We’re delighted to welcome Dr Ishanki De Mel as Chief of Staff at BiofuelAi. Ishanki joins us at an exciting stage of growth, bringing a rare combination of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and people leadership. In her role, she will help bridge strategy and execution across both technology and operations, ensuring we continue to scale effectively while staying true to our mission.

Her journey is anything but conventional. With a foundation in chemical and process engineering, Ishanki has spent her career optimising complex, nonlinear energy systems while also developing people and teams within exceptional organisations. She combines rigorous analytical thinking with a deeply human-centred approach to problem-solving.

BiofuelAi co-founder Professor Michael Short, first worked alongside Ishanki during her PhD, and it has been a privilege to see the breadth of her achievements since then. A high achiever throughout her career, she has received recognition including a Vice-Chancellor’s Award and Change Maker honours for her impact and leadership.

What makes Ishanki particularly unique is the perspective she brings from beyond the workplace. She reads widely across psychology, neuroscience, and any subject that sparks her curiosity. She is also an avid Cuban salsa dancer, especially enjoying Rueda—a style where dancers move together in a circle, maintaining the shape of the wheel while responding to the music and one another.

Seen from above, the pattern is more beautiful than any individual dancer alone.

It’s a fitting metaphor for the role of a Chief of Staff: helping people move in sync, connecting strategy with execution, and enabling teams to achieve more together than they could independently.

As a spinout from University of Surrey, BiofuelAi is especially pleased to welcome another Surrey alumni to the team. We’re continuing to grow rapidly, with talented graduates from Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, and Business joining us in the coming months.

To everyone who has engaged with us recently—whether through applications, partnerships, conversations, or support—thank you. The quality of interest in BiofuelAi has been exceptional, and we are grateful for the growing community helping us build the future of AI-enabled decarbonisation.

Please join us in welcoming Ishanki to the team.

• Bioenergy plant operators and developers,
• Sustainability-focused investors,
• Research partners and technology clusters.