Since 2007, Martin Richards has been founder and principal consultant of Linmark Consulting GmbH, based in Basel. Previously, he formed and managed a new regulatory services unit within Ciba Specialty Chemicals, developing third party business and managing marketing and business development for the wider services business unit. He was Global Head of Product Stewardship at Ciba Specialty Chemicals and ran its global regulatory affairs network.

His core consultancy area is regulatory affairs, risk assessment, product stewardship, product registration, chemical advocacy, issues management, managing industry consortia in agricultural, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, linked with operational experience in product development and marketing. He has formed and chaired 3 major industry associations (US, EU), developing and implementing strategy to advocate for chemicals products, and has devised and implemented external communications for many multi-national product issues.