Our People

Meet the team

Our team is here to help you get the support you need with funding, insight and collaboration. We have a passion for zero emission innovation, filled with knowledge and experience from the automotive industry and beyond.

APC Board

Ian Constance

CEO

Learn about Ian

Ian Constance joined the Advanced Propulsion Centre as CEO in September 2015. Prior to this Ian worked with Ford Motor Company in Detroit where he was most recently Global Chief Engineer for Large Cars.

In that position he led the product development activities for the Ford Mondeo/Fusion and Ford Taurus. The role involved all elements of the product engineering, design, manufacturing readiness and business case development with a very keen focus on future customer needs. Working on these product lines gave Ian wide experience of developing and integrating HEV, PHEV and high tech Gasoline and Diesel internal combustion engines into global platforms.

Ian has held positions globally in the automotive industry with over 25 years’ experience. Prior to his time working in the US, he spent six years at Ford’s Asia Pacific HQ, first in Bangkok and then in Shanghai. During an unprecedented period of growth and change in that part of the world in the role of Director of Product Programs he was responsible for delivering many well-known Ford products into manufacturing plants, joint ventures and markets throughout the region.

Ian’s early career saw leadership roles developing the Ford Focus in-vehicle platform engineering, powertrain planning and manufacturing engineering roles, as well as an assignment in production management. He gained an engineering degree from Aston University, an MSc in Advanced Automotive Engineering from Loughborough University and is a chartered engineer.

Ian Constance

CEO

Bob Dover

Chairman

Learn about Bob

Bob Dover, FREng, FlMechE, FRSA, FLED, is a former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Cars and Land Rover, and a former Vice-President of the Ford Motor Company. Prior to this he held the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Aston Martin. Bob has spent over 30 years in the automotive industry and has a wealth of knowledge.

Bob also serves as an Industrial Professor of Industrial Manufacturing at Warwick University and as a Visiting Professor of Engineering at Coventry University.

Bob will take on the role of Chairman of the Advanced Propulsion Centre.

Bob Dover

Chairman

Neville Jackson

Non-Executive Director

Learn about Neville

Professor Neville Jackson chairs both the RAC Foundation and the Institute of Digital Engineering Advisory Board. He has been a member of the UK Automotive Council since it was formed and currently chairs the Strategy group.

He has spent nearly 40 years in Industrial Research & Development, primarily in transport and energy systems at Ricardo plc where he was Chief Technology & Innovation Officer from 2009 to 2019. He has coordinated and authored a wide range of technology roadmaps at National and European level, defining the potential, and technology pathways for transport energy, propulsion systems, future vehicle electrical/electronic architectures and digitalisation/virtual product development.

A graduate of Imperial College, London, he is also a visiting Professor at the University of Brighton. He is also a Fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering where he is a member of the Policy Fellowship programme, offering independent advice to selected Government policymakers.

His past roles have included Chairman of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, a member of the EPSRC Strategic Advisory Network, Vice Chair of the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC) and a member of the Industry Delegation for the European Green Vehicles Initiative (EGVI).

Neville Jackson

Non-Executive Director

Geoffrey Bicknell

Non-Executive Director

Learn about Geoffrey

Geoffrey Bicknell FCA, CPA is a qualified Chartered Accountant in the UK and Canada, with a background in multinational Corporations in the USA, Europe and the UK. He is currently involved in start-ups, fundraising, business development and growth, particularly in the Automotive Components area.

Geoffrey has operated in industrial sectors including Automotive, Aerospace, IT, Engineering and Logistics. He has hands-on experience in acquisitions and disposals, international joint ventures, turnarounds, and public listings, holding both senior executive and non-executive roles. Geoffrey has board experience, including on the Chair of Board Committees, and represents UK shareholders on the boards of foreign business ventures.

Executive positions he has held include:

Rockwell International Corp. – VP Finance, German Automotive components division and Managing Director, UK Automotive Components.

Lucas Group ltd – Group FD Diesel Global Operations and Board member of Non-UK ventures.

TI Group Plc – Director Operations Strategy and Anglo/ French Aerospace Group, and President North America Polymer Division.

Geoffrey is currently senior advisor to private equity and venture capital investors and has a keen interest in developing a significant UK automotive supply chain industry.

Geoffrey Bicknell

Non-Executive Director

Charles Haswell

Non-Executive Director

Learn about Charles

Charles’ first career was with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, culminating as Director of Trade and Investment for China, based in the Embassy in Beijing, responsible also for Commercial Offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing. He undertook a two year secondment from the FCO to BI (British Invisibles), a predecessor to The CityUK, where he was an Executive Director and Director of Communications and Public Affairs, and also a Board member.

From 2004-2008 he was with the Group Strategy function of Royal Bank of Scotland, responsible for the China projects arising from the RBS investment in Bank of China, but with a portfolio that included oversight of the Group’s responses to Competition Inquiries and the publication of major corporate communication documents, including  the Group Corporate Responsibility Report and the Annual Review.

