Dr. Danilo Di Salvo

As co-founder and CEO of High Temperature Material Systems, Danilo leads our pursuit of innovative Ceramic Matrix Composite solutions designed for a variety of high-temperature environments.

Danilo's career includes a role as a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, where he developed advanced ceramic composites to improve the temperature capabilities of future gas turbine defence applications.

He was also a Senior Consultant at Ricardo Strategic Consulting and worked on numerous projects over three years, including electrification in the automotive industry and strategic insights for engineering companies entering the aerospace sector. During an internship at one of the most exciting startups in the world, Boom Supersonic, Danilo formed market entry strategies for the supersonic passenger market.

Danilo spent almost a decade at Rolls-Royce. He was a Project Manager in Strategy and Future Programmes overseeing full scale development programmes for advanced composite fan systems, lean burn combustors, and high-temperature turbine materials.

Danilo holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and a PhD in Aerospace Materials that focussed on developing Ceramic Matrix Composites for Rolls-Royce plc.

Dr. Richard Grainger

Richard plays a pivotal role at HTMS, as co-founder and CTO at High Temperature Material Systems. His leadership is marked by a hands-on approach, driving the exploration of innovative CMC material solutions designed for high-temperature applications across a number of sectors.

During his 8-year tenure at Rolls-Royce plc, Rich made notable contributions in composite materials engineering. He led the qualification of adhesives and primers for both civil and defence aerospace projects, overseeing the entire project lifecycle, from specimen manufacture to testing and analysis. Rich also served as a key point of contact for various test houses and material suppliers, specialising in polymer and ceramic composites.

Rich's career included a significant stint at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), where he spearheaded the development of advanced composites manufacturing technologies for aerospace and automotive sectors. His collaborations with industry partners had a significant impact on the composites supply chain.

Academically, Rich holds a PhD in Aerospace Composites from The University of Sheffield. His research, titled "Advancements in Manufacturing Processes for Solid State Self-Healing Composites," underscores his innovative drive and dedication to the progression of composite technology.

Will Larkin

Will is the Chief Operating Officer at HTMS and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and ensuring the efficient functioning of the organisation. Will strives to ensure that HTMS has the operational platform in place that allows our technology to reach its full potential. 

Will's professional journey includes a 12-year tenure at Royal Bank of Scotland, where he held various leadership roles, including the role of Chief Operating Officer in Restructuring EMEA, based in Amsterdam, where he led the implementation of departmental operations, policies, procedures, and systems across ABN and RBS offices in EMEA. 

Will served as a Senior Corporate Manager in Restructuring, where he proactively managed high-risk corporate and commercial clients. Excelling in solving complex problems and delivering tailored solutions across regulatory, credit, and reputational risk areas. 

Will has a breadth of industry experience from his time at RBS and his own start-up experience including Manufacturing, Healthcare, SaaS, Education, Nutrition, Automotive, and Agriculture. 

On the academic front, Will holds a BA Hons in Economics from Coventry University, he also holds a BSc Hons in Financial Services from The University of Manchester. 

Sev Gunes-Lasnet

Sev has held senior finance roles in global high-tech businesses, supporting Series A/B raises, M&A and exit readiness. Her background includes roles at Airbus Defence & Space and the European Space Agency, an MBA from Chicago Booth, and corporate finance advisory roles, combining technical depth with rigorous finance leadership.

She spent nine years at PwC, supporting clients across Tech, Biotech, Pharma, Drug Discovery, and Clinical Trials sectors. Her work included formulating growth strategies, securing innovation funding, conducting buy- and sell-side due diligence, and driving revenue growth for private equity portfolio companies.

She also advises AI and machine learning start-ups in financial services and clients in the industrial products sector, helping them scale and capture new opportunities, and has had first hand experience working with start-ups.

Sev brings scale-up finance leadership across technology sectors, backed by an engineering foundation (Airbus Defence & Space, ESA) and a Chicago Booth MBA.

Tim Bailey

Tim is our Laboratory Manager here at HTMS.  He is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of HTMS' R&D facility in Bristol. His commitment to continual improvement and strong work ethic alongside his willingness to take on new challenges and proactive approach in assisting team members makes him a supportive and collaborative member of our team.

Tim joined HTMS in August 2023 and has grown to be an integral member of the team, bringing with him enthusiasm and wiliness to learning and grow in the sector. While Tim may be new to the engineering field, he brings with him a wealth of experience from the world of start-ups and his fresh perspective and eagerness to contribute have quickly become invaluable assets to the organisation.  Not to mention his skills in photography and video editing.

When not making CMC’s Tim enjoys playing Badminton and Golf!

Claire Gwilliam

Claire Gwilliam is HTMS' whizz of a Laboratory Technician and brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial acumen and Natural Sciences prowess to our team.  

