Andy Long is a founder and Managing Director of DaniHar Technology Ltd.
DaniHar Technology offers industry agnostic range of development disciplines from electronic design and prototyping, to multiple software technologies including embedded architectures.
Andy is passionate about engineering and known for his pragmatic and commercial approach to providing technology solutions.
Andy’s engineering career spanned over twenty years and ranged from electronics, automation and robotic systems through to various software technologies (recognised by Microsoft as a certified professional), including software safety. Between the engineering roles within large OEM companies, he undertook a UK Sales and Applications Manager’s position for an established German company, building a new UK division from zero to significant turnover within 3 years. It was the commercial experience of running a UK subsidiary, which allowed him to successfully pursue his dream of creating his own company some years later.
DaniHar Technology recognises the importance of collaboration, so much so, that this is one of our core values as a business, which has helped us grow to date. With technology so vast and fast paced collaboration is key to delivering optimum results and competitive advantage for our clients.
Most recently DaniHar Technology introduced an exciting new offering Develop Your Tech, a brand providing a unique, guided product development experience for businesses outside the technology sector.
Andy also sits on the STC Industry Advisory Group.
David currently lives in Shropshire with his wife and has 3 grown up daughters and two grandchildren. A passionate qualified Engineer, David has been with Hexagon since 2002 taking on a Director & General Management role. In this time he has been heading up the growth of the UK business as well as a secondment period into Northern Europe.
Hexagon has ambition in its genes and so the transformation during this period has been exciting and fast paced driven by a combination of technology acquisitions and organic growth. The shape of the business is changing rapidly to accommodate a new digital data driven World. The current business is defined as Manufacturing Intelligence where Hexagon support the UK manufacturing customers, big and small, with the latest metrology technologies and strategies that enable them to ensure they are best positioned to remain competitive, innovative and effective. Silverstone Park strategies are very much in line with these core drivers.
David uses these favourite mantras in business and private:
Ian Thompson has 34 years’ experience in local government. He is currently Corporate Director Planning, Growth and Sustainability at Buckinghamshire Council where he was part of the corporate management team that brought the Buckinghamshire unitary council together, a role he also played at Durham when the Council became a unitary authority in 2009.
His background in place based services comes from senior roles at Durham, Calderdale, Stockton on Tees, Basingstoke and Deane, and City of York. Ian has experience of leading both strategic and front line services, and has worked with partners on a national, regional and local level.
Mark graduated from Cardiff University with a BSc Honours degree in Economics and Accountancy; he spent 13 years at Coopers & Lybrand before moving to Grant Thornton UK LLP in 1997. Since that time Mark has specialised in Transaction Services leading successful teams in Birmingham, Cambridge and more recently Milton Keynes. Mark also spent a period of time away from Grant Thornton with a two year stint at RPC Group plc, the global packaging business, where he was involved in M&A, treasury and financial reporting. Mark gets a real buzz from working with growing and dynamic businesses and helping those businesses achieve their goals and aims. Mark is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Mark is interested in many sports, music and the arts and can often be found at some sporting or music venue. He lives in Northamptonshire, is married to Jo and has two grown up children.
Pim joined the Motorsport Industry Association after completing a Masters degree in business studies. During his time there he was presented with the AIM Young Business Person of the Year award for his efforts in helping the organisation grow.
He subsequently joined transmission specialists Xtrac where he oversaw their sportscar activities. After two years there he was invited to join Haymarket as Group Marketing Manager.
In 2010, Pim co-founded CMA Marketing, a marketing agency specialising in technical B2B marketing.
In December 2016 Pim was asked to head up the Silverstone Technology Cluster. He is also part of the Industry Advisory Group set up in January 2021.
He sits on the Board for SEMLEP Growth Hub and is a member of the steering group for Central Arc Angels Investment Group.
In his spare time, Pim is a keen film enthusiast and is executive producer of the indie production, Wild Bones.
Simon is a Principal at EMW and has been a board member since the inception of STC.
EMW is a full service law firm, offering legal solutions to businesses and has offices in Milton Keynes, London and Gatwick. Simon’s “day job” is as a member of EMW’s Corporate Team and he predominantly works with both companies and individuals and advises on investments, mergers and acquisitions and where companies or businesses are being sold. Simon has worked in Northants and Bucks for over 15 years and is well known locally for his pragmatic and commercial approach to advising clients. It is often assumed that lawyers will make things more (not less) complicated, but Simon’s approach is to listen carefully to a client’s objectives, provide advice to suit and cut through the legal jargon. Law is complicated, but the advice does not need to be.
Outside of the day job, Simon enjoys travelling down hill, at high speed, on his mountain bike – preferably with both wheels off the ground.
Simon originally qualified as an electronics engineer, but quickly moved into a sales role, holding senior sales positions in a number of semiconductor related businesses including European Sales Director at PRI Automation, a US public company supplying robotics for semiconductor manufacture.
Combining a passion for motorsport and his commercial ability, Simon then took up a role at Pi Research (later becoming Cosworth), managing Sales & Marketing along with Business Development and leading the diversification into many emerging sectors including Marine, Defence, Aerospace and Off-highway.
Simon joined RML Group in 2014 as Commercial Director in charge of Sales, Marketing, PR and Customer Support functions. Instrumental in the procurement of several major contracts and key in the development of RML Group’s Energy Storage Design and Manufacturing Facility, Simon has led the commercial diversification of the business across market sectors as well as globally.
Simon has been an ambassador for the Silverstone Technology Cluster Future Mobility special interest group since it was formed and has great pleasure in now being part of the Advisory Board to the Cluster.
Outside of RML, Simon is a keen runner, taking part in two London Marathon’s as well as enjoying sailing and windsurfing when time allows. At the weekends, Simon acts as an Eligibility Scrutineer for various UK motorsport championships.
Steve recently celebrated his 35th anniversary working for Barclays during which he has undertaken a variety of Relationship Management roles aligned to supporting Small & Medium size businesses. Steve has been a key advocate in developing an ecosystem to support growth, innovation and collaboration in the area. He has also been involved with the Silverstone Technology Cluster both prior to, and after, its creation.
Steve’s current role is as a Business Development Director for Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire with a strong focus on advanced manufacturing, engineering and high performance technology that support sectors such as automotive, aerospace, medical and motorsport. That said he has a vast array of contacts within Barclays that he can call upon as required to support many more sectors.
In addition to his role, Steve is a board member of the Cranfield Automotive Industry Advisory Board and has also supported the MSc Advanced Motorsport Engineering programme for many years.
A keen cyclist and motorsport fan, Steve has lived in the Milton Keynes all his life and has a teenage daughter.
Stuart Timmiss is currently Executive Director of Place, Economy and Environment at West Northants Council, where he is part of the executive management team bringing together the new unitary council following vesting day in April 2021.
His background is in place based service across a range of north east council including Sedgefield, Gateshead and more recently Durham. Stuart has significant experience in leading change and delivery including a number of large scale developments, working in partnership on an national, regional and local level.
James Reeves is a Global Director of the international 3D printing company voxeljet and brings to the STC a background in high-tech manufacturing technology development and commercialisation. Whilst his current role is predominantly a Global one James has previously run local businesess and start-ups and so bring a great breath of experience.
James Reeves has a proven track record in driving high-tech companies to increase shareholder value through technology development and commercialisation. He is an experienced business leader (Dip IoD) with significant technical expertise (CEng) with a strong background in technology commercialisation in a broad range of engineering and materials sectors and particularly the automotive sector. He has managed strategic R&D programmes for large multi-nationals (Autoliv Ltd, DHL) as well as small technology companies (Litecool, IAL, IMPT Ltd, Technology 18 Ltd).
James was formerly a specialist advisor to UK Government for direct foreign investment into the UK advanced engineering sector giving him a breadth of experience in international engineering markets and the investment environment. He is now a Global Director for the international 3D printing company voxeljet.
James is a member of the Institute of Directors and formerly an advisor on the Management Professional Network of the IET and has considerable experience in gaining public funding for R&D.
Kieron Salter is an engineer and entrepreneur who made his start in the British motorsport industry.
He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oxford Brookes in 1993 before joining Reynard Racing where he progressed to become Head of their Special Vehicle Projects division. Kieron was Chief Engineer of five cars in 2000’s Le Mans 24 hours race and had three consecutive Le Mans Prototype winners there between 2001 and 2003.
Now, he is CEO of two innovative and engineering-led companies, KW Special Projects and the Digital Manufacturing Centre. Both companies are located in Silverstone Park. KW Special Projects is a high-performance engineering consultancy delivering niche vehicle programmes for road and track. The Digital Manufacturing centre is a state-of-the-art, multi-technology commercial additive manufacturing facility serving the automotive, motorsport, aerospace, space, medtech and energy sectors.
Steven lives with his wife Jo and two children, Henry and Toby near Lichfield in the heart of Staffordshire. Lichfield has been the family’s home city since 2004 and with its central UK location is perfect for a rural lifestyle near the small historic cultural town.
Graduating from Staffordshire University in 1999 with an Honours Degree in Computer Aided Engineering, Steven’s career headed in the direction of aerospace as a Graduate Design Engineer for the then named Dowty Aerospace Wolverhampton (DAW) – Now Moog, having had several other owners and names in the interim. Specialising in mechanical flight control system’s design, transmission componentry soon became a core. Over the coming few years Steven became the Lead Mechanical Engineer at DAW for the Airbus A380’s Mechanical High Lift Actuation System.
Over the next 15 years with developing roles and responsibility including whole programme technical responsibilities and an airworthiness signatory Steven was well established in the aerospace industry…
In 2016, time for a change was afoot and Steven incorporated Mackart Engineering Ltd. (Trading as Mackart Additive). Over the next few years in transition Steven developed the business’ capability in polymer Additive Manufacture aligning the core capability of mechanical design directly to the manufacturing process, optimising the ‘Design for AM’ knowledge, experience and best practices to enable real use of the technology for industrial processes and applications. The business is growing well and 2021 incorporates a new facility based in Rugeley, Staffordshire and a growing team to keep up with demand and accelerate the growth. Also progressing towards AS9100 and ISO9001 QMS accreditations will enable Mackart Additive to support its clients to the highest level.
Above all, Steven is a passionate engineer forever full of energy, eager to continually learn, step over the line and see what might be possible. Inspiring others is a key driver to his energy with a restless need to try!… and to not get too concerned about a fail or two along the way.
Aside the engineering? A keen road cyclist. Aeromodeller. Dinghy Sailor – International Level once upon a time. Karting Dad (read… mechanic, coach, cook, washer-up) and all round motorsport enthusiast.
Mackart Additive has been a proud member of STC since 2017 and for Steven to now be part of the Advisory Board is an honour.
Cristiana has more than 20 years’ experience in Motorsport both in engineering and Management side. She graduated in engineering at Universita’ degli Studi in Bologna, Italy, and subsequently, she completed an MSc in Motorsport Engineering and Management at Cranfield University, where she currently sits on the advisory board.
She has been one of the first women to be actively involved in Motorsport trackside, as a performance engineer in GT and at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2002. Cristiana was also the first woman to work alongside the FIA technical department in F1 as data analysist (2004-2008). From 2009 till 2015 she covered the role of Research Consultant for the FIA Institute for Motorsport Sustainability and from 2016 till 2017 she consulted for the FIA Safety Department being actively deployed in championships such as Cross Country Rally, World Endurance Championship and participating in drawing the strategy for the deployment of safety devices in FIA championships.
In 2012 Cristiana focused in technology transfer and innovation, joining Williams Advanced Engineering, a division of Williams F1 as Business Development Manager. During those years in Williams, she worked closely with the F1 management Team winning multimillion pounds projects including the supply of batteries to FIA Formula E, project that Cristiana lead from 2013 till 2015.
In 2015, after leaving Williams, Cristiana started a PhD in Business and Strategic Management at Coventry University, exploring low-carbon sustainable socio-technical transitions in Motorsport.
In 2018 Cristiana Founded Enovation Consulting, concentrating on projects involving education, engineering and sustainability. She is currently consulting for a number of key players in the motorsport and automotive sectors.
Cristiana is a STEMNET ambassador and a member of the IMechE from which she obtained in 2015 the title of CEng. Cristiana is an ambassador for Dare to Be different, a joint initiative from the MSA and Susie Wolf.
