The Team

Rend has a First Class Honours Degree in Social Anthropology from Durham. After this at Cambridge, she served as President of the University Scientific Society and on its Advisory Board. Rend also worked as an expert on conflict resolution and negotiation. She has been on the boards of various organisations, including a 501(c)3 US non-profit. As a student Rend set up her first company in her college room and grew it to a quarter of a million turnover; she’s run global marketing campaigns and been a diplomat at the United Nations. Rend has been calling for a positive strategy improve the demand for, availability and visibility of healthier choices. She hopes by constructive dialogue and collaboration great strides will be made in making it easier for people to make the choices they want for themselves and their families.

Vinicius Ferreira is a Cambridge University scientist with experience in biochemistry/biophysics research that unraveled molecular mechanisms behind the body’s response to hypoxic conditions and Alzheimer’s disease. He has a Master’s in Science in Chemistry from University of Pennsylvania. He is tasked with analyzing nutritional information and laboratory test results of products we certify to be Sugarwise. He ensures every product certified Sugarwise adheres to our strict standards regarding free sugar content. Furthermore, Vinicius liaises with our partners concerning other scientific matters as needed.

Lord Brooke is a Labour Member of the House of Lords. From the early stages of his career as a British Trade Unionist, he took an interest in politics and social change. He has also worked as a Business Consultant to a number of organisations, including Accenture. Throughout his career, he has been involved in charitable work, particularly that regarding alcohol and diet. Some of his campaigns include raising awareness about alcohol harm, working to improve calorie labelling on alcohol and finding strategies to reduce childhood obesity. Lord Brooke joined Sugarwise as Patron due to our common interests in tackling issues of diet and poor health that are often linked to social inequality.

Dr Giles Yeo is the Director of Genomics & Transcriptomics at Cambridge University. Giles’ research and studies focuses on the genetics of severe human obesity and brain control of food intake and bodyweight. Giles offers us valuable insights and knowledge on the topics of obesity and low sugar diets. He was the first to report that mutations in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) and in the neurotrophic receptor TRKB resulted in severe human obesity. Giles also presents science documentaries for the BBC. His critically acclaimed investigative piece ‘Clean eating – The dirty truth’, prompted an important national debate about dieting advice and evidence based science.

In 1989, Valerie joined hi-tech company Acorn, then BT. She then headed PSINet UK Limited, which grew from 1.25m to 42m in turn over. Valerie helped build Pipex, the UK’s first commercial Internet Service Provider. Before joining the tech sector Valerie managed corporate and financial teams at Burson-Marsteller Public Relations in London, advising UK and European corporations on acquisitions and US. In her final year with PSINet, turnover exceeded £42 million, employed over 260 staff, and had less than 3% overdue accounts.

By profession, Rasik is an accountant, and came to Cambridge over 30 years ago to work for Philips. In 1998, Rasik started his own company, SecureSafe. Rasik has long been involved in voluntary and community ventures. He was on the Indian Community and Culture Association committee in Cambridge for over 20 years. Rasik has a keen interest in diabetes and obesity and recognises these as pressing problems for the Indian community. He joined Sugarwise as a trustee to offer advice and knowledge to us regarding our financial position, and how best to continue our pledge to increase the availability of low sugar products