With a background of owning and managing her own business, along side her studies in Zoological Management and Integrated Wildlife Conservation, Claire has seamlessly transitioned her diverse skill set into the engineering domain.

Her entrepreneurial background instilled in her a tenacious spirit, an ability to navigate ambiguity, and a knack for innovative problem-solving. Leveraging this expertise, Claire approaches engineering challenges with a fresh perspective, often drawing from her entrepreneurial experience to arrive at inventive solutions.

Her past endeavours have cultivated a strong sense of adaptability and resourcefulness, qualities that greatly contribute to our team's resilience in tackling complex engineering projects. Claire's fusion of business insights, engineering experience and love of Natural Sciences makes her a valuable asset in driving both technical excellence and creative problem solving.  It is also the reason why Claire has taken the lead at on HTMS's ESG work, where we ensure that ESG is considered at every stage of or business processes.

When not making CMS and her studies, Claire is a keen badminton player. 

Scotty Whitelaw

With a decade of experience in composites, Scotty brings a wealth of expertise across industries, including aerospace, mass automotive, commercial vehicles, and motorsport.

Scotty studied Motorsport Technology at the University of Hertfordshire, laying the foundation for a career focused on advanced composite materials. His experience spans from wet lay compression moulding, autoclaving, and the development of high-performance composite structures for manufacturing.

Throughout his career, Scotty has contributed to cutting-edge projects in aerospace and motorsport, applying his knowledge to enhance material performance in demanding environments. His work in commercial vehicles has further expanded his expertise, ensuring composite innovations are both durable and commercially viable.

Scotty continues to drive advancements in composite technology, leveraging his diverse background to push the boundaries of high temperature lightweight, high-strength materials.

Away from working with composites, Scotty is an International Dodgeball player, being the record cap holder (and counting) for Scotland.

Marie "Maz" Craig

Marie, known to everyone as Maz, joined HTMS in May 2025 as our Administrator and has quickly become a central part of the team. She brings a strong background in administration and customer-focused roles, where she has built a reputation for being highly organised, approachable, and proactive.

At HTMS, Maz keeps our day-to-day operations running smoothly and ensures the team is supported to work at its best. Beyond the office, she is a dedicated community rugby coach – reflecting her natural leadership, teamwork, and passion for helping others grow.

Warm, energetic, and always willing to lend a hand, Maz has already made a big impact at HTMS, both professionally and culturally. She even organised our very first team social, setting the tone for a supportive and connected workplace.

Annalisa Gigante

Annalisa is a Chair, Board member and senior executive with a track record of commercial growth, transformation, and award winning innovation in B2C and B2B with global industry leaders, running successful multi-billion P&Ls.

She started my career in Bain in the consumer and retail practice, and have built new businesses in life sciences, chemicals and a number of consumer and service categories.

With a focus on transformation, R&D and digital technologies, we have launched cutting edge innovations, improving operational efficiency and sustainability, and investing in seed and series A start-ups.

She is focused on delivering AI and advanced materials in her board and advisory portfolio by championing cutting edge technology, education and governance practices.

Annalisa has held senior roles in global organisations across life sciences, chemicals and digital technologies, and has successfully launched and scaled multi billion dollar businesses. She is also Vice Chair of the Henry Royce Institute for advanced materials research a Non Executive Director of Cambridge Enterprise and a Council Member for Innovate UK.

Annalisa has a wealth of experience in translating research into real-world impact. She has held senior roles in global organisations across life sciences, chemicals and digital technologies, and has successfully launched and scaled multi-billion-dollar businesses. An Italian national who is based in Switzerland, she is also Vice Chair of the Henry Royce Institute for advanced materials research, and a Non-Executive Director of Cambridge Enterprise.

Luke Logan FREng

Luke Logan is an accomplished leader responsible for driving impactful change across the aerospace and engineering landscape. Previously, Luke was as Director - Delivery Functions and Engineering Director Europe & International at BAE Systems, which demonstrated his commitment to shaping complex strategies.

Previously, as Chief Engineer at Rolls-Royce, Luke championed the development of innovative aerospace solutions, leading large cross-functional teams and forging strong relationships with industry partners. With a career spanning renowned companies such as Weir Power & Industrial and Rolls-Royce plc, Luke's expertise in engineering leadership, technical qualification, and composite structures design has consistently fuelled industry advancements.

Ofir Eyal

Meet Ofir Eyal, a visionary strategist, investor and advisor at High Temperature Material Systems. With a history of leading change and growth, Ofir's role as Director at Marakon drives companies to embrace the net zero transition, embedding senior teams to provide key insights. Ofir is also Co-Founder and CEO of Team Chronos Coaching, and an Independent Advisor to the Board at Wrisk.

From Partner & Managing Director at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to his involvement with Autistica, Ofir's legacy of excellence in financial planning, management consulting, and strategy continues to shape industries, leading the charge toward lasting positive change.