It is with a heavy heart that Green Bioactives announces the passing of our esteemed Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Prof. Gary Loake. Gary passed away suddenly on 11 March after suffering a stroke. He was 61 years old.
Originally from the West Midlands, Gary had been based in Edinburgh where he worked at the University of Edinburgh in the Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences for over 28 years and was a Professor of Molecular Plant Sciences since 2007.
Gary’s vision for setting up his own company was realised in 2019. After being awarded a place on the Innovate UK’s Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research’s (ICURe) programme to explore the global plant natural products market, from there Green Bioactives was born.
Under Gary’s leadership, Green Bioactives opened its first laboratory in 2020 and recruited its first employees. In 2022 Gary was instrumental in the appointment of current CEO Dr David McElroy, and as part of Green Bioactives £2.6m of seed round of funding.
David McElroy, CEO of Green Bioactives said: “We are all shocked and saddened by the passing of our founder and friend Gary. He had a compelling vision for where he wanted Green Bioactives to go, and myself and the rest of the Green Bioactives team will do everything we can to realise that vision as part of Gary’s legacy. Our thoughts go out to Gary’s family, friends and colleagues.”
Gary's legacy extends far beyond his professional accomplishments. His warmth, kindness, and eternal optimism endeared him to all who knew him. Gary had a love of sports, especially racquet sports as well as a lifelong passion for fishing and his charismatic personality touched the lives of everyone he encountered.
As we mourn the loss of our dear colleague and friend, Green Bioactives extends its heartfelt condolences to Gary's beloved wife Tracey, his daughter Verity who received news she had qualified as a medical doctor just days after Gary’s passing, and all who cherished him.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Chris Meaney, Chief Business Officer, chris.meaney@greenbioactives.com, 07967 651926
Note to Editors: Please respect the privacy of Gary Loake's family during this time of mourning. Any inquiries regarding the company's operations or future plans can be directed to the provided media contact.
