The UK's innovation accelerator for cities, transport & place leadership.
The Affiliates will work in collaboration with the Catapult, enabling us to increase impact across cities, transport, and place leadership.
The 31 Affiliates are made up of 11 Associate Directors, nine Ambassadors, and 11 Experts, drawn from across business, government, and academia, and will strengthen the Catapult’s reach and impact in key innovation ecosystems.
Guy Woodroffe
Guy has a background in strategy and policy, with experience of delivering policy, research and development and innovation across a number of sectors including transport, defence and now social housing. Guy is currently Head of Policy for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Guy joined the Department three years ago, having held roles in innovation in the Ministry of Defence, and been responsible for developing strategy and programme delivery for research, development and innovation across the rail industry in the UK.
Ibrahim Mohamed
Ibrahim leads on the Freeport Innovation Network (FIN) at the Catapult. The FIN is a focused, bespoke network that seeks to empower and drive innovation and innovative activities throughout UK Freeports, leveraging the wider academic and private sector communities, linking a national network of local growth plans to global investment and joint venture opportunities. It is a collaboration vehicle for Freeports to shape and orchestrate their innovation activity as a collective which is being championed by Catapult and Innovate UK KTN, in conjunction with UK Freeports.
Joe Hepworth
Joe Hepworth has been based in the UAE since 2008 founding, in 2013, the British Centres for Business (BCB) in partnership with the British Government and Government of Dubai to promote bilateral trade and investment. The BCB has since generated more than £120m in recorded ‘export wins’ for UK companies in the Middle East and supported more than 60 British firms to set up operations in the UAE. In 2017, Joe oversaw the BCB’s acquisition by leading economic development consultancy OCO Global, and has subsequently also acted as OCO’s Middle East director.
Beyond the UK-UAE corridor, Joe is recognised as a leader throughout the Middle East’s trade and investment community having managed and delivered successful projects in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and further afield in North and East Africa, and the CIS.
Jonathan Ziebart
Jonathan is highly experienced at all stages of business growth and commercial transformation in the international public transport industry, having joined the industry almost 15 years ago. From leading strategy development and identifying and evaluating strategic opportunities, through to managing and enhancing portfolio businesses, Jonathan possesses strong commercial acumen, project leadership skills, and collaborative stakeholder management.
Jonathan started his career at FirstGroup, where he supported the analysis and content production for five major UK rail bid submissions. After three years, Jonathan joined the Group’s International Business Development team, leading analysis, strategy writing and bid content for FirstGroup’s international growth. His efforts resulted in successfully securing £224m worth of transport contracts in Panama, India, and Texas, USA.
Julian Dee
Julian is an Associate Director at Connected Places Catapult and an experienced public affairs, communications, and business collaboration specialist, with focuses including net zero and civil society.
Julian’s campaign, research and media work has variously featured on radio, television, online and in print, contributing to: legislative and public policy changes, such as relating to accessible transport; public awareness of climate change; and to net zero business television production. While previously working for a decade in the House of Lords for some of the UK’s most respected civil society figures, he was recognised with the Parliamentary Researcher of the Year (Overall Winner) Award.
Malcolm Harbour CBE
Malcolm is a seasoned agitator for innovation in procurement and the procurement of innovation. He was MEP for the UK West Midlands from 1999-2014. From 2009 to 2014, he was Chairman of the Parliament’s Internal Market Committee. He has a detailed knowledge of UK and EU legislation on procurement. He chaired the LGA Taskforce on Innovation Procurement that produced a widely read report in 2017. In 2019 he became an Associate Director at Connected Places Catapult, with an expert steering role in the Challenging Procurement and Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre programmes. He has contributed to many Catapult reports, co-authored a Procurement Green Paper response, and is a regular speaker at procurement conferences.
Mark Glaysher
Mark has worked on major rail infrastructure programmes in the UK for over 20 years principally leading consents and sustainability teams, delivering on statutory consent, environmental and community investment. The drive for a more sustainable solution, delivering better value for money with improved environmental and social performance, led Mark to work on the DfT’s Transport Infrastructure Efficiency Programme which focused on the introduction of innovative technologies and approaches across the public sector infrastructure investment.
This provided an insight into the blockers of innovation and the system level changes required, especially from the supply chain. This insight helped develop the future innovation strategy for Network Rail designed to encourage open innovation within the devolved regional railways.
Philip Dyer
Philip has 25 years of consultancy experience designing and delivering projects and programmes across a wide range of sectors including economic development, transport, infrastructure, children services and digital/e-Government.
