Healthcare industry veteran Christopher Samler has been appointed non-executive chairman of Tristel plc, the Cambridge UK technology cluster’s infection control specialist.

 He formerly ran Weston Medical, the Cambridge business whose needle-free injection technology has been commercialised with outstanding results in the United States.

While Weston Medical was unable to raise the funds to cash in on its IP, that has since been handsomely validated across the Atlantic.

Tristel says that Francisco Soler, who has been the non-executive chairman since the company’s flotation in June 2005, will continue as a non-exec director.

AIM-quoted Tristel manufactures infection prevention, contamination control and hygiene products.

Samler was appointed to the board in October 2011 and has since been the senior independent non-executive director since then. He will be granted options over 200,000 ordinary shares of one pence each under the Tristel plc Enterprise Management Incentive Scheme 2005.

The share options are exercisable for a period of 10 years at 57 pence per share. He currently has no beneficial interest in the company.

Francisco Soler said: “I am delighted to hand over the chair to Christopher.  He will be able to make a greater time commitment to the company and, with his past experience in healthcare, we can look forward to him providing great support to our management team. I shall continue as Non-Executive Director to support this enterprise that I founded in 1993.”