Alan Norbury is the CTO for Siemens UK industrial activities - a leading global supplier of industrial plant and software, manufacturing automation and drive technologies to industrial customers across the UK and Ireland.

Alan started his career as an Apprentice in Siemens Congleton in 1978 moving into the role of Technical Specialist for Siemens automation and low voltage products. In 1992 Alan spent time in Germany acting as Global Account Manager for key accounts such as Philip Morris & ICI.

He later became the UK Product Specialist for a number of advanced technologies, developing into the role of Applications Specialist primarily focussing on the UK OEM market. Alan established a team of Application Specialists in 1997, a team of pre-sales technical consultants positioned across UK and Ireland whose main focus was to provide advice on the best use of Siemens Industrial technologies.

Dr Sarrawat Rehman is a chartered engineer with over 15 year’s combined experience in academic and industrial research and development in orthopaedics and spine.  Dr Rehman’s primary focus is on co-development of new technologies with an emphasis on advanced manufacturing techniques and regenerative medicine for musculoskeletal applications.  Her role includes redefining the innovation process to bring potentially disruptive technologies to market, working with both global and multidisciplinary teams from academia and industry to drive collaborative development projects, protecting new technologies and securing competitive funding to support the growth of technology development portfolios. 

Pending

Fiacre started with Encirc in 1998. Initially he was the Planning Manager and held roles as business development manager and Marketing manager prior to becoming head of strategic development in 2015.

He is a board member of British glass, a member of the executive council of the British Soft Drinks Association and a member of the Environmental Leadership Team in Northern Ireland.

His responsibilities now include the marketing and communications functions at Encirc as well as the continued development of the company’s sustainability strategy.

Andrew Wright has 30 years of experience in manufacturing. In senior positions in FTSE100 companies BP and Johnson Matthey, he has run large multinational businesses and more recently as Managing Director of Reliance Precision in Huddersfield, he is managing a Yorkshire based, family owned, SME.

He has broad international experience, growing existing and creating new businesses in India and China.  All of his jobs have required the driving of innovation in processes and products and this has often meant forging partnerships between universities and business.  Reliance is working on a number of Innovate UK sponsored collaborations.  A motor for driving solar arrays on telecoms satellites is currently being developed with the European Space Agency and Reliance partners with Leeds-based Steeper Group on the exciting bebionic hand.

A keen supporter of high quality apprenticeships and well experienced at working with the world class universities in the region, he also takes a special interest in promoting the Region as a highly attractive location for innovative business.

Michael Hague-Morgan is Commercial & Engineering Director and major shareholder of engine remanufacturer Autocraft Drivetrain Solutions Limited. A graduate from Cardiff University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mike has 20 years experience in the Automotive Tier 1 supply base, with 15 years at board level.

Since joining Autocraft and under his commercial and engineering leadership, the company has grown from £8m to over £20m turnover, increasing the workforce from 98 to 200 people. Mike is a passionate believer in B2B partnerships with a win-win philosophy. He is a keen supporter of developing engineering talent and champions the use of new technology in manufacturing businesses. Autocraft is currently on a journey of embracing Industry 4.0 and has already seen huge benefits by taking digital technologies from other industries and applying it to its traditional processes for engine remanufacturing and assembly. Mike is keen to share this experience to show how Industry 4.0 can make a quantum shift in your business.

Henry currently heads-up the Business Support function for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which includes the LEP Growth Service and the wide range of products accessible from it, including support with capital investment, resource efficiency and innovation.

Henry has been working in business and skills support for almost 20 years at the local, regional and national level. He led the Enterprise Development Team at Yorkshire Forward and was involved in the development of professional standards for business advisers and owner-managers during his time with SFEDI. He also has inward investment and regeneration experience from his two stints with Leeds City Council.

Henry is also involved in the running of his family’s small business in North Leeds, which is particularly helpful when designing and running current products and services.

Rab Scott is Head of Digital at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

Rab has been a member of the AMRC staff since its beginning in 2001, heading up the Virtual Reality and Simulation activities and now leads on the strategic development and implementation of digital solutions across the whole organisation.

