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Dr. Bala Ilangovan
Director of Digital Transformation
LMAC
Bala is a digital transformation leader with 10+ yrs experience specialising in turning productivity into profitability through digitalisation.
He is an industry 4.0 strategy and execution advisor and has a broad range of experience managing large scale transformation programmes advising clients across various industry sectors in operational technology, industrial automation, PLM, MES, IoT and industry cloud solutions
Luke McCluskey
Group Managing Director
Circle
With over 15 years of experience in the talent and workforce solutions industry, Luke is the driving force behind Circle’s vision and growth. A recognised expert in talent strategy and project delivery, he launched Circle with a clear mission: to challenge outdated recruitment models and build a solution-led partner that delivers real, measurable outcomes.
Heading up our multinational talent solutions, Luke combines deep industry knowledge with a commercial edge. His understanding of sector demands — particularly across FMCG, Pharma, MedTech, and Supply Chain — enables Circle to stay ahead of market shifts and client needs.
Under his leadership, Circle has become a trusted partner for businesses delivering capital and digital transformation projects, known for its Projects, People, and Products model and its agile, insight-driven approach.
Luke continues to work closely with clients and the internal team, championing a partnership-first culture, and building a business that’s Powered by People. Built to Win.
Tahar Kerkeni
Lead, Next Generation Industrial Operating Systems
World Economic Forum
Tahar Kerkeni is a thought leader in industrial and digital transformation, currently leading the Lighthouse Operating System initiative at the World Economic Forum. With over 13 years of international experience, he has a proven track record of advising national industrial transformation agendas and shaping strategies that drive sustainable manufacturing, innovation ecosystems, digital competitiveness, and empower SMEs.
Tahar has worked with global leaders across sectors like automotive, pharma, and consumer goods, helping organizations leverage digital technologies to transform operations and scale impact. He has held leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Bosch, Cognite, and Rockwell Automation, where he led transformative initiatives to integrate digital, AI, and sustainability into manufacturing and supply chain processes.
Kayleigh Prowen
Commercial Director
Circle
Kayleigh is the driving force behind Circle’s partnership growth, leading strategic collaborations with some of the industry’s most respected consultancies. As Commercial Director, she plays a key role in shaping Circle’s client strategy and solution delivery across FMCG, Pharma, MedTech, and Supply Chain.
With a deep understanding of the industry and its evolving challenges, Kayleigh brings a unique ability to translate business needs into practical, outcome-based talent strategies. Her vision and commercial acumen have helped position Circle as a go-to partner for organisations seeking agile, project-led workforce solutions.
Kayleigh’s approach blends insight with execution. She works closely with clients to build scalable models that deliver results, foster long-term collaboration, and unlock real value from talent strategy.
Her leadership continues to fuel Circle’s growth, reinforcing our commitment to partnership, performance, and progress.
Powered by People. Built to Win.
Matt Harwood
Commercial Manager
Signify Connected IoT Lighting Systems & Services
Matt has 15 years’ experience delivering turnkey LED lighting systems & services, specializing in the Industrial, Aerospace & Defence sectors.
Passionate about the latest Connected IoT lighting systems and “Value Beyond Illumination” Matt is an ambassador for sustainable/circular lighting technologies.
This along with deep expertise & knowledge of innovative business/service models (Such as Light-as-a-Service), and how these new service models enable clients
to accelerate their journey towards a more sustainable and operationally efficient future
Robert Sprott
System Architect R&H/O&I
Signify
Robert has over 14 years experience working in lighting and lighting controls, focusing primarily on smart buildings and IOT integration.
Roberts has in depth Knowledge and practical experience in delivering sustainable solutions for intelligent building ecosystems.
Teodor Stanilov
Partner
Kearney
As a partner at Kearney, Teo helps clients achieve their end-to-end operations transformation goals. In today’s landscape where profitable growth, sustainability, and resilience have become the new nerve center of operational and organizational strategies, businesses need to think end-to-end to maximise their impact. Teo brings deep expertise and 12+ years of experience in guiding organisations through these complex transformations to deliver lasting value.
Antti Kautovaara
Partner & Global Head of Manufacturing
Kearney
Antti leads Kearney's global manufacturing team and has cross-industry experience in a wide range of manufacturing topics from operational excellence programs to footprint optimisation to bringing digital into the shop floor. With over 25 years’ experience in consulting, Antti has expertise in leading large scale end-to-end operations programmes, as well as multi-site 4-walls improvement programmes. Antti is passionate about finding collaborative ways to bring UK manufacturing to the next level.