In 2008, he joined the Group Strategy function of HSBC, where he set up the Financial Sector Policy Unit, reporting to the Group Chairman, to coordinate the Group’s response to regulatory change after the financial crisis. The wider role of the function was to manage externalities impacting HSBC, including HSBC’s external public sector and academic relationships, and to develop a forward-looking agenda for infrastructure finance, sustainable finance, and SME finance. His team set up the Business Growth Fund (BGF) and drove the initiation of London as an international hub for the RMB.

Charles Haswell

Non-Executive Director

Jo Bray

Non-Executive Director

Learn about Jo

Dr Joanne Bray, Deputy Director, Automotive Unit, Department for Business and Trade

Jo became Head of the Automotive Unit in June 2022, leading a multi-disciplinary team to work with the sector in its transformation to low carbon, connected and autonomous technologies, supporting the UK economy, including supporting joint R&D programmes, and crafting the broader policy and fiscal environment.

Prior to that, she joined BEIS in April 2017 to lead the Bioeconomy and Chemicals team, championing UK manufacturing, driving growth and productivity and supporting commercialisation of the best of UK science and research.

Jo has also worked at Defra where she had a variety of roles specialising in environmental, agriculture and food issues, including responsibility for market access in the Great British Food Unit, prioritising new markets, improving processes for exporters and leading work on EU exit issues for the food sector.

A graduate from Imperial College, she has a BSc in biology and a PhD in atmospheric chemistry and urban air quality. Jo also recently completed an Executive Masters in Public Policy and Economics at the LSE, graduating in 2020.

Jo Bray

Non-Executive Director

Colin Garner

Non-Executive Director

Learn about Colin

Professor Colin Garner FREng, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Applied Thermodynamics at Loughborough University and an independent consultant.

He has held over 40 major government and industrial grants for advanced research covering power and energy systems, fuels, fluid flow, heat transfer, combustion and emissions control. This research has covered a variety of applications including battery electric and engine powertrains. His research has been featured in New Scientist and on BBC TV and radio. Colin has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and has six granted patents. His research has received several international prizes, including from the SAE and IMechE.

He is directly engaged with major international companies and the Automotive Council. Early in his career he gained significant experience working on bus and rail vehicle development at what is now called Transport for London. He has served as an academic adviser to the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) Heavy Duty Vehicle Strategy Action Group and as the technical director of the Caterpillar Innovation and Research Centre at Loughborough University.

From 2005 to 2017 he was the Editor-in-Chief of Proc. IMechE: Journal of Automobile Engineering and he continues to serve on the journal’s editorial board.

He joined Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) UK Ltd as a non-executive director in 2014. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Colin Garner

Non-Executive Director

Mike Biddle

Non-Executive Director

Learn about Mike

Mike is the Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK – with a vision to ensure the UK prospers from being the fastest transitioning economy to Net Zero. Between 2015 and 2020 nearly 6,000 companies received Net Zero related grants from Innovate UK worth £1.9bn which catalysed £4.8bn of private investment and created 67,000 new jobs.

Prior to this, Mike was Programme Director for the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to deliver the research and science that businesses needs to transform existing industries, create new ones and deliver economic impact, jobs and growth.

Before joining Innovate UK, Mike worked in the photonics industry for 10 years after graduating with a masters in physics from Imperial College, London. He is a board member of the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Aerospace Technologies Institute and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.

Mike Biddle

Non-Executive Director

Hannah Boardman

Non-Executive Director

Learn about Hannah

Hannah is a Deputy Director in Department for Business and Trade (DBT). As Head of the Automotive Unit, she is responsible for the Government’s relationship with the Automotive sector.

She has been with DBT since 2018, prior to which she worked with Accenture’s Technology Strategy Practice and joined Accenture in 2015 after an earlier career in the Civil Service within Cabinet Office amongst other Government Departments.

She is a graduate of Oxford University where she studied modern history.

Hannah Boardman

Non-Executive Director

APC Core Team

Caroline McMillan-Browse

Finance Director

Learn about Caroline

Caroline joined the APC from the Energy Technologies Institute where she was Director of Operations with responsibility for finance, HR, IT, governance and facilities. Caroline joined the ETI in March 2008, as Head of Finance, to set up the Accounting and Governance functions of the new ETI organisation.

Caroline has more than 20 years of experience in a variety of sectors in both operational and strategic roles, particularly in establishing and developing financial frameworks to support business growth and success. Caroline qualified is a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte and has a degree in Commerce from the University of Birmingham.

Caroline takes on the responsibility for all finance and operations functions at the APC.

Caroline McMillan-Browse

Finance Director

Julian Hetherington

Automotive Transformation Director

Learn about Julian

Julian joins the APC after over 31 years in the automotive industry, initially at Ford then over twenty years at Jaguar Land Rover, most recently as Globalisation Programmes Director where he was responsible for overseas industrialisation programmes.

Julian has a grounding in production operations management following an early focus on industrial automation and controls before moving his focus upstream to senior roles in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, Business Office, Portfolio Programme Management, Corporate Real Estate & Environmental Compliance and, more recently, an international expansion which involved overseas assignments in China and Brazil, and has been a passionate advocate for the UK automotive industry when dealing with overseas governments and agencies to promote bilateral investment and trade.

Having been through several complete economic cycles, managing change, business transformation and dealing with the uncertainties and volatility of government policy have been formative experiences and he has significant experience of leading and working within complex cross-functional team structures. He was heavily involved in the processes to manage the transition of JLR from Ford to Tata ownership and develop the organisation and its processes to manage growth in capability and scale in the UK and overseas.

