Speakers

Andrew Haldane is the Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and will become Chancellor of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, University of Sheffield in November 2025.

He was formerly Chief Economist at the Bank of England and a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee. He was the Permanent Secretary for Levelling Up at the Cabinet Office from September 2021 to March 2022.

Andrew is Founder and President of the charity Pro Bono Economics, Vice-Chair of the charity National Numeracy and Chair of the National Numeracy Leadership Council. Andrew chairs the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s Industrial Board and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Bradford Literature Festival and the South Yorkshire Mayor’s Economic Advisory Council. He was formerly Chair of the Government’s Industrial Strategy Council and the Levelling Up Advisory Council. He is contributing editor at the Financial Times and Chief Economic Advisor at PwC.

Among other positions, he is Honorary Professor at the Universities of Nottingham, Manchester and Exeter, Visiting Professor at King’s College, London and a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Academy of Social Sciences. He has published over 150 academic articles and four books.

After 30 years in various executive and design management positions in the automotive industry, Global Executive Director at General Motors in charge of the Design of the group's eight brands, and Renault Design Director for the Twingo, Clio& Scénic programs, Anne ASENSIO joins Dassault Systèmes in 2008 as Vice President Design Experience. She created the "Design" discipline and design research department of Dassault Systèmes as well as the DESIGN Studio entity, bringing together a multidisciplinary team in innovation strategy through design, experience design, upstream thinking, design research, design management.

Advocating a participatory approach with regard to new technologies and virtual universes, the DESIGN Studio supports Dassault Systèmes’ customers in fast-growing industrial sectors in their needs for transformation, digital and sustainable innovation, towards new business models for a circular economy, towards virtuous design processes, as a manifestation of their value proposition to their end customers.

Anne collaborates with designers, artists, maverick thinkers, innovators in diverse industry and public sectors. Imagining alternatives strategies to transform the world we live in in a more sustainable and desirable one, Anne enables cross-thinking,colliding nature inspired and technological approaches through creation and ultimately leverage the value of design for users, citizens and humans’ well-being.

Anne Asensio contributes to a number of publications, is a member of several boards in industry, business and academia, as well as a regular jury member internationally. Anne holds a Master of Arts in transportation design from Detroit-based College for Creative Studies and a DSAA of industrial design from Paris-based Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués (ENSAAMA). Anne has been made Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and Officier de l’Ordre du Mérite

Björn Axling is the Head of Product Lifecycle Management at Grundfos, a global leader in water solutions. Björn is a growth- and people-oriented leader with a strong commitment to serve customers, drive growth, innovation and PLM excellence in the areas of physical products, digital platforms, autonomous & robotics, AI, IoT and new business models.

As part of the Group Technology & Innovation management team at Grundfos he is on a mission to drive a Group-wide, cross-functional transformation into smarter, more efficient and a data-driven ways of working through the product lifecycle from ideation to end-of-life.

Björn has a 20+ year background from senior industry positions, unicorn scale-ups, as an entrepreneur and co-founder of a venture backed start-up company, top tier management consulting as well as Board of Director roles. He is a thought leader, published author and keynote speaker in the field of innovation and PLM.

Dave Mason is a seasoned Data, Digital & Operations Executive with extensive experience in the aerospace, defence, and security sectors, having worked in these fields since their undergraduate years - spending summers focused on systems modelling and operational analysis - laid the foundation for a career that has always been driven by a passion for integrating data and analytics into operational outcomes.

Having held diverse roles across engineering, project management, and supply chain, Operations leadership and now CDO (since 2021) gives a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with transforming operations through effective data management and exploitation.

As a key member of the operational leadership team at Thales UK and within the broader Thales group, Dave collaborates with their global network of data and digital leaders. Dave currently runs the Data and Digital Competence Centre for Thales UK which include a Digital Operations, Cloud Platform, Apps, Data and AI teams that are focused on helping internal and external users work in smarter, faster, simpler ways.

Debbie is a Chartered Engineer and Certified Programme Manager with 30 years of engineering experience in aerospace engineering, applied research, system testing, engineering management and engineering leadership. 

After graduating from the University of Texas with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Aerospace Engineering, she has held a variety of product delivery and functional roles in the US and the UK and is currently serving as the Director of Engineering for the UKAEA’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme. 

Debbie has had experience working in Manufacturing, Finance and Business Development as well as in the areas of strategy, risk management and engineering governance. Debbie is also a Foundation Governor at her local Primary School and is passionate about inspiring young people in STEM.

Gerry Clark representing Maher and Proxima, based in Sheffield. Gerry has worked in high-integrity materials industries for more than 30 years, directly in the supply chain supporting OEM, Tier 1 and SME clients. Has been associated with the AMRC in Sheffield since 2005 and works closely between HMV Catapult Centres and Industry.


MAHER produces high-strength, high performance alloys and precision machined components. They have a legacy in steel and offer an extensive product range of Nickel, Copper, Titanium and other specialist alloys. MAHER work with MTC, AMRC and NMIS.


Proxima is new sister company to MAHER manufacturing disruptive novel titanium primary structures for the commercial aircraft and defence aerospace market

Harriet Wollerton is the ADS Supply Chain Solutions Services Director. The Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) Framework is a single, simple access, cross sector programme, enabling suppliers to improve their competitive performance, highlight opportunities to invest in innovation and digitalization, as well as helping them make progress towards their sustainability goals and demonstrate advancement towards net zero.

She began her career as a technical non-production purchaser at Lucas Aerospace Systems (now Collins Aerospace) and has more than 25 years’ experience of programme management, supply chain, supplier management, strategic sourcing, marketing and business development in the Aerospace industry.

Harriet joined ADS at the beginning of January 2016 as Aerospace Operations & Business Development Manager, coordinating and leading ADS Aerospace industry business development activity, as well as supporting sector specific aerospace special interest groups.

Joe Rippon has been with the Sizewell C project for over six years. He is Deputy Treasury Director and works on a number of key aspects of the funding and financing arrangements. 

This includes leading the development of a novel approach to meeting the new nuclear financing challenge – the Regulated Asset Base model. This funding model and investor proposition it entails will allow Sizewell C to bring new types of investors into a nuclear construction project for the first time and support the project’s ability to raise the equity and debt capital it requires to fund construction. 

Joe is heavily involved in other aspects of the financing arrangements including engagement with credit rating agencies, potential equity investors and export credit arrangements.

Here he brings together the revenue arrangements, financial structure and strengths of the project to promote the project with the financial community.

John joined Dassault Systèmes in 2018 and led the successful transformation and sustainable growth of its Northern European operation as Managing Director. John has over 30 years’ experience of leading businesses, defining digital strategies and deploying major change programmes for clients enabled by world class technologies across many industries globally including Transport & Mobility, Aerospace & Defence, Oil & Gas, Industrial
Equipment and Hi-Tech. 

In January 2024 John commenced a new role responsible for all Dassault Systèmes customer engagement models driving our global growth ambition
and maximising our technology portfolio for our clients and
partners

Juliette is Chief Communications Officer at Energy UK, the UK’s broadest and most diverse energy trade association, representing companies across the sector including large-scale electricity generators, retailers who sell energy to business and households, and companies working towards decarbonising heat and transport. 

She has a Masters in Engineering from Cambridge University, and has held a variety of analytical and communications roles across low carbon generation at Equinor, Orsted and EDF Energy.

In 40 years working across BAE Systems and its predecessor companies, Kevin has embraced roles from Software Engineering on complex real-time systems, through to System Safety Engineering where he has, for over 10 years, been leading on the delivery of effective assurance cases for a diverse portfolio of products across the defence arena.

Kevin holds an MSc in Safety Critical Systems Engineering from the University of York, from which he has maintained a keen interest in the assurance of modern technologies, focussing on promoting Digital Twin Assurance for Safety-Critical Systems and efficient approaches to the assurance of Autonomous Systems.

Kevin is a Chartered Engineer, a fellow of the IET and a member of the Safety-Critical Systems Club (SCSC) where he leads in the field of Safety-Critical Service Assurance.Since mid-2024 Kevin has diversified to lead the important Sustainability Agenda for his area of BAE Systems in the UK. 

Although the key priorities focus on the drive to Carbon Net Zero, Kevin has maintained his involvement in driving the future assurance agenda in BAE Systems, seen as a critical underpinning of their Sustainability strategy.