Rab sits on the High Value Manufacturing Catapult VR and Visualisation Forum, Digital Forum and the Steering Committee of Immerse UK. He has recently been made a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde.

Oliver Harry is a former newspaper journalist and communications manager for various private and public organisations.

He joined Encirc in 2016 as communications and PR manager and is responsible for helping to take the businesses brand, profile and culture to a new level of excellence.

Phil is COO and Co-Founder of Blaze, an urban mobility brand providing technology for bike sharing schemes and consumer cyclists globally.

Gareth Henderson is founder and managing director of Orchard Facilities Management – a Huddersfield-based company that works with businesses nationwide providing a complete facilities management function including waste management, IT managed services, commercial cleaning, pest control, maintenance and compliance.

Founded 10 years ago, Orchard Facilities Management currently employs more than 30 people and has recently acquired Independence House in Huddersfield as its new headquarters as it prepares to become a national player in the FM sector.

The significant size of the firm’s new headquarters has enabled Gareth to fulfil a long held ambition to establish a business incubator for young enterprises. This will provide a nurturing environment for growth, access to insight and advice from the Orchard directors and the benefit of Gareth’s experience gained from establishing and running Orchard Facilities Management and his first business, Orchard Energy, which he ran for 13 years before selling to a national PLC organisation.

Andrew is a founding director of Daletech and is currently the Production Director and has always worked in the electronics industry. He has responsibility for design and manufacture and understands the complex issues involved in electronic manufacture and understands the need for continuous improvement. Daletech manufactures for a variety of different industries ranging from welding equipment to dog hairdryers and delivers the best customer service by understanding their issues and providing precise solutions.

Rob is a corporate finance partner and has experience with a wide range of sell and buy side corporate finance transactions, including corporate acquisitions, disposals and management and shareholder buy outs.  He also has experience across a wide range of sectors with a heavy bias towards manufacturing.

Rob has spent more than 10 years advising owner managed businesses on strategy, due diligence and M&A issues at Mazars, and prior to that at a Big 4 firm.  He has been a key member of the Leeds office helping to grow one of the largest corporate finance teams in the region.

Born & bred in the ‘steel city’ of Sheffield, Anne is an award winning Managing Director operating in the precision engineering sector receiving an MBE for Services to Engineering in the Queens New Year’s Honours list 2016.

With a background in finance & banking she   joined Numill, a precision engineering company, in year 2000 as its bookkeeper.

Returning to education aged 40 she qualified with ACCA, Accounting Technician, followed by a management degree & a post-graduate qualification in Strategic Management.  The MBO of Numill Ltd was the subject of Anne’s dissertation.  Bringing the MBO to fruition she purchased the Company in October 2006 from the founding owner who began in 1969.

A Chartered Manager, having steered the Company through the deepest part of the recession, Anne’s priorities now are to drive the Company forward in the UK & through export but also to ensure that vital skills are passed on for the future.  

With this in mind & believing in ‘Life Long Learning’ Anne is now a Governor at Sheffield College and also at a primary school, Greengate Academy in Sheffield.  She is Cutlers Champion at Outwood Academy City in the Sheffield and taking up a role as Enterprise Advisor for this secondary school.

As part of her continuous development in her career Anne is now undertaking NED positions with Engineering Industries Association (EIA) & Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.

Ben Peace, Sustainable Manufacturing Lead, The Knowledge Transfer Network

Ben is part of the manufacturing team at the “Knowledge Transfer Network”, which is the UK’s Innovation Network. He worked in industry for ten years in product development – first in a university spinout, and then in a multi-national heating conglomerate. He then spent a couple of years in innovation consultancy before joining the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) in 2011. KTN’s mission is to stimulate innovation and join up the innovation landscape. With many thousands of members they do this by setting up effective collaborative partnerships and providing access to funding.

Dr Hosein Torabmostaedi is Strategic Account Manager at High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute (HSSMI) – a leading independent institute collaborating with manufacturers, academic institutes and solution providers to deploy innovative technologies, tools and methods to support the UK manufacturing sector. Hosein is responsible for supporting automotive OEMs in Midlands with manufacturing strategy development and deployment to help drive the investment efficiency.