Julian was previously Deputy Chair of JLR’s Pension Trustee and Chaired the Investment Strategy Committee.

Julian Hetherington

Automotive Transformation Director

Rik Adams

Innovation Delivery Director

Learn about Rik

Rik graduated Glasgow University with a degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering with Music, and more recently graduated from Cranfield University with an MBA. Rik has held product development positions predominantly in automotive electronics, or closely related fields, working for Caterpillar, Pi, JLR, McLaren and Protean Electric. He has focused on customer centric roles, on both sides of the supply chain – OEM and Tier 1 or 2, in Systems and Applications Engineering, technically leading complex programmes, and running large product development teams, always driven by ensuring end users receive the product they need.

Rik Adams

Innovation Delivery Director

Philippa Oldham

Stakeholder Engagement Director

Learn about Philippa

Philippa is a Chartered Engineer who thrives on working with a wide range of stakeholders from government, industry and academia to create visionary solutions, challenging existing silos between the sectors.

Previously Head of Transport and Manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers for six years, Philippa has a great understanding of the challenges facing transport and manufacturing both domestically and internationally.

With experience from the automotive, aerospace and defence sectors Philippa believes the APC can drive investment that we need to equip the UK with the right capability and technology to be at the forefront of pulling innovative low carbon propulsion solutions through to fruition, accelerating economic return.

Through the APC’s stakeholder communities Philippa is looking forward to the opportunity to use her experience and knowledge of the UK’s transport modes and infrastructure to build on the strategy already in place, driving through and accelerating deliverables. This opportunity to incubate collaborations, honing solutions to drive UK leadership in terms of exportable products and services.

Philippa Oldham

Stakeholder Engagement Director

Daniel Fung

Head of Strategy and Planning

Learn about Daniel

Dan Fung is a Mechanical Engineer turned Programme Manager.

Previously heading up the Programme Management teams at Eminox and UTC Aerospace Systems, he brings both automotive and aerospace experience to the APC. He has been accountable for a range of international projects including research and development, facility setup and new product introduction.

At the APC, Dan is responsible for supporting project consortia in completing their technical and commercial outcomes; the advancement of low carbon technology and creation of an enduring UK supply chain.

Daniel Fung

Head of Strategy and Planning

Kate Seddon

Head of Stakeholder Engagement

Learn about Kate

Kate Seddon joined the APC team with 20 years of global marketing, communications and operations experience across corporate, consumer and B2B environments; working with major brands in construction, manufacturing and higher education. Kate has also worked agency side in the creative and live events field.

Kate has held a number of management roles during her career with the University of Nottingham, Saint-Gobain and Caterpillar, specialising in marketing and communications strategy, campaign management, internal communications and engagement, project management, marketing operations and event management.

Kate has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the APC Marketing and Communications Team and leads the APC’s strategic communication projects.

Kate Seddon

Head of Stakeholder Engagement

Danielle Reid

Head of HR

Learn about Danielle

Danny joined the APC from Williams F1, where she was Group Talent Acquisition and Development Manager.  Working as an integral part of the Williams Group Leadership team and Executive, she took a lead role in driving a direct model of recruitment across the group, introducing psychometrics, assessment centres, values based interviewing and redefining the competency framework across the group. 

Danny also managed all aspects of the Williams Group training and development embedding ongoing robust development strategies, introducing leadership coaching, insights discovery self-awareness training, 360 feedback and enhanced leadership programmes.

Danny is an experienced and certified leadership coach with Henley Business School and is currently completing her MSc Coaching and Behavioural Change. Danny is an accredited user of a number of psychometric tools including SHL, Insights Discovery and Thomas International.   She also has a degree in Business Studies from Kingston University

Danielle Reid

Head of HR

Josh Denne

Head of Product (Start-up, Scale-up, Investment)

Learn about Josh

Josh is a Physics and Philosophy graduate and joins the team from ACAL Energy where he led technical projects developing large scale energy storage and fuel cell technologies.

As Head of Product (Start-up, Scale-up, Investment), Josh works closely with the successful TDAP consortia and is responsible for monitoring and assisting APC supported programmes that take low carbon advanced propulsion technologies through development towards product readiness.

Josh Denne

Head of Product (Start-up, Scale-up, Investment)

Alex Wood

Head of Product (CAM, Innovation)

Learn about Alex

Alex is a Chartered Engineer and Prince 2 accredited Project Manager working for over 10 years in automotive OEMs. Prior to the APC, he spent 6 years leading the integration of software and calibration for Aston Martin’s engine supply cooperation with AMG Daimler. 

Additionally managing large tier one suppliers and in house calibration teams to deliver Emissions, OBD and Driveability targets. He joined Aston Martin in 2009 after graduating from Loughborough University where he also spent time at Vauxhall Motors manufacturing plant as a Body in White Process Engineer building the 5 door Astra.

Alex Wood

Head of Product (CAM, Innovation)

Helena Allison-Moore

Head of Project Management Office

Learn about Helena

Helena joins the APC from a leadership role within Procter & Gamble’s product supply manufacturing unit.

