Press Release
ref: 42TPR_80128_Richard Archer appt
January 2008

42 Technology joins forces with Automation Partnership founder and CEO

Product design and development consultancy 42 Technology (42T) is further strengthening its advisory board with the appointment of Richard Archer, founder and former CEO of The Automation Partnership (TAP). Richard brings more than 30 years’ pharmaceutical industry experience and will be instrumental in helping build 42T’s profile and sales in the life sciences market. He has helped many of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies to achieve new levels of operating efficiency by automating their R&D and manufacturing processes, and he pioneered an industrialised ‘drug discovery factory’ approach in the search for potential new medicines.

“Richard’s track record, international reputation and engineering skills speak for themselves and we are delighted he is joining us an advisor. His approach will be invaluable in expanding our healthcare client list and he is already actively involved in a number of our projects, particularly in regenerative medicine: a newly emerging area where human or animal cells are cultured to repair or replace damaged tissues,” said Howard Biddle, managing director of 42T.

Richard founded TAP as a division of The Technology Partnership in 1988, before spinning out the business in 1998. He then established it as market leader in providing large-scale, bespoke automation to the international pharmaceutical sector before retiring from corporate management in 2004 to devote more time to his growing portfolio of other business interests.

In addition to his new role at 42T, Richard is involved in advising a number of medical technology and related companies. His current roles include: executive chairman of Axordia, which is commercialising breakthrough advances in stem cells from The Centre for Stem Biology; chairman of tissue engineering company MagneCell, and a non-executive director at Gentronix. He is also a Senior Industrial Fellow at the Institute of Manufacturing, Cambridge University and on the board of Loughborough University’s Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre.