Conference Agenda

Bradley joined MTC in May 2023 and after leading the development of a new MTC strategy, now leads MTC Operations and delivery driving cohesion across business functions to ensure optimisation of resources, tools & processes to deliver performance and impact across a broad range of sectors and technologies.

Bradley has over 30 years’ experience in the Automotive sector, having held senior leadership roles at Aston Martin, Land Rover and Ford both in strategic and operational delivery roles. Prior to joining the MTC he was the first Professor of Practice at Loughborough University and CEO of the of the Institute of Digital Engineering, leading the adoption of new digital technologies to accelerate our national engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Most recently Bradley was part of the UK battery start-up Britishvolt.

Steve Boyd is the Managing Director of G&O Springs and has been with the business since 1995 when he came for a summer job. He's a self-certified spring geek and is passionate about all thing's springs. If you are interested in tech, he's your guy!

Brian Holliday is Managing Director for Siemens Digital Industries, a technology company serving the UK and Ireland’s manufacturing and industrial-infrastructure sectors.

He is co-chair of the Government/Industry Made Smarter Commission and board member for Skills England. He is chair of Make UK, The Manufacturers’ Organisation’s Strategic Policy Group, having been a corporate board member since 2015. He has served on the board of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, chaired the CBI’s Manufacturing Council and been a member of the Royal Society’s Science Industry and Translation Committee.

He is a keen advocate for engineering, innovation, skills and advanced technology deployment, contributing regularly to media, policy forums and peer networks.

A Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Brian started his career as an apprentice with Texas Instruments and has degrees from Cardiff University and The University of Manchester in addition to an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University.

Brian Holliday is Managing Director for Siemens Digital Industries, a technology company serving the UK and Ireland’s manufacturing and industrial-infrastructure sectors.

He is co-chair of the Government/Industry Made Smarter Commission and board member for Skills England. He is chair of Make UK, The Manufacturers’ Organisation’s Strategic Policy Group, having been a corporate board member since 2015. He has served on the board of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, chaired the CBI’s Manufacturing Council and been a member of the Royal Society’s Science Industry and Translation Committee.

He is a keen advocate for engineering, innovation, skills and advanced technology deployment, contributing regularly to media, policy forums and peer networks.

A Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Brian started his career as an apprentice with Texas Instruments and has degrees from Cardiff University and The University of Manchester in addition to an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University.

Nina Gryf is a Senior Policy Manager at Make UK, where she leads the Unlocking Innovation campaign to show how innovation and technology can improve productivity and competitiveness in UK manufacturing. She runs the Innovation Monitor, which tracks how manufacturers are adopting digital tools on the ground.

Nina champions faster digital adoption and calls for stronger government backing on skills, funding, and support for advanced technologies. She’s a strong advocate for programmes like Made Smarter and pushes for their continues support.

Her key publications include 4IR: An Enabler to Green Manufacturing, Manufacturing Our Recovery Through Inclusion, and most recently, Future Factory powered by AI — which explores how manufacturers are starting to adopt AI and what support they need to do it safely and at scale.

Before this, Nina led post-Brexit trade campaigns and worked as External Affairs Manager at the Work Foundation.

Matthew Westbury is Curriculum Leader at MTC Training, where he shapes future-focused technical education for UK manufacturing. With a background in metallurgy and a foundation in product design and development through an advanced apprenticeship, Matthew bridges hands-on industry experience with cutting-edge training. He champions digital readiness through immersive learning and skills development, ensuring learners are equipped to thrive in smart factories. His work supports the UK’s drive toward innovation, productivity, and inclusive workforce transformation.

Clare joined the High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC) in March 2024 as Director for Skills. Clare works with the HVMC network to raise awareness of its unique offer within the UK skills landscape in building a high skilled manufacturing workforce in the UK.

Previously, Clare was Head of Manufacturing Policy at the Department for Business and Trade where she led manufacturing policy and developed the model for the successful Made Smarter adoption programme.