She was involved in guiding projects from R&D, through their innovation structure and on to the launch phase ensuring delivery on-time and on-budget.

Helena is a key part of the Automotive Transformation Fund, helping the UK transition to an electrified future.

Helena Allison-Moore

Head of Project Management Office

Zoe Hall

Head of Delivery

Learn about Zoe

Zoe has over 20 years proven commercial experience across industry sectors, in account and sales management. Zoe has built her experience within small SME start-ups and larger global organisations such as Virgin.

Prior to joining the APC, Zoe was a co-founding Director of a Midlands-based company specialising in environmental product design solutions, primarily for the automotive sector. Here her project management skills resulted in a variety of successful projects many of which were grant funded. All focused on both the economic and most importantly the environmental challenges the industry faces.

Her position at the APC allows her the opportunity to bring this experience and understanding of the challenges of competitions with the ability to offer the guidance needed.

Zoe Hall

Head of Delivery

Dan Bunting

Head of Business Development

Learn about Dan

Dan is an Engineer with over 30 years of experience in the automotive and power generation industries.

Beginning his career in manufacturing at GE, Dan has also held senior positions in purchasing, supply chain and quality at companies including Delphi. Prior to joining the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Dan was a Global Purchasing Manager at Delphi Automotive. At the APC, Dan is responsible for leading the Business Development Team and industry engagement.

Dan Bunting

Head of Business Development

Mark Chylinski

Head of Finance

Learn about Mark

Mark Chylinski joined the APC from Npower, where he most recently led the management accounting function responsible for delivery of the financial result and associated internal reporting of a £6bn turnover business, having previously worked in various management and leadership roles across finance business partnering and operational finance teams.

Mark has a broad range of experience across financial disciplines, including within automotive manufacturing where he worked in financial reporting and commercial finance management roles at Unipart Manufacturing Group, a tier 1 supplier to OEMs. He became a qualified Chartered Accountant at Grant Thornton.

Mark Chylinski

Head of Finance

Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh

Head of Technology Trends

Learn about Dr Hadi

Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE) with over 20 years’ experience in both academia and industry. Having spent most of his career alongside industrial sectors, Hadi has been working with research and technology organisations, academia and industry, to drive collaboration, de-risk innovation, accelerate technology transfer, and drive growth in the UK manufacturing and transport ecosystem. He joined the APC as the Head of Technology Trends to lead the technology strategy and roadmaps.

Prior to joining the APC, Hadi was the Director (& Associate Dean) of Research, Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Salford, where he oversaw the restructuring of the research and innovation portfolio and developed the school’s research and innovation strategy. He also facilitated establishing of the industry advisory board for the North of England Robotics Innovation Centre (NERIC).

Before that, Hadi had a 9-year career with WMG, University of Warwick, most recently led the cross-Catapult portfolio at WMG High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, with a focus on Net Zero Transport strategy. Hadi was a core member of the UK Manufacturing Forum (UKMF), where he led academic engagement for digital technology roadmaps. He also led the industrial skill strategy at WMG HVM Catapult, where he convened the development of the National Electrification Skills Framework.

Hadi has a PhD in Engineering from the University of Warwick and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management from the University of Sheffield. He has been a committee member and the honorary treasurer of the IMechE Birmingham Automotive Division for over a decade and has been elected the Vice-Chairman of the IMechE Midland region in 2022.

Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh

Head of Technology Trends

Caroline Watkins

HR Business Partner

Learn about Caroline

Having graduated from Loughborough University with a B.Sc. in Economics with Politics, Caroline joined the Cooperative movement and spent her early years building a career path in HR and training within a retail environment.    

She made the move to a  leading edge engineering environment in 1999 when recruited to Stewart Grand Prix as their first HR Manager.  Through a series of sales and re-brandings, Stewart became Jaguar Racing under Ford, then Red Bull Racing when acquired by Dietrich  Mateschitz.  

Caroline then joined the HR team at Williams Grand Prix Engineering in 2011, through to 2018, providing support as HR Manager for the F1 side of the business, working with a diverse team of HR professionals.  

Overall, some 35+ years generalist HR experience, 17 of which within the Formula One industry, supporting and empowering management and employees to deliver the core objectives of the business. 

Caroline Watkins

HR Business Partner

Daniel King

IT Support Lead

Learn about Daniel

Daniel joined the APC as IT Support Lead and is responsible for our IT infrastructure, systems and services.

He has spent several years of his IT career working in the automotive sector, including four years spent as an Onsite Technical Engineer at Draexlmaier and six years spent as an IT Relocation Engineer, primarily working for Jaguar Land Rover.  

Daniel King

IT Support Lead

Anita Bowkett

CEO PA and Office Manager

Learn about Anita

Anita has over 25 years experience as a Personal Assistant working in a diverse range of industries including recruitment, trade show organisers, IT consultancy and legal expenses insurance.

At the APC Anita supports Ian Constance, the Chief Executive and the senior leadership team, in addition to her role as Office Manager for the Hub at the University of Warwick in Coventry.

Anita Bowkett

CEO PA and Office Manager

Rachael Thompson-Holmes

Executive PA and Office Coordinator

Learn about Rachael

Rachael Thompson-Holmes has held positions within Research and Development for over 10 years and has 18 years in administrative positions in the automotive industry.