Sean Robinson
Group Smart Factory Lead
Novotek
Sean helps manufacturers to define and deliver smart manufacturing programs that support key business strategies such as manufacturing agility, right-first-time programs, and sustainable manufacturing. Having begun his industrial IT career deploying finite scheduling systems for steel, paper and plastics firms, Sean brings over 30 years’ experience in a variety of client management, technology consulting, and technology implementation roles. Despite the occasional foray into different sectors, most of his career has centred on manufacturing execution systems, plant/ERP/SCM integration, IoT and industrial machine learning/AI.
Andrew Quinton
Technology Leader
BT
Andrew is a technology principal inside BT’s Innovation unit, focussing on developing 5G-enabled innovative products to help drive customers digital transformation. He has spent the past few years focussing on the value that AI, data, automation and advanced connectivity can bring to customers globally.
Andrew has over 25 years’ experience inside the technology industry, ranging from architecture through to senior leadership, strategy, and transformation. With an Executive MBA and as a Chartered Manager, he also supports future leaders as an Associate Lecturer with the University of Exeter, providing insights on emerging technologies and business digital transformation.
Simon Culshaw
Sales Director Manufacturing
Atos
Simon Culshaw is a member of the Manufacturing leadership team in Atos and is responsible for strategy and business development in UK&I. Simon has extensive experience in the delivery of IT and Smart Manufacturing services across a large number of different manufacturing customers. He is a thought leader and published strategist in the area of Smart Manufacturing. Prior to joining Atos, Simon worked as a management consultant at KPMG and in various IT roles at Sanofi.
Jonathan Newton
General Manager Europe at OFS
Jonathan Newton is General Manager Europe at OFS, a global leader in operations performance software helping manufacturers maximize efficiency and output for 19 years. With the launch of Mayvn AI - OFS’s game-changing AI technology - Jonathan is at the forefront of driving smarter, data-driven decisions that enable manufacturers to produce more with less. Jonathan brings over 25 years of international experience in commercial roles within the manufacturing and packaging sectors, having worked for renowned global companies including Amcor, VISY and International Paper. Throughout his career, Jonathan has partnered with some of the world’s leading manufacturers such as Nestlé, Coca-Cola, P&G, Pfizer, GSK, AB Foods, and HP. His deep expertise in sales, operations, and strategic leadership positions him as a trusted advisor to manufacturers looking to accelerate performance and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market.
Matthew Byrom
Head of Business Excellence & Quality Management, Siemens GB&I
As the Business Excellence & Quality Management Lead for Siemens Great Britain & Ireland, Matthew leads initiatives that leverage AI and digitalization to transform industry practices and enhance operational efficiency. Business Excellence at Siemens is all about competitiveness – creating the conditions for growth, and a relentless approach to enhancing productivity.
Since starting in 2005 as a temporary production employee in the Siemens Congleton factory, Matthew developed a passion for manufacturing and business improvement. Over the years, he has progressed through a diverse range of roles including Graduate Program, Manufacturing Leadership, Business Excellence, and Sales.
His time with Siemens has largely focused on driving productivity through process improvement and employee engagement. As Head of Business Excellence, his skills encompass operational excellence, manufacturing leadership, and strategy deployment. Matthew is a contributing author of the EFQM Excellence model and played a key role in the Ventilator Challenge UK.
Mark Feathers
Principal Product Marketing Manager
Epicor Software
Mark is a highly experienced product marketer who has worked for a variety of manufacturing software providers over the last two decades. He has experience across EMEA, APAC & North America and holds ASCM CPIM & CSCP accreditations. Mark is committed to helping manufacturing organisations improve their operational effectiveness.
Jan Hemper
OT Enterprise Architecture and Control Systems
Jan is a co-founder of InControl Systems and Konektio (formally InVMA)
Jan is an experienced industrial controls engineer and systems architect with 20 years' experience of building distributed control, monitoring and business systems in Oil and Gas, Heavy Industries, Mining and FMCG.
Jan has designed and architected multiple large scale geo-distributed data acquisition, process control, information and reporting systems that enhance manufacturing efficiency and facilitate enterprise asset management. He is recognised by his peers in the industry as an outstanding control engineer with expert knowledge of OT Enterprise Architecture, proprietary and open protocols and control approaches.
Dr. Seamus Nevin
Chief Economist, Make UK
Dr. Seamus Nevin is Chief Economist for Make UK. He is currently an Academic Visitor at the University of Oxford. Previously, Seamus served as a member of the National Living Wage advisory group under Chancellor George Osborne; and as a researcher and advisor to two Leaders of the Labour Party. Seamus is a regular commentator across radio, print, online and television media.