Phill has spent the past two decades in manufacturing, working initially as a production operator, before taking an apprenticeship in Manufacturing Engineering at an Aerospace foundry in Devon where he implemented process improvements and lean methodologies.

Since then, he has worked across multiple organisations ranging from £5m SMEs to £5bn turnover businesses, covering a wide range of industries and technologies.  

Phill specialises in operational turnaround, sustainable growth, and cultural transformation, where winning through teamwork and technological collaboration is the key to ensuring long term success.

He is a passionate advocate of UK manufacturing as a member of the southern region Make UK Advisory board, and regularly connects with schools and Universities to highlight the wealth of careers and opportunities found in and around manufacturing.

Prof. Brintrup is Professor in Digital Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge and leads the Supply Chain AI Lab. She is a fellow of the Alan Turing Institute and Darwin College. She is a pioneer of complex systems thinking and data-driven methods and application in supply networks. She was the first researcher globally, to empirically study large-scale supply chains as complex networks, examine their emergent properties, and take a data- driven perspective to characterise their resilience. This led to an understanding of universal patterns that govern supply chains. She was also the first to develop algorithms to predict supply chain dependencies and hidden links (and predict supply chain disruptions from large datasets. Over the past decade she has worked with aerospace, automotive, defence and retail industries, and with the UK government. Her research has made direct policy impact in areas of modern slavery, supply chain and economic resilience.

Prof. Brintrup is Professor in Digital Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge and leads the Supply Chain AI Lab. She is a fellow of the Alan Turing Institute and Darwin College. She is a pioneer of complex systems thinking and data-driven methods and application in supply networks. She was the first researcher globally, to empirically study large-scale supply chains as complex networks, examine their emergent properties, and take a data- driven perspective to characterise their resilience. This led to an understanding of universal patterns that govern supply chains. She was also the first to develop algorithms to predict supply chain dependencies and hidden links (and predict supply chain disruptions from large datasets. Over the past decade she has worked with aerospace, automotive, defence and retail industries, and with the UK government. Her research has made direct policy impact in areas of modern slavery, supply chain and economic resilience.

Anni is the Group CEO at The Data-Shack. A data scientist, AI and six sigma practitioner, public speaker and author, Anni holds over 25 years' experience solving real life challenges at some of the most demanding plants and factories on the planet.

From AI to smart factories, from drones and IIoT to process improvement, Anni and her team have the expertise to deliver.

Originally from South Africa, Anni is passionate about Data Science for Good initiatives including anti-rhino poaching targeting crime syndicates, addressing the STEM skills gap, and an active mentor to the young factory data scientists and engineers of tomorrow.

Steve Boyd is the Managing Director of G&O Springs and has been with the business since 1995 when he came for a summer job. He's a self-certified spring geek and is passionate about all thing's springs. If you are interested in tech, he's your guy!

Prasad Manorathna is a seasoned professional in the field of smart manufacturing, bringing over 15 years of experience in driving technological advancements and innovation across various industries. As a visionary leader, Prasad excels in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. With a strong background in engineering, automation, smart manufacturing and organisational transformation, Prasad has successfully led numerous global programmes that have resulted in significant operational efficiencies and business growth. Prasad is passionate about harnessing the power of technology to solve complex business challenges and create sustainable value for all stakeholders. A dedicated advocate for digital literacy and talent development, Prasad is committed to empowering teams with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving technology landscape. By championing diversity and inclusion, Prasad ensures that innovation is driven by a wide range of perspectives and ideas. In Prasad's current role as Global Senior Director-Engineering Transformation & Innovation at Haleon, he continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, leading transformative projects that position the organization at the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution.

Adrian Pinder is an experienced technology and digital innovation leader with a career spanning product management, digital incubation, and digital transformation. Currently Head of Digital & Data at DS Smith PLC, he has delivered multi-million-pound value through AI, data platforms, and new digital products. Adrian has held senior roles at Jacobs, Atkins, GE, and the UK Civil Service, all focused on turning high-level strategies into commercially successful solutions across manufacturing, engineering, transport, and public sector markets.