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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.