Her work has included delivering PA, invoicing, shipping, travel, reception, development test tracking and general administration to customers from director to engineer level.

Rachael Thompson-Holmes

Executive PA and Office Coordinator

Chris Harris

Business Development Lead

Learn about Chris

Chris has over 15 years experience in the automotive industry working Johnson Controls Batteries, most recently as Senior Customer Manager responsible for business with two Japanese OEMs in EMEA region.

Chris has seen his job role evolve throughout his career, giving him the chance to gain experience of working with vast array of customers, trade sectors and tasks.

At the APC, Chris has taken on the role of Business Development Lead.

Chris Harris

Business Development Lead

Ruby Akhtar

Business Relationship Lead

Learn about Ruby

Ruby has worked with leading OEMs, managing projects from research and development to full-scale production. Throughout her career, she has successfully grown a portfolio of accounts, aligned with corporate objectives, and led strategic decision-making initiatives. Ruby holds a Master’s in Engineering Management and a Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership.

Ruby’s role at the APC is to assist businesses of all sizes in accessing support for R&D collaborations and large-scale industrialisation, with a focus on developing the end-to-end electrified automotive supply chain in the UK.

Ruby is also dedicated to promoting STEM education, mentoring students, and advocating for diversity and inclusion in engineering.

Ruby Akhtar

Business Relationship Lead

Laurah Hutchinson-Strain

Senior PR Manager

Learn about Laurah


After a varied career in both the public and private sectors, Laurah joined the APC team with over 20 years of communications and public relations experience across corporate, consumer, not-for-profit, and B2B environments. Working within the energy and utilities sector immediately prior. Laurah has also worked agency side and brings skills in creative design, and concept marketing.

Laurah has held a number of management and communication roles during her career with Her Majesty’s Prison Service, Coventry City Council, and the Energy and Utilities Alliance. Effective and impactful communication is her specialism.

Laurah has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the APC Public Relations Team.

Laurah Hutchinson-Strain

Senior PR Manager

Clem Silverman

Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Learn about Clem

Clem is a communications professional with experience of roles in public relations and international development policy in the UK and abroad. Clem joined the APC from an advocacy comms agency, working with a range of clients from European trade associations to corporate brands.

A storyteller at heart, he previously trained as a broadcast journalist and continues to enjoy integrating multimedia and creativity into his work. 

Clem Silverman

Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Diane Whitworth

Senior Marketing Communications Manager

Learn about Diane

Diane is our Senior Marketing Communications Manager and heads up our marketing communications function. She is primarily responsible for shaping and delivering our marketing communications strategy, including campaign management.

Diane has over 30 years of marketing and communications experience, including 17 years working for Trelleborg Automotive as the VP of Marketing and Communications and 5 years working for Meggitt aerospace and defence as a Marketing Business Partner.

Diane Whitworth

Senior Marketing Communications Manager

Natalie Baldock

Marketing Communications Lead

Learn about Natalie


Natalie joined the APC with over 10 years of marketing and communications experience across mostly B2B environments and has worked in a variety of sectors including education, property, publishing and construction. 

Specialising in marketing and communication planning and campaign management, she really enjoys getting to grips with a brand and exploring how to develop, build and fine-tune communications.

Natalie has responsibility for leading communications activity including the Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP). 

Natalie Baldock

Marketing Communications Lead

Catherine Prothero

Events Manager

Learn about Catherine

Catherine started her career at the APC in 2017 as a marketing intern. Since then, she has graduated with a BSc in Business Management. After graduating her BSc, she has now re-joined the APC in the Marketing and Communications Coordinator role.

In the marketing and communications team, Catherine is responsible for managing the International events programme, UK events programme and events held in the National Propulsion.

Catherine Prothero

Events Manager

Kamilia Boughenout

Events Coordinator

Learn about Kamilia

Kamilia joined the APC as an Events Coordinator. While completing her doctoral research degree, she has coordinated and organised multiple conferences and events at the University of Glasgow, where she has taken on a wide array of tasks ranging from administrative support and project management to marketing and communications.

Throughout her career, Kamilia has held several other events coordination roles, in addition to language teaching and administrative roles, in various countries. She has now completed her PhD in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Glasgow.

Kamilia Boughenout

Events Coordinator

Martin Welch

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Martin

A graduate Mechanical Engineer with 39 years of experience in the automotive space, Martin began his career as a Body Engineer, moving into whole vehicle program delivery in the early 2000s. 

Martin has experienced most of the spectrum of the automotive industry in that time, from high volume manufacturers such as JLR, Volvo, BMW, to niche manufacturers such as McLaren and Aston Martin where he was Chief Program Engineer for the initial stages of the DB9 program.

His work has taken him to many parts of the world including Europe, the Far East and the USA. Prior to joining the APC, Martin was Senior Vice President of Engineering for Fisker Inc.  based in Los Angeles, California. 

Martin Welch

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Sunil Maher

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Sunil

Sunil Maher joined the Competitions & Projects team at the APC in May 2018.

