Dr Martyn V. Twigg

Martyn Twigg retired as the Chief Scientist of Johnson Matthey in 2010. Martyn was previously European Technology Director for the Environmental Catalysts and Technologies Division of Johnson Matthey, Royston.

Martyn held a junior faculty position at the University of Toronto where he worked on the kinetics and mechanisms of reactions of metal carbonyl compounds. Following this he had a fellowship at the University of Cambridge working on the synthesis and reactivity of hydrocarbon organometallic compounds and the photochemistry of metal-metal bonded metal carbonyls. He then joined ICI where, for almost twenty years, he aided the development and production of heterogeneous catalysts used in large-scale single-stream plants that produce products such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, ammonia, methanol and formaldehyde. Proprietary catalysts and processes were also developed for speciality organic products and pollution control systems. Before joining Johnson Matthey he managed a joint American/European project concerned with novel polymers and processes involving vinyl chloride.

Martyn has authored or co-authored many research papers, written numerous chapters in encyclopaedic works, and edited and contributed to several books. He edits a series of fundamental and applied catalysis books, and a series on the kinetics and mechanisms of inorganic and organometallic reactions. He is on the editorial board of several journals, and maintains active associations with universities in the UK and elsewhere, with honorary positions at some.

Martyn Twigg has a BSc (Special Hons) in chemistry and physics from the University of Hull, and a PhD in mechanistic inorganic chemistry of porphyry models from the University of Kent.