Comfortable operating at senior levels in central, regional, and local government, the HE and FE sectors. Previously employed in local government for 5 years. Strong commercial and operational skills with a focus on business growth. Previously held Director-level roles with Atkins (SNC-Lavalin) notably as Director for public-sector consulting, Director for innovation (UK), Director for Atkins Northern Powerhouse and as COO for the Future Cities Catapult.
Founded Civikas (2019), and currently working with a range of clients to design and deliver projects and programmes.
Professor Kevin Vincent
Kevin has over 30 years’ experience in automotive and aerospace product and business development in the private and public sectors. With a background in engineering simulation and optimization, his passion is promoting research and impact in safe, efficient, and accessible forms of mobility.
As Director of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research (CCAAR) at Coventry University he is responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the Centre’s research into future mobility systems and their interaction with the environment. His role includes developing and managing strategic relationships with external partners in particular Horiba MIRA and our co-located facility ‘ASSURED CAV (Highway)’ created to test autonomous vehicles at the limit of their operation.
Professor Sara Walker
Professor Walker is co-Director of the Birmingham Energy Institute at the University of Birmingham. She has been working in the energy sector since 1996, with a career spanning industry and academia. Her research focus is on renewable energy and energy efficiency in buildings, energy policy, energy resilience, and whole energy systems. She is Director of the EPSRC Hub on Hydrogen Integration for Accelerated Energy Transitions, EPSRC Energy Demand Research Champion, and Deputy Director for the EPSRC SuperGen Energy Networks Hub. She is an Advisory Committee Member for the UK Energy Research Centre and the UK CCS Research Centre, and also contributes to the EPSRC Scientific Advisory Committee for Energy.
Stuart Jackson
Stuart is an innovation policy professional with more than fifteen years’ experience working in innovation environments at EU, UK, devolved, and regional government levels. He has experience of managing innovation grant portfolios inside the big 4 (EY) and for global blue-chip companies (Jaguar Land Rover). He has led corporate innovation funding strategies, designed grant funding schemes, and worked in international public affairs.
He has an education background in economics and European policy, is originally from Sheffield but lives near Edinburgh.
Professor Andrew Boraine
Prof. Andrew Boraine is an independent partnering and systems change practitioner, based in Cape Town. He has been involved in South Africa’s political, local government, urban, economic and sustainability change processes for the past four decades, as student leader, anti-apartheid activist, advisor, negotiator, government planner, city manager, chief executive, facilitator, partnership and partnering specialist, systems change practitioner, institutional designer, communicator and writer.
Allan Youp
Allan was until recently, Solent MEZ Programme Director in the Royal Navy. Solent MEZ a regional consortium of government, industry, academia, and the Royal Navy working collaboratively to deliver a centre of excellence for maritime research, innovation, education, skills, and training. Prior to the MEZ, he was Head of Learning and Development in the Royal Navy, and Chief of Staff / Training Capability Commander.
Bill McCluggage
Bill McCluggage is a leading digital, IT, cyber security, risk management and counter fraud professional with over 30 years’ experience at Director/C-level roles within the public and private sectors.
Following a career as an Engineering Officer in the Royal Air Force, IT Director of Harland & Wolff Heavy Industries and roles as deputy UK Government CIO, the first Irish Government CIO and the CIO and SIRO for the Northern Ireland Civil Service he established his own business and has worked for a range of public and private sector clients.
Charlotte Pearce
For over 27 years, Charlotte has created impactful private/public sector partnerships across the transport sector. Over the last four years, she has successfully operated her own consultancy specialising in Communications, Marketing, Business Development and Stakeholder Engagement.
Before starting her own business, she had built a successful career working across the private, public and charity sector. She was Director of External Relations at the Community Transport Association and Head of Development at the National Railway Museum.
Professor Chris Smith
Prof Chris Smith is Professor of Mechanical Engineering, deputy Assoc Dean for Research (Industry) for the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, and Director of the Centre for Future Clean Mobility (CFCM).
CFCM partners with businesses to develop low-emissions, high-efficiency integrated power systems for applications in the marine, off-highway, rail, defence, and energy sectors. CFCM is a world class facility for design, optimisation, development, and testing of near full-scale electrified and hybrid power systems for transport.
Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh
Hadi is the Head of Technology Trends at Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) UK, where he leads on the knowledge base and insight and foresight publications. He is also in charge of the APC’s and Automotive Council’s roadmaps, which includes technology and product roadmaps.
Before joining the APC, Hadi was the Associate Dean for Research, Innovation and Enterprise in Science and Engineering, at University of Salford.
Prior to joining Salford, he was the Senior Technology Officer at WMG, University of Warwick and High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, and a member of the WMG HVM Catapult management group.