Nigel Pearce
Director, Collaborative Product Realisation Limited
Nigel has worked in manufacturing for 35 years since graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 33 of those years with Rolls-Royce plc, Nigel gained a huge breadth of experience delivering manufacturing technology projects, significant factory and supply chain improvements, many product introductions and reactivations, fast make components and two benchmark new factories. Nigel held the role of Digital Manufacturing Director for Rolls-Royce working closely with both the IT and the Manufacturing organisations and delivering significant digital traction. At this time, Nigel led the Rolls-Royce effort for the ventilator challenge during the first Covid lockdown. Most recently, Nigel has built a supply chain in a start-up. Nigel has now set-up his own business to offer his expertise to those who are equally passionate about UK manufacturing and want to drive towards zero defects through excellent, collaborative product realisation.
Henry Anson
Managing Director
Hennik Research
Managing Director at Hennik Research, a division of Nineteen Group and Publisher of The Manufacturer, the board level resource for UK manufacturing.
Passionate about manufacturing and its role for the future. Sick of the negativity and misconceptions surrounding the sector ('we don’t do manufacturing, not a suitable career, boring, dirty, not well paid etc etc' ) and determined to do something about it.
Dianne Eldridge
MBA, B. Eng, B. Comm
Worldwide Business Development Leader for Industrial AI/Generative AI, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Dianne Eldridge is a trail blazer at the forefront of AI integration in the industrial sector. As the Worldwide Business Development Leader for Industrial AI/Generative AI at Amazon Web Services (AWS), she drives the creation, launch, and scaling of revolutionary AI services. Leveraging a customer-centric approach, Dianne and her team craft strategies that align with client needs, embodying AWS's commitment to transforming groundbreaking ideas into global, multi-billion dollar enterprises.
With over two decades of experience in the industrial sector, Dianne's expertise spans critical areas including AI implementation, P&L, strategic business development, and global operations. Prior to her role at AWS, she served as Executive Director of Strategic Business Unit at Emerson, a Fortune 200 engineering and manufacturing powerhouse. There, she led a multi-hundred-million-dollar manufacturing portfolio with operations across the United States, China, Malaysia, and Italy.
Recognized as a 2024 finalist for 50 Women to Watch For Boards by 50/50 Women On Boards, Dianne is a highly sought-after speaker and thought leader in the field of industrial AI and women in technology. Her insights have been shared through TEDx talk and as speaker and panelist at prestigious events such as AWS re:Invent, World Bank AI Insight Round Table, AI&Automation Conference by A3, and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) National Conference. Dianne's leadership extends to her roles as Advisory Board Chair for the Women's Energy Network (WEN) Houston and board member for the AI Technology Strategy Board at the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).
*Dianne is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese
Arash Ghazanfari
Chief Technology Officer (UK)
Dell Technologies
A highly experienced technology executive, Arash is focused on driving sales, business growth and supporting Dell Technologies’ go-to-market strategy. He is currently serving as a Chief Technology Officer, supporting the UK leadership and sales team members with strategic client engagements, involving executive stakeholders and partners. Arash helps drive the overall go-to-market strategy across the full breadth of the Dell Technologies ecosystem and its extended strategic partnerships in the United Kingdom.
Joss Colchester
Founder
Systems Innovation Network
Joss Colchester is the founder of the Systems Innovation Network, a global community of some twenty-seven thousand members learning and applying the ideas and methods of systems thinking toward addressing wicked challenges in diverse areas.
With a background in design, he has spent the last ten years researching and teaching systems thinking and complexity theory to millions of people via the video lessons and countless live sessions presented on the Si platform.
A thought leader and community builder, Joss is on a mission to make the ideas of systems thinking more accessible to more people and to create spaces where we can work together on addressing the most critical and complex challenges of today.
Dr. Paul Turner
Managing Director, AI Insights Consulting
Dr. Paul Turner is a globally recognized leader in the industrial application of artificial intelligence, with over three decades of experience driving innovation and digital transformation at scale. As a visionary strategist and technology pioneer, Dr. Turner has successfully bridged the gap between AI research and real-world implementation, delivering tangible impact across manufacturing, industrial automation, and enterprise AI solutions.
Dr. Turner holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, an MBA with distinction, and a first-class honours degree in Physics. He has been named one of The Manufacturer’s Top 100 technology leaders in manufacturing and is nominated for Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Engineering for his contributions to AI in manufacturing.