Previously, Sunil was Project Manager at the University of Warwick where he was responsible for managing and coordinating an academic research project involving 18 universities. Prior to this, Sunil worked at Coventry University Enterprises Ltd where he managed, coordinated and delivered a range of EU funded collaborative research projects with particular emphasis on SME support, transport, digital media, research and VET projects gathering delivery experience and knowledge of EU funded programmes such as FP7, H2020, LLP, ERASMUS+ and ERDF.

Sunil’s career started in the telecommunications industry where he was responsible for developing global support plans for newly developed products at Marconi Services UK. Sunil has a degree in Electronic Engineering.

Sunil Maher

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Matt Shillito

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Matt

Matt Shillito is a Senior Project Delivery Lead and a Chartered Engineer with a background in automotive engineering and process improvement.

Prior to joining the APC, Matt was a consultant within the McKinsey Operations Practice, supporting global clients on a range of projects including manufacturing optimisation, design for value, and procurement. Matt started his career at Jaguar Land Rover, where he worked in a number of roles within Chassis Engineering focussing on active suspension systems, and holds a MEng in Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Warwick.

Matt Shillito

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Ben Harrison

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Ben

Ben has over 25 years’ experience working in Engineering Delivery and Project Delivery in automotive, off-highway and marine industries. He started his career as a graduate at Rover Group and subsequently had roles at Land Rover, Visteon, Caterpillar, Perkins Engines, Nissan, and Fairline Yachts. His time at Caterpillar included a 2-year assignment in Qingdao, China.

Ben joins us from Tata Technologies Limited, a Global Engineering Service Provider, where in his most recent role he was leading the domain teams of 250 people within the Centre Of Excellence for the Engineering, Research and Development line of service. During his time at TTL, customer projects Ben supported included at JLR, McLaren, Vinfast, Caterpillar, and Tata Hitachi.

Ben Harrison

Senior Project Delivery Lead

Matt Pardington

Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Matt

Matt is a degree qualified Mechanical Engineer, and Project Manager; and has worked in a variety of sectors within the engineering industry since graduating in 2006, including Structural (steel framed buildings – Metsec), Nuclear (Rolls-Royce defence) and Automotive (Prodrive, JLR & Nippon Seiki).ive OEMs. Prior to the APC, he spent 6 years leading the integration of software and calibration for Aston Martin’s engine supply cooperation with AMG Daimler. 

Most recently, Matt worked as a Project Manager for a Japanese company called Nippon Seiki (Tier 1 supplier of clusters and Head Up Displays) managing a Mercedes-Benz project (E Class head up display). Matt has a keen interest in the environment and green technology, and also in the strategy and policies required to push us closer to net zero.

Matt Pardington

Project Delivery Lead

Emily Wiberg Rasmussen

Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Emily Wiberg

Emily studied International Management at Warwick Business School and went on to work as a Business Operations Specialist in EV Engineering at Potenza Technology.

Emily Wiberg Rasmussen

Project Delivery Lead

Silpa Shaji

TDAP Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Silpa

Before joining us, Silpa worked in startups for over 5 years and was the Head Product Manager and on the board of directors for a startup that was building an autonomous cleaning bot for B2B sales.  She was also the Head of Project Operations for another startup that was developing a consumer internet platform. Silpa achieved her master’s degree in engineering business management from the University of Warwick and a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering.

Silpa Shaji

TDAP Project Delivery Lead

Gökhan Tourkkanli 

TDAP Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Gökhan

Before joining the APC as a TDAP Project Delivery Lead, Gökhan worked with founders and CEOs of tech companies from various industries for almost a decade, helping them to accelerate their new product/service development and commercialise it. 

Previously at Connected Places Catapult, he focused on investment readiness and funding support; designed and led an investment support programme that enabled tech companies to raise millions of pounds of investment for their innovation and help investors to find and close impactful deals. 

Gökhan Tourkkanli 

TDAP Project Delivery Lead

Joe Dobson

Project Delivery Lead

Learn about Joe

Joe Dobson has previously worked as a Project Manager and Technical Lead for a range of grant-funded and commercial projects in collaboration with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, RTO’s, universities and SMEs.

He has led technical developments in the area of multi-material bodies, for both electric vehicle battery cooling and structural crash applications, as well as design, development and manufacture of products according to customer specifications.

Joe graduated from the University of Hull with a BSc in Physics with Astrophysics in 2014, going on to complete a MSc at the University of Warwick in Advanced Mechanical Engineering in 2016.

Joe Dobson

Project Delivery Lead

Jeremy Clayton

Senior Programme Manager

Learn about Jeremy

Jeremy studied Law at university and then went on to work in a variety of specialist areas of the law including criminal, mental health and business & commercial law.

In 2015, he made the switch to project management, working for Axillium Research. At Axillium he supported the bid, set-up and delivery of collaborative R&D programmes across industry and academia with a particular focus on the automotive sector. This included two successful APC bids. Before joining the APC, Jeremy worked at Jaguar Land Rover, working as a project manager on collaborative APC funded projects. There he coordinated bids, helped on the set-up and close down, and ran a live project.

Jeremy Clayton

Senior Programme Manager

Naim Yusuf

Programme Manager

Learn about Naim

Naim has graduated with a Master’s in automotive engineering from Loughborough University. Before joining us, he worked within programme management for a variety of OEMs, ranging from mass produced cars, bespoke luxury sports cars, and commercial vehicles. His responsibilities included project planning, data analysis and reporting through the development lifecycle of the products.

