MAA Annual Conference keynote speakers 2014

Colin Smith, CBE, Director – Engineering & Technology, Rolls-Royce – and member of the main board, Rolls-Royce Group, plc

Colin Smith CBE was appointed as Director – Engineering & Technology in 2005, when he also became a member of the Board of Rolls-Royce.

His roles immediately prior to this appointment were the Director of Research & Technology and Director of Engineering & Technology for Civil Aerospace.

Colin joined Rolls-Royce as an undergraduate apprentice in 1974.  Following graduation in Mechanical Engineering he worked in a number of roles including Chief Engineer on helicopters and subsequently the Trent 700 and Trent 500.

Colin is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, The Royal Aeronautical Society and The Institution of Mechanical Engineers and was a Royal Academy Silver Medal winner in 2002. 

Andreas Schell, President, Actuation & Propeller Systems, UTC Aerospace Systems

Andreas Schell is President, Actuation & Propeller Systems, the UTC Aerospace Systems strategic business unit which specialises in actuation and propeller systems for aerospace and defence. Based in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, and with other locations in the UK, France, Italy, North Africa and the United States, Actuation & Propeller Systems is a global leader in actuation and propeller design and manufacturing for commercial and military aircraft. Products range from single actuators to complete flight control systems, for the fixed wing, rotorcraft and missile segments as well as fly-by-wire cockpit controls cabin equipment, trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators and flight safety parts for helicopters. 

Prior to being appointed to his current position in 2013, Andreas was President, Electric Systems and Vice President, Engineering, for Aerospace Power Systems.

Colin Sirett, Head of Research and Technology, Airbus in the UK

Colin Sirett holds the position of R&T National Representative, and Head of R&T Business Development and Partnerships for Airbus in the UK. He joined the R&T team on 1st February 2010 from his previous position of Head of Landing Gear PDT (Product Delivery Team) on the A350XWB Programme, which he had held for four years. He is a member of the Steering Board for the National Composites Centre, and a Director of the National Composites Network. Other Industry involvement includes, member of Aerospace Technology Strategy Group and CBI Innovation & Strategy Group. He holds an Honours Degree from the University of Aston in Birmingham, Production Technology and Management, and a MBA from the University of Bath.

Philip Dunne MP, Minister For Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Ministry of Defence

In September 2012, Philip was appointed Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology with responsibility for Defence procurement and Defence exports. Mr Dunne is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Ludlow in Shropshire, which he has represented since 2005.Following the 2010 General Election Mr Dunne was appointed an Assistant Government Whip, having previously served as an Assistant Opposition Whip. In Parliament Mr Dunne has been a Member of the Work & Pensions Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury Select Committee. Before politics, Mr Dunne had a twenty year business career. He has experience of business both big and small having worked for investment banks in London, New York and Hong Kong and having helped start and build businesses. His former chairmanship of a Venture Capital Trust reflects his enthusiasm for encouraging entrepreneurship in the small business sector. Brought up on the family farm near Ludlow, Mr Dunne read politics, philosophy & economics at Oxford University. He is married with two daughters and two sons.

Sir Brian Burridge, KCB, CBE, ADC, FCMI, FRAeS, Vice President Strategic Marketing, Finmeccanica

Sir Brian Burridge is the Vice President Strategic Marketing at Finmeccanica UK and is currently the Technology and Enterprise Team lead in the Defence Growth Partnership.  He previously spent a full career as a pilot in the Royal Air Force holding a front-line command at every level in the Service and spent a number of years in MOD in policy posts.  He left the Royal Air Force in January 2006 as Commander-in-Chief Strike Command.  

President of the Air League, he is also the Vice President Defence on the Council of ADS, the aerospace, defence and security sectors’ trade association.  With a first degree in physics, an MBA and two honorary doctorates, Sir Brian was also a research fellow in political science at King’s London and is now a visiting professor at the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading. 

Robert Thomson, Partner, Roland Berger Aerospace & Defence Strategy Consultants

Robert has extensive consulting experience encompassing strategic and operational improvement assignments for leading aerospace and industrial companies and governments in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia. His recent work spans all aspects of the aerospace lifecycle from winning new bids, launching and managing complex new development programmes, supply chain design and management, maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO), aircraft financing and operation, and recycling. In addition, he has also been closely involved in much of the M&A activity in the sector. Prior to joining Roland Berger, Robert worked as an engineer at Rolls-Royce and an investment analyst in the City of London. He holds an MBA with Distinction from the London Business School, and a first class engineering degree from Cambridge University, where he was elected to the Sir Henry Royce scholarship.