Hilary is Chief Executive at the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), which she helped to establish in 2011. She leads on setting the strategic economic priorities for the South East Midlands area, including overseeing a £265m programme of capital investment through the Local Growth Fund. During her tenure, SEMLEP has published the Local Industrial Strategy and Strategic Economic Plan for the area, Skills Plan and Energy Strategy. Hilary works closely with central Government, local authority, regional and private sector partners and the national network of Local Enterprise Partnerships to enable the delivery of infrastructure to unlock economic and housing growth, develop skills and create good quality places.
From 2008 to 2011, Hilary was Director of the Milton Keynes South Midlands Growth Area (the largest growth area in the UK).
As Director of Network Strategy at the Highways Agency from 2001 to 2007 she developed the investment strategy for the motorway and trunk road network.
Hilary graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in economics and joined the Department of the Environment as an economist working initially on housing and then, from 1984, local government finance.
Jon Corbett is Head of SME at Barclays covering the Beds, Bucks, Northants and Cambridgeshire Region as well as the National Pensions Team. Jon joined Barclays in 1987, and has over 25 years’ experience working in Corporate & Business Banking. Having undertaken a variety of leadership roles throughout his career, Jon leads a team of experienced Business Managers and Relationship Directors who work closely with small & medium sized businesses across the region to support them achieve their growth aspirations.
Jon is a Board Member of the South East Midland Enterprise Partnership whom he also represents on the Strategic Oversight Board for the Midland Engine Investment Fund.
A keen football fan and UEFA B Qualified Football Coach, Jon has lived in the Milton Keynes area all his life and is married to Alison with 3 children.
Jon is Managing Director at Celeratis Limited and also at Lunaz Design.
Jon is an experienced Deputy Chairman skilled in Automotive Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Product Development, and Engineering Management. He is a strong business development professional with a BSc (hons) focused in Mechanical Engineering from University of Hertfordshire.
Julia Muir is the CEO of Gaia Innovation Ltd, and has over 25 years experience in automotive retailing, manufacturing and consulting, with roles in Quality, HR, Dealer Training, Recruitment, Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Brand and Advertising. She has a Business Studies degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Development, and has worked in the UK, Germany and Spain. Julia is an expert in creating a great customer and employee experience and advising car retailers on the transition to digitalisation, and taught on the executive programmes at the Loughborough University School of Business and Economics Centre for Automotive Management.
Julia helps employers and universities take action to create inclusive and gender balanced talent pools. She also gives speeches in schools to inform young people about the creative and technological skills that employers and universities require for the “4th Industrial Revolution”. Gaia Innovation builds positive relationships between employers, universities and schools with a goal of achieving the best employment destination for every child. This involves organising inspirational events for school students to meet employers from advanced technology sectors, career networking sessions, employer open days, employability skills training, work experience programmes and developing outreach programmes for employers to provide positive interactions within schools.
Julia is a volunteer for the Education and Employers Inspiring the Future charity, a speaker for the Speakers for Schools charity, and was awarded the Mary Lou Carrington Award by the City of London Worshipful Company of Educators for her work with Speakers for Schools. In 2018 she was appointed as the Private Sector Board Member lead on Employment and Skills for the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, and is a member of of the Barnsley Economic Partnership.
Richard Harrington
Chief Executive, Buckinghamshire LEP
Richard has lead responsibility for a business led Local Enterprise Partnership at the Entrepreneurial Heart of Britain – with an economic output worth over £16 billion – including the development and implementation of a Bucks plan to align public and private sector investment and secure and invest European and UK Government funding to build the conditions for sustainable economic growth across Buckinghamshire in collaboration with neighbouring areas.
He is currently leading the delivery of the Buckinghamshire Local Industrial Strategy and development of Buckinghamshire’s Economic Recovery Plan, overseeing impressive growth across the strategically important Aylesbury Vale Enterprise Zone, which includes the Aylesbury Woodlands mixed use development, securing funding to invest in incubation and innovation centres, development of a Skills Strategy for Buckinghamshire, and supporting Growth Hub activity to grow local business and attract inward investment.
Richard is a designer and founder of Pixel Creation and MK Geek Night, with over 20 years of creative and technical experience in the web industry.
Pixel Creation is a small design & web studio in Milton Keynes. Having been in business since 2003 Pixel have helped businesses of all sizes thrive digitally. From creative branding through to engaging, dynamic websites, Pixel take pride in helping clients achieve their goals.
