Meet the Speakers

Jeremy Watson CBE FREng is Professor of Engineering Systems at UCL. Until recently he was also Chief Scientist and Engineer at the Building Research Establishment (BRE). A past DLUHC (MHCLG) Chief Scientific Adviser, he has senior industrial experience as BOC (Edwards) plc Technology Director, and Global Research Director at Arup.

Jeremy is a Fellow and Trustee of the Royal Academy of Engineering (and recent past Chair of the National Engineering Policy Committee). His interests include the cross-disciplinary systems challenges of achieving Net Zero, cybersecurity at the ‘Edge’, sustainable engineering, systems thinking, research strategy and innovation processes.

Jeremy is currently Director and PI of the seven-year £24m PETRAS National Centre of Excellence for IoT Systems Cybersecurity funded by EPSRC under the £35m Securing Digital Technologies At the Periphery (SDTaP) initiative, co-developed by Jeremy. PETRAS comprises 22 universities and has 120+ industrial and government user partners.

Brigitte Amoruso is the Senior Climate Change and Energy Specialist at Make UK, the Manufacturers’ Association. With a background in sciences (MSCs in biology and environmental analytical chemistry) and having worked in regulatory and advocacy European regional and global roles in leading corporations across a variety of industry sectors from agrochemicals (Syngenta) to animal health (Novartis), pharmaceuticals (Pfizer) and chemicals (Cobalt Institute- global industry association of miners,  producers and traders of cobalt), she has a deep understanding of how industry works while grasping technical issues with ease. She is passionate about tackling cross-cutting policy issues and has successfully helped industry coalitions and groups overcome a variety of challenges. She is delighted to now be able to support the UK manufacturing sector in its transition to net zero.

Ben Sheridan leads on industrial digital transformation at BSI. He has a wealth of experience in R&D and innovation, and has worked across many sectors, embedding good practice and learning across different industries. He started out designing power transistors in the semiconductor industry and before that did a PhD in solid state physics.

Adam Savitz is a purpose-driven and highly networked sustainability leader, with 20 years of global experience inspiring CEOs and businesses across sectors, to design, build and execute pioneering sustainability strategies. He has worked with leaders across industry, government, NGOs, and the start-up world to take a systems-based, collaborative approach – resulting in impactful transformations. Adam regularly speaks and presents on sustainability topics at leading international forums. His expertise in sustainability is very wide-ranging, having led a diverse range of programmes with clients such as the Aditya Birla Group, Anglo America, Coca Cola, Google, Mars, Mastercard, Microsoft, Pfizer, Shell, Verizon, Walmart and Yara. 

Before joining Johnson Controls, Adam was a Managing Director at Xynteo, an advisory firm that works with the world’s largest organisations to help them find new ways to grow. Prior to Xynteo, Adam helped develop PwC's leading Sustainability & Climate Change consulting business in London and New York. Adam began his career at MSCI ESG – a pioneer in the ESG industry, assessing sustainability and strategic profit opportunities for some of the world’s largest investment funds.

Adam graduated from Leeds University’s School of Earth and Environment, in the United Kingdom with a BSc in Environmental Science and an MA in Environment and Business.

Ondrej Polak is a senior leader within the field of digital manufacturing transformation. His key experience is in design and implementation of a long term strategic digital transformation programs which ultimately lead to world class performance covering all critical aspects like organisational design, technology, and internal processes.  

In his current role, he is leading a consortium which successfully secured a £1 million grant from Innovate UK for development of AI driven production system for the aerospace industry making it the first of its kind in the world.  

Ondrej believes that manufacturers across different industries have a unique chance to revolutionise how they deliver value across their value chain by re skilling their employees in skills traditionally associated with IT departments, choosing relevant technologies for their business operations, and restructuring organisation to gain full benefits of digital transformation.

