MBE for Midlothian company boss
The managing director of a Midlothian-based biotechnology company has been awarded an MBE in the delayed Queen’s Birthday Honours.
In 2003, Dr Ian Fotheringham helped establish Ingenza Ltd, which is based at the Roslin Innovation Centre at Easter Bush Campus and now employs 40 staff.
Dr Fotheringham revealed to the Advertiser that given he was sworn to secrecy about his prestigious award, he didn’t even tell his wife until last weekend when the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list was unveiled, after it had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said: “I’m a bit overwhelmed to be honest. I have known about is since the summer, I think it was June.
“They would normally do it then but it was all delayed by Covid. They made it very clear to not say a word to anybody, so I was sworn to secrecy.
“I only told my wife last Saturday morning, to avoid putting her under pressure to not tell anyone. So I thought it best to keep it to myself.
“It was lovely to finally tell people. Many people were more excited than me. I just get on with things really.
“It’s obviously not the best time just now, with what is going on in the world, but I’m very appreciative and honoured to have been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list.”
Dr Fotheringham is extremely proud of Ingenza, which specialises in the design, development and manufacture of diverse, high-value industrial products and therapeutic-proteins.
He said: “It’s never had investment, we have grown the company organically from day one. We now have 40 individuals working here and customers all over the world.
“It’s been a long and evolving road. We have had to adapt as needs have changed across the world. And we have steadily grown.
“To place the company in a University tech park like the Easter Bush Campus is very appropriate and has really helped us.
“As a lot of our staff have come from the university. We take on lots of graduates.”