Founder – Electric Vehicles Outlook Ltd.
From electric guitars to electric cars I’ve been on a colourful journey!…after a couple of decades singing the praises of combustion engines I changed my tune a decade ago to become an EV advocate. Musician turned business consultant – my ‘Electric Vehicles Outlook’ enterprise has been busy sharing an EV narrative on the LinkedIn platform – where I’ve now gathered over 275,000 followers for my regular blog spot. A trio of start-ups behind me – online car retailing at Virgincars, amphibious vehicles with Gibbs, and electric trucks at Modec – I’m now fully embracing the convergence of electric-connected-autonomous & shared vehicles…all increasingly powered up by renewable energy of course!
It used to be about connecting just the dots…but it will soon be about connecting everything as we are on the cusp of a step change in how our world works. In relatively simple terms it’s about the switch from a linear to a circular economy, which means maximising both efficiency and utilisation – of almost everything around us. The enabling people and capabilities are close to hand, and concurrent with my long running EV narrative, I am now working in and around the AI and IOT space as well.
A chartered surveyor and qualified marketer, Roz joined MEPC in 2007, becoming Estate Director at Granta Park in 2011.
In 2014, following MEPC’s acquisition of 131 acres of development land around the Silverstone Circuit, Roz became Commercial Director of Silverstone Park and in 2015, a member of the MEPC Executive Committee.
Roz is taking forward an ambitious plan for growth at Silverstone Park including: the development of a number of speculative industrial schemes, achievement of Enterprise Zone status, a new planning consent for 2.1 million sq ft and the development of a growing number of high-tech networking events and a sports and social programme which both help to encourage a sense of community and opportunity on the park.
In 2016, Roz worked with Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence to create the UK’s first dedicated sub-contract inspection metrology facility and in the same year she helped to establish the Silverstone Technology Cluster.
In 2017 Roz was confirmed as one of Grant Thornton’s 100 “Faces of a Vibrant Economy” and in 2018 she was elected as Chair of the Silverstone Technology Cluster Board.
Passionate about entrepreneurship education and development for over 30 years. I am presently Visiting Professor at the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship at Cranfield University, having had the honour of being its Director for four years. Previously, for fourteen years, I was founding director of Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at the University of Cambridge. My current role entails growing entrepreneurship education, mentoring and inspiring new generations of entrepreneurs. Also supervise doctoral candidates.
My latest co-authored book is the Scale-Up Manual. It follows on the heels of Camels, Tigers and Unicorns: Rethinking science and technology enabled innovation. My co-author is a thought leader in innovation. The Scale-Up Manual is designed to help teams navigate their way from early to mature stages of growth through understanding of the three chasms they will encounter on the journey as well as learn of the 12 vectors they can use to help overcome the challenges of the chasms.
My last book with Neal Hartman, Unlocking the Enterpriser Inside. A book of why, what and How takes readers into the practicalities of how to create courses and learning in education FOR entrepreneurship.
I am active in several stages of business development from start-ups through scale-ups and growing businesses as educator, mentor, and coach. Typically involved in strategy, boardroom dynamics, team building and assisting with getting teams ready to pitch to investors. My passion is for science and technology enabled businesses.
As a result of these experiences I have been invited to provide policy advice and executive education for larger firms that want to embrace entrepreneurial thinking.
On the advisory board of several early stage companies. Trustee of GEN Initiative providing education, income generation to small rural communities in India.
Stephen Ball began his career as a student apprentice in the automotive sector and graduated with an honours degree in mechanical engineering in 1976.
He joined Her Majesty’s Government Communications Centre as a scientific officer and over 21 years held various roles culminating in serving as CEO.
Leaving HMGCC he rejoined the private sector as a member of the Board of the management buyout of Hunting Engineering. Following a trade sale to the Lockheed Martin Corporation in 2005 Stephen was appointed Managing Director and led the transition into Lockheed Martin. He was appointed Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin UK in 2009 and led it through rapid growth over the next seven years.
Having retired from Lockheed Martin in 2016, Stephen is now the Chairman of the Aerospace Technology Institute and has a number of Non-Executive Director and advisory roles in the technology and defence and security sectors.
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