
Most recently, Paul, who is a CIMA-qualified accountant and has an MBA from the London Business School, was CFO for six years at Xeros Technology Group plc, an AIM-listed green tech business, and at an early-stage life sciences spin-out from Newcastle University.
His role at Promethean Particles will involve acting as a key strategic partner to the firm’s chief executive officer, James Stephenson, balancing the management of day-to-day finances with seeking new investment and taking on legal, procurement, and HR responsibilities.
Paul described his new role as the right opportunity at the right time, thanks to the significant investment Promethean Particles has attracted and its position as a market leader in the manufacture and supply of metal-organic frameworks.
Better known as MOFs, the materials are capable of trapping and storing huge quantities of molecules, meaning they could hold the key to reducing the effects of climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from industrial gas streams before they are emitted into the atmosphere, alongside a host of other decarbonisation applications.
Paul said: “Promethean Particles has the capacity to manufacture MOFs at a scale few other companies are capable of, thanks to its unique technology and the investment it has been able to make in the team and its manufacturing equipment.
“That combination makes it an exciting company to be joining and I am looking forward to using my expertise and experience to help drive it forward.
“I’d never heard of MOFs before coming here, but what I have learned about them is absolutely mind-blowing. I now find myself asking why I have never heard of this amazing class of materials before. Their potential is astonishing.”
James Stephenson said: “We are extremely fortunate to have appointed somebody of Paul’s calibre to the position of CFO and I have no doubt that he will help us to achieve our ambitious growth plans.
“This has already been a hugely significant year for Promethean Particles with several key milestones achieved in terms of product shipments and revenue growth. I am looking forward to Paul’s experience and his contributions strengthening our team as we prepare for the challenges and opportunities that await us in 2026 and beyond.”