Professor Paul Monks is the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). As BEIS CSA, he delivers independent and impartial scientific advice to Ministers and policy makers across the BEIS portfolio.   Paul also works closely with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, other Departmental CSAs, and BEIS Chief Economist, to strengthen the links within and across departments, encouraging effective engagement and knowledge sharing, and to support delivery of a robust evidence base to underpin BEIS policy decisions. Prior to joining the department, Paul was Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester, where he remains a Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry and Earth Observation Science.

Joshua Young manages multiple innovative Industry 4.0 projects and collaborations that deploy novel digital technologies within the company’s new UK semiconductor foundry, connecting the physical and digital worlds to create circular business models and sustainable manufacturing operations. A digital transformation champion, he has spent his career partnering with global-tech organisations to improve productivity and operational efficiencies across NPI, engineering and manufacturing to gain competitive advantage.

Nilay Shah is a Professor of Process Systems Engineering at Imperial College. He is interested in the use of models and process systems engineering techniques to understand and design low carbon energy and industrial systems. He is a member of the UK Govt’s Hydrogen Advisory Council and CSO of a synthetic fuels business.

Marie trained in Engineering Design & Appropriate Technology, encompassing renewable technologies and design for 3rd world countries. Her keen interest in sustainability led her to being an active member of the HVMC Circular Economy Strategy Forum and creating an environmental working group at the MTC to drive sustainable practices.  In her current role she is responsible for the transition of the MTC to being a sustainable business and driving the capability development to aid the MTC to help manufacturing with the transition to a sustainable world. During the HMVC work she helped development of a circular economy roadmap and been involved with projects that have arisen from this such as rediscover, looking at the end of life of carbon fibre and running a work stream looking at the carbon footprint of the aerospace industry. Marie has worked across a range of sectors including rail, construction, manufacturing, and aerospace.

After studying an undergraduate degree in outdoor and environmental education, Ben Goodare moved into the corporate world as a sustainability professional. Over the past 15 years he has been part of, or leading, the sustainability teams at FTSE100 and FTSE250 businesses. He is currently the Head of Sustainability at Renishaw plc, a world-leading FTSE250 engineering technologies company based in Gloucestershire.

In 2021 he was named as a Top 100 Role Model by The Manufacturer, and in 2022 became a TEDx speaker for the first time, talking about issues around climate change and social justice. He continues to expand his sustainability knowledge as a part time MSc student at Coventry University.

Nick Davis leads Deloitte Supply Chain transformation programmes offering focused on Industry 4.0 and Industrial IOT. Nick is an experienced IT delivery partner, helping global manufacturers to deliver the outcomes from their most challenging Digital-enabled transformation.

Tom Moran has worked in technology for over 20 years, with companies ranging from small startups, to large global corporations. With a track record of success leading digital transformation projects in a variety of industries, Tom has received a number of patents and industry awards.

Having relocated from the U.S. to Amsterdam in 2018, Tom helps lead the expansion of Lumen’s strategic services portfolio in EMEA. Tom is a recognised thought leader on digital transformation and sustainability, and active in a number of industry organisations including GeSI, techUK, the SDIA and the iMasons.

Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer (FRSE, FIChemE, FRSC, FRSA, FEI) is Champion and Director of the UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) focused on accelerating the transition to net zero of the UK industrial clusters and establishing the first world net-zero industrial cluster. Mercedes is Deputy Principal (Global Sustainability) and Director of the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS) at Heriot-Wat University. Her internationally recognised track record covers energy systems, CCUS, integration of hydrogen technologies and low-carbon fuels. She has over 550 publications, holds leading positions in professional societies and editorial boards and has received numerous international prizes and awards.

Tony Heslop is Senior Sustainability Manager for BASF in the UK and Ireland. He is a Polymer Chemist by training and has worked in the chemical industry all his working life.  His current role involves helping to support colleagues, customers, and other stakeholders to understand sustainability trends and drivers and find solutions to their problems.  This is done by bringing an expert insight into the corporate sustainability strategy of BASF, the world’s biggest chemical company.