Currently serving as Managing Director of AI Insights Consulting Limited, Dr. Turner is a senior AI advisor to global consultancy firm Kearney, helping C-level executives navigate the complexities of AI-driven decision-making, digital transformation, and Industry 4.0. His unparalleled expertise has positioned him as a sought-after advisor, speaker, and thought leader on the future of industrial AI.
Previously, as President and COO of Raven.ai, Dr. Turner led the company through a transformative growth phase during which the company secured over $12 million in funding and achieved record-breaking revenue milestones. He was instrumental in redefining the company’s corporate strategy, optimizing operational efficiencies, and expanding strategic partnerships with EY, BCG, and other global leaders. His leadership enabled Raven.ai to double its monthly revenue despite economic headwinds while significantly reducing operational costs.
Dr. Turner’s impact on global manufacturing extends to his tenure as Vice President of Industry 4.0 at Stanley Black & Decker, where he spearheaded the deployment of AI-powered productivity platforms across dozens of global factories. Under his leadership, these solutions drove multi-million-dollar productivity gains across the enterprise.
With a career that spans executive roles at EY, Wipro, and Aspen Technology, Dr. Turner has played a pivotal role in advancing AI adoption in Fortune 500 companies. His pioneering work in “cause and effect” AI - backed by patents and over 50 publications - has transformed industrial process optimization, machine learning applications, and AI safety in mission-critical environments.
Richard Milnes
Chief Executive Officer
Zaptic
Richard Milnes is the founder and CEO of Zaptic, a leader in AI-driven connected work. With expertise in connected worker platforms, compliance, and operational transformation, Richard explores how AI is revolutionising how organizations manage knowledge, embed process change and drive continuous improvement.
Richard Porter
Global Director
Smart Factory Strategy
GE Vernova
Richard Porter is the Global Director, Smart Factory Strategy for Manufacturing & Digital Plant at GE Vernova. In this role, Richard is part of the team responsible for leading the commercial & product strategy to support Smart Factory digital transformations globally.
With 30 years of experience in the manufacturing IT arena, in roles ranging from software development, project management, product management, consulting and sales leadership; Richard has developed extensive skills for leading manufacturing software implementation strategies and successfully combining the technical, cultural, and commercial aspects of those projects. He feels strongly that the use of digital technologies offers huge opportunities for business transformation; whether focused on costs, efficiencies, quality, sustainability, or more likely a combination of all!
Today, Richard’s ambition is to continue working with customers to drive such transformations harnessing the benefits of Industry 4.0 in the current era of digitization.
Based in the UK, Richard graduated from Warwick University with an MSc in Information Technology for Manufacture, and from Durham University with a BSc (Hons) in Engineering.
Nicholas Leeder
Founder of Nick Leeder & Co
BEng (Hons), Ceng, MIET
For over 25 years, Nick Leeder has helped global manufacturers turn digital transformation from buzzwords into real business outcomes. His expertise lies in optimising operations, increasing margins, and driving revenue growth through smart, connected technologies—always with a focus on tangible impact over hype. Recognised by the World Economic Forum as a Global Expert in Advanced Manufacturing and Digital Transformation, Nick has received numerous industry awards for his contributions. He is also a Certified Assessor for both SIRI and CoSIRI, guiding manufacturers on structured digital transformation journeys.
A sought-after keynote speaker and thought leader, Nick has presented at World Manufacturing Forum, Hannover Messe, and UK Digital Manufacturing Week, alongside industry giants such as Microsoft, PTC, Rockwell, and IDC. His insights are regularly published in industry white papers and reports, and he actively advises leading industry bodies, the Financial Times, and the WEF’s Industry Strategy meetings on Advanced Manufacturing.
Experience
Nick is the founder of Nick Leeder & Co Limited, an award-winning advisory firm helping manufacturing executives cut through digitalisation noise to deliver profitable transformation.
His work spans C-suite advisory roles, board positions, and partnerships with national governments and NGOs to advance industrial innovation. Nick Leeder serves on the Advisory Board of Augury Inc., a leader in AI-driven machine health and process intelligence, helping manufacturers predict equipment failures, optimise performance, and enhance operational efficiency through advanced IoT, AI, and predictive
maintenance technologies.
Previously, as Global VP of Digital Transformation Solutions at PTC Inc. (NASDAQ: PTC, $20B+ market cap), he led market-leading growth in Industrial IoT and Augmented Reality. Before that, he was accountable for PLM and Industry 4.0 at SKF AB, reporting to the Chief Technology Officer. SKF is a global leader in reliable rotation solutions, with over 44,000 employees and 100+ factories across 44 countries. At Dyson, Nick was accountable for engineering and manufacturing transformation, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer. He also held leadership roles at Philips and Elekta AB, focusing on
engineering productivity and operational efficiency. His experience includes senior positions at Accenture, IBM, and Deloitte, advising industrial firms on operational and digital strategy.