Naim Yusuf

Programme Manager

Nikhil Tosar

Competitions Planner

Learn about Nikhil

Nikhil joined the APC as a Competitions Planner. He graduated from Kingston University and began his first job in General Electric Aviation, after which Nikhil transitioned into the healthcare industry working in various supply chain management roles.

Nikhil Tosar

Competitions Planner

Rutuja Mhankale

Planner

Learn about Rutuja

Rutuja began her career at Accenture, where she developed data pipelines and collaborated with stakeholders to address business needs for an automotive client.

Rutuja recently graduated with an MSc in Business Analytics from Aston University, where she had the opportunity to work with ContainerGrid, a waste management and recycling company. During this time, she developed a machine learning model to forecast inventory levels, which not only enhanced her technical skills but also sparked her passion for sustainability and introduc#ed her to the concept of the circular economy. This experience strengthened her commitment to driving innovative solutions for a sustainable future.

Rutuja Mhankale

Planner

Gemma McCusker

TDAP Programme Administrator

Learn about Gemma

Gemma has worked in education for 7 years working as a Data Manager, SENCo and most recently as a Learning Support Assistant supporting children with special educational needs. 

Prior to working in education, she worked as a Performance Analyst for Kier at Severn Trent Water. Gemma studied at Nottingham Trent University and has a degree in Psychology and Educational development and a Post Graduate National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination from The University of Wolverhampton.

Gemma McCusker

TDAP Programme Administrator

Niharika Rajesh

TDAP Programme Administrator

Learn about Niharika

Niharika joins us as Programme Administrator (maternity leave cover) for the Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP).  
Niharika is currently finalising her studies at the University of Warwick for a Masters in Business and Finance.  
In the last two years, Niharika has worked alongside start-ups across various industries, from consulting to food and beverage. She enjoys collaborating with founders and CEOs to help them to develop innovative ideas to build brands. She has experience in accounts, customer support and has taken an active role in a student consulting group in parallel with her studies.

Niharika Rajesh

TDAP Programme Administrator

Tafadzwa Motsi

Senior Investor Relations Lead

Learn about Tafadzwa

Tafadzwa Motsi is a chartered Chemical Engineer with more than a decade of successful experience in innovation and developing new products within both large and small organisations.

His focus and main interests are in areas and on projects which have a positive environmental impact. He has worked on Carbon Capture technologies, developed low cost materials for cleaning waste water during his doctorate studies, and more recently he has been working on biodegradable light-weight-high strength Nano-materials which can be used in a variety of applications. Prior to joining APC, Taf led and managed several projects scaling-up and commercialising the production of nano and micro-materials. 

Tafadzwa Motsi

Senior Investor Relations Lead

Caroline Woodbridge

Finance Manager

Learn about Caroline

Caroline Woodbridge joined the APC following 17 years working at npower, with responsibility for gross margin accounting for the electricity business and cash and debt reporting. 

Prior to this, she worked in various finance roles across the utilities and construction industries. Caroline qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG and has a degree in Business and Management from Aston University.

Caroline Woodbridge

Finance Manager

Hollie Moniz

Finance Business Partner

Learn about Hollie

Hollie is a Chartered Management Accountant, who came to the APC from Innovate UK KTN, where she worked as a Finance Project Analyst and monitored several grant funded and commercial projects.

Prior to this, she spent three years on the Civil Service Fast Stream, undertaking placements in Prisons, Defence and Parks. Hollie has a BEng in General Engineering from Durham University. During her time at university she completed work experience placements at MG Motors and Rolls Royce, leading to an interest in vehicle electrification.

Hollie Moniz

Finance Business Partner

Ellie Aldridge

Assistant Accountant

Learn about Ellie

Ellie Aldridge joined the APC as an Assistant Accountant.

She had previously been working in a similar role at Yazaki Europe. Ellie is currently studying to become a qualified accountant in her spare time.

Ellie Aldridge

Assistant Accountant

Stephanie Morton

Strategic Trends Manager

Learn about Stephanie

Stephanie is a chartered engineer with almost 10 years engineering experience. Before joining the APC, she was a programme design lead at Accelera by Cummins within the battery team, but previously worked as an Engineer in the electrochemistry team. Before joining Accelera, Stephanie worked as a Design Engineer as well as gaining an MRes in lithium-ion battery safety from WMG.

Stephanie Morton

Strategic Trends Manager

Dr Sophie Cozien-Cazuc

Senior Strategist

Learn about Dr Sophie

Sophie’s expertise is in materials science, characterisation, and processing. She specialised in polymer composites with a focus on their sustainability for the automotive sector (in terms of materials selection, manufacturing and end-of-life). Throughout her career, she has established a network and built relationships with key stakeholders in the composite and transport industries.