Oriol Margó is the Sustainability Transformation Leader for Kimberly-Clark in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

He’s responsible for developing and implementing the sustainability strategies on Climate, Plastics, Water and Climate footprint programs as well as Social Impact bringing a transformational approach to accelerate execution. In the past Oriol covered different areas of responsibility for Kimberly -Clark across EMEA in Value Stream, Cost Transformation, Research and Development, Engineering Project Management and Manufacturing with assignments and projects across its European Mills.

Oriol has a MSc in Industrial Engineering by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and a Post-Master Technological degree (PDEng) by the Eindhoven University of Technology.

John joined Engineers Without Borders UK in March 2022.  Prior to this, he was Executive Director of the International Geosynthetics Society, promoting innovative materials and applications for sustainable outcomes in civil engineering worldwide. Previously, John was Head of Sustainable Urbanisation and Director External Affairs at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). At RICS, John led international research and sustainability programmes, and the adoption of international standards. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability.

Harry is accountable for developing opportunities to provide carbon-free power to the industrial markets. This includes the provision of consistent and predictable levels of clean energy for desalination, data centres and the production of hydrogen and other e-fuels. After completing a master’s degree in Engineering at the University of Bristol, Harry joined Rolls-Royce in 2010 on a graduate training programme. His career in Rolls-Royce has involved a range of senior project delivery and business development roles, covering multiple sectors from Commercial Marine, Commercial Aero, Nuclear Submarines and lastly Civil Nuclear. In the last year he has also completed a master’s degree in nuclear science and technology.

Dr Benjamin Silverstone holds an MSc in Management and a PhD in Engineering as well as a professional teaching qualification. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Ben has worked in education for almost 20 years and has held various teaching and management positions in Colleges and Universities. At present Ben is the Head of the WMG Skills Centre which oversees the development and delivery of courses that are not part of degree programmes. His role places him as a thought leader in the space of future skills and he is regularly engaged with government bodies in establishing the evolution of skills in the UK. Ben is a founder of, and leads, the National Electrification Skills Framework as part of a coalition of leading UK institutions and industrial partners. As part of this work he also chairs the national forum on Electrification Skills. In addition to his leadership roles Ben has also published in a wide range of media on the topics of skills and human interaction with technology. Early in his career Ben spent a total of 15 years with the Royal Navy and HM Coastguard earning several commendations.

A Fellow Naval Architect and Marine Engineer with over 20 years’ experience of commercial and naval shipbuilding and design management, currently leading all the marine conceptual design and engineering activities in Babcock. She has worked in leadership roles nationally and internationally with businesses undertaking naval and commercial projects, with vast experience in the marine sector and covering all aspects of a vessels Design Life Cycle. Before joining Babcock Maria was the Technical Director for HJ Barreras shipyard in Spain, Platform Integration Lead for Rolls Royce Naval Ship Design and Technical Director of Freire Shipyard in Spain.

Vikram is digital transformation director and sustainability ambassador at Oracle, UK. He helps supply chain and finance business leaders leverage technology to deliver meaningful business outcomes for their organisations. He also serves on the board of CILT (Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport) – UK and is an advisory board member at Cranfield University’s supply chain management research centre.

He has over 25 years’ experience in the technology sector, including deploying business transformation programmes for Fortune 500 firms. One of his initial assignment was to build digital twin of a factory to drive capital investment decisions at an automotive major. He is an advocate of design thinking as a structured approach to align the organisation around the customer.

He is currently responsible for defining and executing the go-to-market strategy for cloud solutions in the UK. Vikram has an MBA from Warwick Business School and graduated from IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Delhi, India.

Russ is the High Value Manufacturing Catapults chief engineer for net-zero, setting strategy for HVM Catapult and overseeing the cross-centre programmes of work which help UK manufacturing move towards it’s net-zero obligations.  Russ has over 20 years of experience in energy generation, heavy engineering and the foundation industries.