Thomas is a scientist and consultant with over 30 years experience in the field of natural product development, registration, and licensing, for medicine, food, and cosmetics. He is an expert in botanical research, product innovation, regulatory affairs, and sourcing of raw materials. He holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Johannesburg and has published more than 60 papers and books on topics related to ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, phytotherapy, and natural product regulation.