Versarien plc (LON: VRS), the advanced materials engineering group, has today announced that Yi Luo is joining Versarien on secondment from the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (“BEIS”) as Deputy Head of International Strategy and Government Relations. Yi will replace Peter Jay who is returning to the Department for International Trade (“DIT”) to take up a new senior role.
Yi will be focussed on progressing the Company’s international expansion, particularly in China, working alongside Matt Walker who has been on secondment to Versarien from the DIT since May 2018.
Yi read Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, majoring in chemistry, and is completing her PhD in organic chemistry at University College London, alongside her work for the UK Government. Her previous roles in Government have included working with the DIT’s London and Devolved Administrations teams, where she provided analytical insights to help achieve foreign direct investment targets. Following this, she was a Private Secretary for ex-BEIS Minister Lord Prior, covering technology, rail and materials. Her most recent role was as a Senior Policy Adviser for the BEIS Future Sectors team, where she led the team’s international portfolio, pushing forward the Government’s robotics and drones agenda, and was responsible for publishing the artificial intelligence sector deal as part of the Government’s industrial strategy to put the UK at the forefront of the AI and data-driven economy.
Neill Ricketts, CEO of Versarien plc, commented:
“I would like to thank Peter for his significant contribution to Versarien over the last six months, particularly in relation to the development of our business in China. During that period we have made substantial progress in China through entering into partnerships with a number of leading manufacturers across a variety of sectors, together with securing formal relationships with Chinese provincial government bodies.“I look forward to Versarien benefiting from Yi’s skills and experience to help further progress both our existing Chinese relationships and others that we are discussing. I would again like to thank the BEIS and DIT for their support and I am confident that Versarien’s plans in China and globally will contribute to DIT’s goal of ensuring there is an economic benefit to the UK from our overseas activities.”
