Hydrogen Utopia has appointed Simon Mann as non-executive chairman to replace Guy Peter, who remains an executive director.
Ex-military, Mann served for 10 years in the British Army including four years in the SAS and a further 10 years as a contractor with different private military companies (PMC) in several conflicts in Africa.
He was jailed in Zimbabwe for four years and in Equatorial Guinea for his involvement in a failed coup in 2004 for which he was subsequently pardoned.
In the eighties, Mann was involved in raising funds for two UK companies he co-founded.
Terms of his appointment include two million options at an exercise price of £0.05 per share that vest over a period of two years.
Aleksandra Binkowska, HUI’s chief executive, said: "I believe I am fighting a war. A war against plastic waste which is venomous to our planet and a war against latency and inefficiency.
“With Simon Mann's contacts and willpower, I believe doors will open in places I could have never accessed myself. His energy and determination for HUI's mission are striking."
Mann added: "Turning plastic waste into hydrogen has to be the most useful business sector in which I could apply my energy and ability.“