Published: February 3, 2026 at 7:43 am
The man hailed as Manchester’s ‘Mr Graphene’ has been appointed as chairman of a startup focused on treating waste water in an environmental way.
James Baker, who has recently stepped down as CEO of Graphene@Manchester, has joined Aqua Catalysis, along with fractional chief commercial officer, Mark Lancelott.
Luke Marden, founder and CEO of Aqua Catalysis, said: “The appointments of James and Mark represent a pivotal moment.
“As we enter Aqua Catalysis 2.0, their leadership and commercial expertise will be critical in helping us scale our technology and deliver meaningful environmental impact.”
The company’s patent pending photocatalyst technology is designed to address the challenges of pharmaceutical effluent treatment, supporting manufacturers in reducing environmental impact while meeting increasingly stringent regulatory and sustainability requirements.
As chairman, Baker will provide governance and strategic input with the board to support the company’s evolution from innovation-led development to broader market deployment.
Baker stood down as CEO of Graphene@Manchester in January, where he was responsible for commercialising graphene and 2D materials for products working with industry.
He’s also set up a consultancy business called Baker Graphene to continue supporting graphene startups.