Lynne has recent concluded a secondment to the National Nuclear Skills team where she developed and lead the implementation of Destination Nuclear, bringing together government, sector organisations, supply chains and education institutions to attract and recruit more people into the industry. 

This ground breaking programme is the first ever nuclear sector workforce attraction and recruitment campaign across civil and defence and sets out to support the huge skills challenge the sector faces.

Prior to joining Destination Nuclear in October 2023, Lynne spent 15 years at EDF Energy in a variety of roles including the development of the strategic approach to developing a workforce for nuclear new build and the delivery of social value. 

Working across EDF, supply chain, national and local government, and the local community to deliver skilled workers for Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. and developing a pipeline programme to secure future workforce. Lynne is also recognised internationally as an expert advisor for skills development chairing and participating in programmes lead by IAEA.

Madeleina Loughrey Grant is the Group Director for Legal and Sustainability at Laing O’Rourke, a global engineering and construction company known for pushing the boundaries of innovation in the built environment. Madeleina is a member of both the Global and European Executive Committees at Laing O’Rourke, holding executive accountability for the Group’s sustainability strategy and ambitions.

A qualified lawyer by background, Madeleina has built her career at the intersection of business value creation, opportunity and systems change. Madeleina has also led the supply chain function at Laing O’Rourke, bringing key areas of the business into closer alignment and harnessing the powerful synergies between procurement and sustainability. Her leadership has played a pivotal role in embedding sustainability into business strategy, operations and as a central driver of value and innovation. Known as an enabler of change, she leads with clarity, purpose, and a belief in the power of collaboration to solve complex challenges and build a more sustainable future.

Madeleina is a graduate of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (Prince of Wales Programme), the UK Green Building Council’s Recalibrate programme, and the Executive Programme at London Business School.

Marc Overton is Managing Director for Northern Europe of Dassault Systèmes, a company that is empowering organisations to sustainably invent, learn, produce, and trade in entirely new ways. Marc was previously a member of the executive team of EE/Orange in the UK, and has also held senior leadership positions at First Data, Cisco and Sierra Wireless and helped establish BT’s Division X, targeting specific industry solutions using 5G Private Networks and IoT. In addition to being an established international technology businesses executive, Marc has been a UK Army Reservist for 37 years. He is currently serving as the Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets) and as the Digital Non-Executive Director for Defence Equipment & Support, supporting all equipment and services for the UK Armed Forces.

Managing Partner, NOW Partners Foundation. Co-Founder, Future Economy Forum. Former Head of Open Innovation and Circular Economy at Danone. Circular Economy scholar and lecturer. Facilitates the paradigmatic shift to a regenerative future that reconnects Economy and Ecology.

Merijn has nearly two decades of experience in systemic innovation. For over 17 years Merijn worked as a change agent and intrapreneur from within the food industry, specializing in Circular Economy and the Regenerative Paradigm. He led the intersection of the transition towards a Regenerative Future, (as the expression of a new intent) and Open Innovation, (as the adaptive power of business) for Danone across the globe.

As an Industrial Designer, and one of the first and few Circular Economy scholars to specialize in the food system, he strives to increase discernment and develop the adoption of the regenerative paradigm in food and beyond, every day.

As an ambassador and change agent, Merijn connects people, builds bridges, and breaks barriers. By reframing and drafting a picture of boundless possibility, he sets out to inspire, unleash and accelerate positive change.

He has made it his mission to be a driving force in a systemic revolution, a paradigmatic shift, as the source of a new socio-ecological system. He aims to leave a world in which economical, social and ecological interests are aligned.

Merijn is the founder of OikoScope, the Managing Partner of NOW Partners Foundation, a Co-Founder of the Future Economy Forum, and teaches regenerative business and circular economy as guest lecturer at Fordham University, a member of the finance task force of the UN Environment Program and FAO’s Decade on Ecosystems Restoration, a Regenerative Economy Fellow at Natural Capitalism Solutions, a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Food Advisory Board, and a member of the Google Food Lab.

Michael Wooldridge is an academic and author specialising in Artificial Intelligence. He is a professor of AI at the University of Oxford, and Director for AI at the Alan Turing Institute, London.

