Who We Are

Mike Penman MBE - Founder

The founder, Mike Penman, has over 30 years' experience in managing toxicology, regulatory affairs and information technology within major companies (ICI 1976 – 1997; ExxonMobil 1997 – 2007) and associated trade associations. Initially laboratory based working on alternatives to long-term cancer testing, he moved to provide toxicological and regulatory information services to the whole ICI Group, and then as Senior Toxicology and Product Regulatory Adviser to specific businesses. During this time he was awarded an MBE for “Services to Environmental Safety”. For nearly 10 years Mike worked for ExxonMobil, initially as Senior Toxicology Adviser for Europe, and subsequently as the Technical REACH / GHS Implementation Manager.

Externally Mike is well known, leading science and regulatory teams in the areas of synthetic rubber, olefins, plasticisers and oil refining streams.He has been involved in the development of regulatory databases such as IUCLID and in developing novel techniques for the risk assessment of chemicals and in regulatory developments. For example, in addition to trade association work on REACH, he chaired the consortia management group contracted to the EU to provide a scoping study on information requirements (RIP 3.3-1) and was a member of the Programme Management Group for the subsequent final report.

He has a passion for developing science-led practical solutions to problems – as demonstrated by the range of research activities he initiated when working within trade groups and also the coordination of an EU FP6 project designed to examine the possibility of using novel molecular biology techniques to understand mechanisms of reproductive toxicity, so that they might subsequently be used instead of animal testing.

Sue Penman - Director

As Director primarily responsible for finance, Sue Penman manages the Company’s multinational offices, administration and finances.  She and Mike have three children. Her early career was in science. When the family moved to Belgium, she gained the CELTA certificate and for some years taught English as a Second Language (ESOL).  She is now kept very busy full-time,  ensuring that Penman Consulting runs smoothly.

Graham Robb - Managed Services

Graham graduated in Physics from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1974. After starting his career with the CEGB, in 1977 Graham joined Digital Applications International, the well known London-based IT services company delivering process control and manufacturing solutions.

In 32 years at DAI, Graham had various roles:

» Development of software systems for process control of chemical plants;
» Management of industrial application IT projects – chemicals, pharmaceuticals and logistics;
» Overall Management of the London office of DAI;
» IT and Project Management Sales and Consulting.

Graham now brings these years of scientific IT project and management experience to Penman Consulting.

Thomas Penman - Information Manager and IUCLID/REACHsuite Trainer

Thomas is REACHready's preferred IUCLID trainer. He provides training in REACHsuite and IUCLID to companies and consortia. Penman Consulting clients have over 250 substances under management and Thomas has responsibility for managing IUCLID, including troubleshooting for users and producing IUCLID data sets. As a result he has a wealth of experience with the programme which he brings to IUCLID training. Before being involved in REACH, Thomas worked in the communications industry training staff in how to use company specific databases and meet regulatory requirements.

Helen Penman - Project Manager

Helen Penman manages the SIEF process for the largest Petrochemical SIEF Consortia in Europe. She joined Penman Consulting Ltd in 2008 for this specific role. Helen is qualified to PRINCE2 Practitioner level; her professional background is Project Management and she has successfully managed major projects in the UK National Health Service and the Print Industry. Her experience includes designing information management and content management systems and she finds database structures particularly interesting.

Philippa Pearce - Project Officer and Managed Services

Philippa has a Degree in German and International Relations from Nottingham Trent University. She is a native English speaker, fluent in German and speaks French. Previously she worked in critical public service roles for the Railway Signaling department and Inland Revenue.

Odile Purcell O’Byrne – Office Manager, Brussels

Odile started at Penman Consulting bvba in 2009. Having lived in several countries, spending most of her time in Teheran, New York, Wicklow and Versailles, she now lives full time in Brussels. She speaks English and French fluently, and can converse in Vlams Dutch and German.

Marsh Penman - Technical Projects Officer

Marsh oversees clients' technical projects, and also provides internal and external advice on UK Health and Safety compliance. He is an acknowledged FLOSS* expert, as well as being a Microsoft Certified Professional.

In  2007-2010 Marsh worked for Europe’s largest university, The Open University. Before that he worked as a health, safety and environmental officer in the privatised nuclear industry, and for five years as a commercial and civil mediator in the ITIP* and Safety sectors. In the year 2005/6 he carried out 5% of the commercial mediations in the UK. His colleague carried out another 5% and the other 598 or so UK mediators shared the rest fairly evenly between them. His team won an award for this.

*FLOSS - free/libre/open source software; ITIP - Information Technology Intellectual Property