Ed Koch
Chief Solutions Officer
Competitive Capabilities International
Ed Koch is the Chief Solutions Officer at Competitive Capabilities International (CCi), a global tech-enabled consulting firm that helps leading manufacturers and supply chains drive and sustain operational excellence.
Ed has 30-years’ experience in operations management and implementing global improvement programmes in multinationals including Unilever, SABMiller, and ABInBev. Ed's areas of expertise include harnessing digital solutions and traditional lean operational excellence for supply chain value, organisation design, supply chain integration, and asset care.
Ed holds an MSc in Lean Operations Management, BSc in Mechanical Engineering and is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in the UK.
Christopher Hamlin
Co-Founder and Lead Advisor
FREng FIChemE CEng
Chris is the co-founder and lead advisor at HancockHamlin, a freelance research, advisory, education and coaching company working at the intersection of the fields of digital transformation, sustainability and non-linear complex systems. He is a Fellow of the IChemE and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) in 2019 in recognition of his contribution to industrial automation and digital transformation. He is also a qualified Co-Active Coach, Cognitive Edge Practitioner and Viable Systems Model Coach, providing a unique blend of technical, organisational and behavioural expertise that equips him to support organisations, teams and individuals through complex transformation journeys.
Prior to founding his own company, Chris worked for Emerson as the EMEA consulting business leader with global domain leadership for production optimisation and sustainability. His most recent full-time role was as the Capability Development Leader for Seeq Corporation, responsible for developing and delivering a variety of strategic programs that underpinned on-going, long-term expansion. The early part of his career comprised nearly 20 years in various roles in petrochemicals and plastics manufacturing, working for companies including ICI, Huntsman and Sabic.
Chris sits on the RAEng’s Regional Talent Engine Steering Group and chairs that activity in the North-East of England, providing pre-seed funding, training and coaching to technology-based start-ups. He is vice-chair of the IChemE’s Process Management and Control SIG with responsibility for organising the Advances in the Digitalisation of the Process Industries conference series and was a co-opted member of the Partnership for Automation and Control Teaching (PACT) which he chaired for several years.
Chris’ first degrees are in chemical engineering from Cambridge, and he also has an MBA from Durham Business School where he fostered a research interest in the application of complexity theory to innovation and the behaviour of economic systems as a Visiting Fellow. He is currently a Visting Professor at Huddersfield University where he teaches complex systems and provides one-to-one coaching and mentoring support to postgraduate students.
He lives in Northumberland, close to Hadrian’s Wall, with his wife, Penny, and son Seth where he enjoys road and gravel cycling and watching rugby.
Alastair Crawford
Manufacturing Transformation Leader
Industry 4.0 Expert
Change Practitioner
Alastair Crawford is passionate about helping manufacturing businesses become more competitive and sustainable. As Managing Director of LMAC, he leverages over 25 years of international experience with world-class lean organizations, including Toyota, to guide companies on their journey to becoming high-performing, digitally enabled enterprises.
A certified SIRI (Industry 4.0) assessor and change management practitioner, Alastair works closely with businesses to develop strategic plans that drive the adoption of Industry 4.0 principles, delivering transformational change across manufacturing value chains. His common-sense, down-to-earth approach ensures quick, sustainable results aligned with both current and future challenges.
Through LMAC’s pragmatic, bespoke support, Alastair curates tailored solutions that deliver sustainable, tangible outcomes. His expertise spans operational strategy, world-class manufacturing (Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints), digital manufacturing value stream design, and executive coaching.
Ben Davies
Psychological Skills Mentor
Chimp Management
Julian Bolton
IT Director
Princes Food
Adam Spunberg
Global Head of Operations, 100+ Accelerator Sustainability
AB InBev
John Robinson
Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Creator of The Quorum Principle™
John is a globally respected Industry 4.0 thought leader. His unique insights and disruptive thinking are the result of a thirty-year career that has included senior roles at Kearney, SAP, EY, Atos and Schneider Electric as well as over decade in manufacturing. He has worked with many of the world’s largest manufacturing brands across all industry sectors and his skill set includes strategy, IT, OT, Operational Excellence and Industry 4.0.
Raimund Klein
Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Head of the Board of Directors
International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT)
Key areas of expertise and achievements: Business transformation, business growth models, commercial strategy, corporate communications, stakeholder engagement,
product management, digital services, process changes, strategic sales planning, factory management, industrial marketing, regulatory development, key performance
indicators, global team building, staff education programmes.