He has received the Lovelace Medal from the British Computer Society, the leading award for a UK computer scientist, and the Outstanding Educator Award from the Association for the Advancement of AI. Previously he was
President of the European Association for AI, and President of the International Joint Conference on AI (IJCAI). 

He is also Editor-in-Chief of Artificial Intelligence, the academic AI journal.
Michael’s books include two science introductions to AI, The Ladybird Expert Guide to AI and The Road to Conscious Machines. 

He frequently gives lectures on AI including at the Hay Festival and Cheltenham Science Festival and is regularly interviewed on TV, radio and print on topics around AI and technology.

Neil Young CEng, BEng, FIChemE
Global Engineering Capability Director – Babcock International Group

Neil is the Global Engineering Capability Director at Babcock International Group. He is responsible for leadership and executive management oversight across the Group of the development and sustainment of Engineering Capability, including people, process and tools. Neil also sits on the Defence Industrial Joint Council People and Skills steering group co-chairing one the working groups for demand signal and academic interface.

Prior to this appointment Neil was the Engineering & Technology Director in Babcock’s marine sector, where he was responsible for 1,000 engineers with a strong focus on marine systems and ship design in both in-service support, capability upgrades and new builds. His engineering team ranged from concept engineering; new naval ship designs such as the Inspiration Class T31 Frigates; in-service support for naval surface ships and submarines. Neil was also responsible for the Digital Facility development at Rosyth, heading up the Innovation team there.

Neil is a visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh and was instrumental in the generation of an Innovation Campus on Babcock’s Rosyth Facility in partnership with University of Edinburgh, Strathclyde, Fife College and Fife Council. The first operational technology center is the University of Edinburgh’s FastBlade facility that will allow accelerated fatigue testing facility for tidal blades.

Before joining Babcock Neil spent 20 years in the oil and gas industry working globally and delivering 50+ Floating Production Storage and Offloading systems (FPSOs), used for deep water oil field development. He also managed a technology portfolio with wide ranging technologies from water treatment, solids transportation, separation and waste to energy.

Neil is a Chemical Engineer by profession and a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers.

In his spare time Neil manages his small holding, Poplar Farm, where he makes his own cider and keeps pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks and bees. The farm also hosts festival style weddings.

As former Chief Executive (June 2024) of the REA: The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, she was the voice and champion for policy and regulatory developments for its 550+ members across the renewable and clean tech sector in the UK and Internationally for close to 11 years.

Prior to joining the REA in 2013, Nina worked for 20 years for the RWE Group across fuel engineering and R&D, power station operations (where she was Npower’s first female power station manager) and trading. Her last RWE role was executive board member of Essent (RWE’s Dutch business) as Chief Technology Officer.

She is a board member of the UK Government’s Great British Energy and supervisory board Member of Royal BAM Group NV. She also advises National Energy System Operator (NESO), National Grid Electricity Distribution – Distribution System Operations and Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) and others. She chairs the Independent Advisory Panel for the Energy Institute of University of Nottingham. Previously she was on the Board of Transport for London (TfL), the charity; Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and REAL (subsidiary of REA).

She is a Fellow of the Energy Institute and longstanding POWERful Women Ambassador with a Doctorate in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering from University of Newcastle upon Tyne and an honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Aston University.

She received her CBE in 2016 for her services to the renewable energy sector and promoting diversity in the Energy Industry

Oriel is Senior Vice President, Head of Airbus Group UK Public Affairs. Part of the Airbus UK Executive Leadership team and based in London, she leads the company’s external engagement and strategy in the UK, working closely with the Global Executive Committee. She does this for all parts of Airbus UK (Commercial, Defence and Space and Helicopters) which employs around 12,500 people across 25 British sites.

Before joining Airbus, Oriel was a British senior civil servant and diplomat. From 2015 to 2019 she was responsible for commercial diplomacy at the British Embassy in Paris, becoming the first Deputy Trade Commissioner for Europe in 2018. In addition to advising Ministers on EU,economic and FDI policy, she has worked at the European Commission and advised the House
of Lords EU Committee.

