Strong UK-based leadership team in place to drive customer and quality focused business forward and build on excellent legacy
Bicester, UK, 26 August 2025: Cherwell (an AnalytiChem company), cleanroom microbiology solutions expert, announces the retirement of Andy Whittard, Managing Director, and the appointment of Stuart Hall, Cherwell’s current Director of Finance, as his successor from 1st September.
Andy’s 20-plus years’ tenure as Managing Director at Cherwell has seen significant growth and innovation within the business, and also achieved key milestones to secure the long-term future of the company as AnalytiChem UK from 1st September. A strong UK-based leadership team is in place to continue to drive the business forward, and build on its deep customer focus and high-quality cleanroom microbiology products and services for which Cherwell is renowned.
Stuart Hall will be heading the company’s UK leadership team at its Bicester-based ISO9001 registered facility, where it manufactures and supplies its Redipor® prepared culture media products. Stuart joined Cherwell in 2021, having worked within a range of manufacturing and service focused industries. In addition to his broad experience from previous roles, his deep understanding of the business, its people and customers makes him ideal to now guide Cherwell (as AnalytiChem UK) through its ongoing growth as a highly reliable and successful UK manufacturer and supplier of high-quality products.
Leading AnalytiChem UK, Stuart will oversee the development and enhancement of the company’s product and services offering, as well as its manufacturing facility, through continued investment in the business supported by the AnalytiChem Group’s wider global network. As part of his new role as AnalytiChem UK’s Managing Director, Stuart will also join the group’s global leadership team to facilitate shared expertise and discovery of associated opportunities.
Cherwell was founded in 1971 by Andy’s father, Lawrence Whittard. In his 36 years at the company, Andy has overseen much change and innovation, having initially worked alongside his father to relocate the business to its current site to allow the company to grow and prosper. Ultimately, he built its offering to customers across the UK and internationally with a range of products and solutions focused on environmental and process monitoring within pharmaceutical manufacturing. Now as AnalytiChem UK, there will be further opportunity to develop and offer a broader product range in due course.
Andy Whittard commented, “I’m proud to have built such a strong and sustainable business from the firm foundations that my father initiated. The success of Cherwell has only been possible with a great team of people, and I’m very confident and pleased to leave the business in such capable hands. I’ve every confidence that Stuart will lead the business with integrity and energy into a new phase as AnalytiChem UK – I wish him and the UK team, the wider AnalytiChem team globally, and all our customers great success for the future.”
Stuart Hall added, “I was first drawn to Cherwell because of its reliability and integrity as a customer-centric and well-run business offering high quality products, and I fully intend to maintain and further develop these strengths as AnalytiChem UK with the support of our fantastic UK team. I’m also excited for the business to embrace the wider group environment and collaborating with other AnaytiChem sites to further enhance the UK offering through our ongoing focus on continuous improvement and in depth understanding of our customers’ needs.”
Cherwell joined the AnalytiChem Group in January 2024. The group develops and manufactures specialised laboratory equipment, reagents, and consumables, with eight global sites spanning Europe, North America, and Australia. Bringing together decades of expertise and complementary technologies, AnalytiChem delivers products that enable more accurate measurements in analytical chemistry and microbiology. Its portfolio includes high-quality culture media, reference materials for both inorganic and organic analysis, laboratory consumables, and sample preparation equipment - all designed to support precise and reliable scientific measurement.
