Zelim appoints former Survitec boss as chairman to spearhead growth

(Posted on 10/02/25)

Zelim, the Edinburgh-based safety and survival systems innovator, has appointed Doug Baxter as its new Chairman.

Mr. Baxter, who brings over 30 years of executive leadership experience in the marine, energy, aerospace and defence industries, replaces current Chair Doug Duguid, who will remain on the Zelim Board as Investor Director.

"We are delighted Doug has accepted the role as Zelim’s new Chair,” said Mr. Duguid. “The last few years have been hugely rewarding as Chairman of the Board at Zelim, seeing the business grow from a group of people with a good idea to selling market leading products globally has been an incredible journey. I’m looking forward to working with Doug and continuing to support Sam and the team in my role as Investor Director, as we scale the business.”

Sam Mayall, Zelim’s founder and CEO, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Doug Baxter to the Zelim team as our new Chairman. Doug's industry expertise and track record in growing successful international businesses will be invaluable as we progress from the research and development phase to accelerate the commercialisation of our cutting-edge technologies globally."

A former CEO of Survitec who has held senior executive positions with BAE Systems, GEC Marconi, and Survival Systems International (3SI), Mr. Baxter aims to leverage on his expertise and network of industry contacts to further establish Zelim as a trusted name in maritime, energy, defence, and aerospace safety.

“Zelim has created new technologies that address the safety challenges across myriad industries in a way that no other companies currently do,” he said. “The next phase of our growth journey is about educating these markets, driving adoption, and securing a dominant position across multiple geographies for products that save lives.

“My role as Chairman will be to help the company capitalise on its game-changing innovations and support the executive team in strategy, execution, and investor relations."

The appointment of Doug Baxter as Chairman coincides with the appointment of David Griffiths as Non-Exec Director, and Barry Park as Sales Director.

Mr. Griffiths, who has amassed more than 25 years’ experience selling high-end safety and survival equipment into the maritime and defence markets, will work with the Zelim executive team to increase brand visibility and secure new partnership agreements.

Barry Park, a specialist in sales to the offshore energy sector, with more than 15 years’ experience overseeing commercial growth for a number of original equipment manufacturers, joined Zelim in January 2025 with a remit to expand the company’s orderbook.

“Doug, David and Barry join Zelim at a critical juncture as we set our sights on expanding our international reach,” said Sam Mayall. “With Doug’s executive leadership, and David and Barry’s sale prowess we bring the perfect blend of strategic vision and executional rigor to the team. With their support, we are confident in meeting our objective to scale globally and make a meaningful impact in saving lives at sea. This is an exciting time for Zelim and everyone involved in our extraordinary growth journey.”

As part of its global expansion, Zelim is exploring opportunities in key regions, including the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The company aims to strengthen its partnerships with international governments, regulatory bodies, and commercial operators to deliver optimum life-saving capability worldwide.

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