Oriel Chairs the CBI Global Competitiveness Committee, a Trustee of the Franco-British Council and sits on the Boards of the Aerospace Growth Partnership and of the French Chamber of Great Britain.. She is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. She grew up in the Netherlands, has lived and worked in Germany, Belgium and France and speaks fluent German,
French and Dutch. She is an active mentor and married with two sons

Paul has extensive experience in the nuclear industry covering operations, commercial and research portfolios in the UK and also overseas. He has worked with a broad range of stakeholders across Government, industry and academia.

Paul began his career gaining his PhD in Nuclear Physics on the European Fusion Programme. He subsequently worked in Japan on their nuclear fuel cycle programme and subsequently with BNFL at numerous locations in the UK in roles covering technology commercialisation, plant support and advanced reactor development. He played a key role building the case for new reactor build in the UK.

He also co-founded the Dalton Nuclear Institute and worked for the US organisation Battelle alongside US National Laboratories on M&O contract development. In 2009 he became CEO of The UK National Nuclear Laboratory until his retirement in 2025. He is a fellow of the Institute of Physics, the Nuclear Institute and was elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2014. He also holds an MBA and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. In 2024 he was awarded a CBE in the King’s Birthday honours for services and contribution to the energy, nuclear and R&D sectors.

Based at Airbus Broughton, North Wales, Paul is Head of Assembly Technology for Future Aircraft & Co-Owner for the R&T Assembly Roadmap. He leads a transnational team who develop the Assembly Technology Bricks which address the challenges posed by the next generation of aircraft.

During Paul’s 20+ years in the Aerospace industry, he has led projects and production support teams across all stages of wing manufacturing from elementary parts to final aircraft assembly. This experience has included the industrialisation of major product design changes across an international supply chain, implementing a new Assembly Production System and the design and commissioning of Automated systems.

As Airbus’ Technical Board Representative for the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the Manufacturing Technology Centre and supporter of a number of University Research Chairs, he is privileged to work with these collaborative partnerships to provide industrial insight and guidance to these institutions and to further Airbus’ research aims.

Openly Neurodivergent, Paul is a Broughton Plant Champion and passionate member of Airbus’ Neurodiversity Employee Resource Group. He works with the group to improve awareness of, and promote the skills offered by Neurodivergent people. The group supports Airbus’ mission to be recognised as a leading employer of choice for its inclusive culture and diverse workforce.

Chief Sustainability Officer at Dassault Systèmes leading the company’s sustainability engagement and the development of its portfolio & business deployment. 20 years of international experience (Hong Kong, Europe, US) leading transformation in public and private environments through sustainable innovation. Working in strategic, executive and senior advisory roles related to business transformation, financing the energy transition, sustainable finance, energy efficiency, the new energy world and innovation. Prior to Dassault Systèmes worked at Schneider Electric, Senior Executive, Global Vice President – Strategic Partnerships. Initiated and ran solutions and platforms for strategic customers as well as digital, institutional, financial and academic partners at a global level. Prior to this, worked in finance at Rothschild, J.P. Morgan and the OECD/International Energy Agency. Authored numerous publications & frequent public speaker. Board member of BSI Economics. PhD in Behavioural Economics from the Sorbonne University in Paris, Master of Science degree in Law and Finance from the London School of Economics (LSE), and BA from McGill University.

Rab is accountable for the delivery of the AMRC's Chapter 2 Digital Transformation and ensures a digital thread is woven throughout everything the AMRC delivers. Starting at the AMRC in 2001 when just a handful of engineers occupied a single building, Rab has progressed from his original role as lead on virtual reality and simulation to now be Professor of industrial digitalisation at the University of Sheffield.

Sylvia Pfeifer is the FT's industry correspondent. She covers the aerospace & defence industries, military procurement as well as the steel industry.

Since joining the FT in 2008 to cover the defence industry, she has held a variety of roles, including that of energy editor and leader writer. Prior to working for the FT she was deputy business editor at the Sunday Telegraph. She spent her early career at Sunday Business.

Over the past 20 years, Veronique has held a number of different management positions within Safran, interacting with Customers, innovating on new products, managing large entities, being Sales Director, Operation Director, Managing Director and recently CEO of Safran Seats UK.

She’s joined Safran UK as VP in September 2024 and is collaborating with the 12 Safran UK entities to develop Safran’s footprint in the country.

She is the sponsor of Woman@Safran, Board member of AGP and of the French British Chamber.