Sophie joined the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK as a Senior Strategist in March 2024. Sophie obtained her MSc in Advanced Materials in 2002 at Cranfield University and her PhD in bio-medical composites in 2007 from the Polymer Composites Group at the University of Nottingham. After holding a Research Fellow position in the same group, she joined Syensqo/Solvay Composites (Derby) Ltd (formerly Umeco Composites Structural Materials/Advanced Composites Group Ltd) as a Collaborative Research & Technology Project Manager in December 2008. In November 2013, Sophie started at Far-UK Ltd as a Technical Programme Manager and managed research projects, which were part-funded by the UK and the European Commission. She became a Technical Manager in February 2018 and developed the company’s roadmap and set new collaborative research projects up. Additionally, she has been a committee member of the East Midlands Materials Society (EMMS), which is affiliated to The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IoM3) since 2006; a board member of the Composites Leadership Team of the IoM3 since December 2014; a committee member of SAMPE UK & Ireland Chapter since October 2019; a member of Vehicular Composites Group (Composites Leadership Forum) since February 2023; and a member of the Skills Development Group (Composites Leadership Forum) since April 2023.

Dr Sophie Cozien-Cazuc

Senior Strategist

Helena Perslow

Automotive Trends Strategist

Learn about Helena

Helena has worked as a market and competitive intelligence analyst since 2007, both in agencies and as internal market analyst, with the majority of her time as an automotive analyst.

Helena Perslow

Automotive Trends Strategist

Aditya Thiru

Automotive Trends Strategist

Learn about Aditya

Aditya is a strategy and innovation professional with 10 years of experience in accelerating strategic initiatives and technology innovation programmes for transport and energy sectors. His recent experience at PA Consulting Ltd, saw him working as a Strategy Consultant and advising various senior stakeholders, from private and public sector clients, on technology and innovation strategy related projects. Previously, Aditya has worked as an Innovation Technologist at Connected Places Catapult, where he worked on accelerating early-stage ideas for transport related technologies. 

Aditya Thiru

Automotive Trends Strategist

Angad Jessel

Automotive Trends Analyst

Learn about Angad

Angad has joined us as a graduate from the University of Warwick. He has completed a Master’s degree in Engineering Business Management, and before this he completed a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Management at Coventry University. He has researched electrification in the automotive industry as part of his two thesis’ and previously worked in the aviation industry.

Angad Jessel

Automotive Trends Analyst

Ben Butlin

Strategy and Performance Consultant

Learn about Ben

Following a successful career at Ford Motor Company, Ben joined JATO Dynamics as Research Director with responsibility for all aspects of the global research activity, he later joined International Ambulance as CEO working with company founders to establish the brand in the market securing its strong market position. Ben started his own consultancy, Nith Services, in December 2016 to provide strategic and management support.

An experienced leader Ben possesses a strong track record for strategic global delivery. Passionate about innovative and efficient product lifecycle Ben has a strong background in mechanical engineering from design, manufacture to launch.

Working with Entrepreneurs/Founders, Board level roles to operational, business planning and project delivery Ben has helped to lead global growth programs, including two foreign assignments Japan and USA, and specialises in strategy development and vehicle product planning.

Ben Butlin

Strategy and Performance Consultant

Alain Fernandes

Business Analyst

Learn about Alain

Following a successful tenure as a Full Stack Developer, Alain advanced into project leadership roles, where he managed multiple software development projects, ensuring adherence to development timelines and budgets. During this time, he played a pivotal role in building and deploying a range of ERP systems that significantly improved operational efficiency and reduced costs for businesses.

Alain’s expertise spans the full project lifecycle—from concept and development to implementation—achieving improvement in project delivery speed through Agile methodologies. As an experienced leader in both software development and project management, Alain combines technical proficiency with strategic oversight to deliver complex solutions that drive business growth. He holds a graduate degree in Business Analytics from the University of Liverpool, where he was awarded the prestigious Future Leaders Master’s Scholarship in recognition of his academic excellence and leadership potential.

Alain’s work has supported businesses in achieving sustained success, and his experience extends to working with stakeholders at all levels, focusing on strategy development and digital transformation.

Alain Fernandes

Business Analyst

Steve Sapsford

Academic Advisory Group (AAG) Lead

Learn about Steve

Steve joined the automotive consultancy, Ricardo, in 1986 after graduating in Mechanical Engineering from Southampton University and worked in technical roles focusing on analysis and simulation of internal combustion engines and transmission systems.

In 2007, he became the Global Product Group Director for all gasoline engine business and then the Global Market Sector Director for high performance vehicles. In 2014 he became the Business Strategy Director for the Technical Consulting business with a special interest in sustainability and life-cycle analysis.

Steve left Ricardo in September 2018 to set up his own consultancy with a focus on future propulsions systems and the role for sustainable fuels in complementing electrification.  He is an Industrial Advisor for Transport at the University of Nottingham and a member of the Industrial Advisory Board (School of Engineering) at the University of Cardiff.  Steve was also the chair of the Powertrain Systems and Fuels Group at the IMechE until June 2022.  He is currently the chair of the industrial advisory group for the EPSRC MariNH3 programme and co-chair of the hydrogen ICE task and finish group for DESNZ.

Steve Sapsford

Academic Advisory Group (AAG) Lead

Contact us

To get in touch with a member of the team…

General enquiries

[email protected]

Media enquiries

[email protected]

Career opportunities

[email protected]

Advanced Propulsion Centre

IIPSI Building

University Road

Coventry

CV4 7AL