Lena Rosenior
Lena Rosenior is the Founder, CTO and CEO of De Graft Management (DGM), an award-winning tech company driving innovation in property, asset, and waste management: incorporating AI, Machine Learning and IoT.
She has over 25 years’ experience developing and delivering technology in the public and private sectors in UK and across Africa and champions the development of fit for purpose, user-centred technology with a locally driven digital-first approach to building, asset and waste management technology delivery. Lena also works as an Advisor at Astia VC Fund, a Co-Innovate Ambassador at Brunel University, supporting the University and speaking at Co-Innovate events and representing the programme at external events and as a Mentor on the UK Government’s Enterprise Nation Help to Grow: Management Programme.
Sarah Hayes
Sarah is an economist specialised in infrastructure and data. She was the lead author on the National Infrastructure Commission report Data for the Public Good which set the vision for a National Digital Twin as an ecosystem of connected digital twins.
Sarah is the CReDo Strategic Engagement Lead. She is Chair of the Data and Digitalisation expert panel and member of the Advisory Group supporting Innovate UK in Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund. She is a member of the Geospatial Commission’s National Underground Asset Register Advisory Group. She co-authored a paper on “Net Zero and the potential of consumer data – UK energy sector case study: The need for cross-sectoral data best practice principles”. Sarah is a guest lecturer on the economics of data at Imperial College London.
Dr Sophie Taysom
Sophie is the Founder and CEO of Keyah Consulting Ltd. ‘Keyah’ is a girl’s name meaning in good health. Sophie works with clients across the built environment, and health, to develop their approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations. This area of focus comes from an interest in how finance can be tied more directly to built environments that are designed to be healthy and sustainable.
In consulting, Sophie brings with her a wealth of expertise from a career spanning government, business and academia. She also brings this expertise to her additional roles as a Trustee for a large London based charity, and as a Non-Executive Director. Sophie established the ESG in real estate group on LinkedIn which has a global membership running into the thousands. The purpose of the group is to promote the sharing of knowledge and expertise and provide a useful resource for practitioners and those interested in the topic.
Ben Brabyn
Ben Brabyn is a business development and ecosystem specialist who works with UK and international companies to maximise the benefits of positive externalities.
He is former Head of Level39, Europe’s leading fintech and cybersecurity cluster based in London. He welcomed over 200 companies from more than 50 countries and grew Level39 by 70% becoming one of the most connected people in the UK startup ecosystem.
Ben Hawes
Experienced consultant on public policy, networks and influence relating to smart cities, AI and geospatial applications, with extensive experience in Government technology policy and industry engagement.
Currently working with the Catapult on Public Procurement of Innovation, facilitating, and networking with Government external organisations.
Brian Macey
Brian’s career in innovation spans over forty years focussed across the petroleum and motor industries with bp, Esso and General Motors.
Brian has been responsible for new product development in the transport sector covering the design and calibration of a diverse range of physical assets such as trucks, buses, F1 cars, and the fuel that they use including alternative fuels such as hydrogen, LPG, LNG, CNG and low carbon replacements for diesel and gasoline.
Emma Frost
Emma is highly experienced in delivering integrated urban regeneration and innovation systems, combining physical development and master planning with socio-economic and environmentally sustainable programme delivery.
Emma works on all aspects of innovation economies, specialising on strategy development, governance and stakeholder management, business models, operating plans, and inclusive innovation. She brings with her direct delivery experience of establishing and running SHIFT – London’s living testbed based at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park London.
Michael Mulquin
Michael has spent nearly 30 years partnering with cities, rural areas, and industry on how technology can help neighbourhoods and cities work better. For the last ten years he has been focusing on the development and implementation of smart and sustainable city standards and has had the opportunity to work with many different Standards Development Organisations.
He is Chair of the IEC Smart Cities Systems Committee and Co-Chair of the IEC-ISO-ITU Joint Smart Cities Task Group. He was a member of the ITU-T Smart and Sustainable Cities Focus Group, editor of the JTC1 Smart Cities Strategy Report, contributing editor of the report of the CEN/CENLEC/ETSI Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities Co-ordination Group and was involved in the development of a number of standards from ISO TC 268.
Mike Burden
Mike has over 30 years’ experience in transport systems engineering ranging from research into electronic payment systems in transport through to the design of FinTech applications for automatic fare collection systems and road user charging schemes. He is a Chartered Electrical Engineer, Member of the IET, Institute of Physics, the IoD and the BCS. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI), an Associate Fellow of the HEA and a Chartered Member of Engineers Ireland (CEng MIEI). He is an independent consultant helping clients develop digital transformation strategies in the Automatic Fare Collection and Road User Charging markets. His current clients include governments, national transport authorities and technology start-ups.
Rachael Bampton-Aiken
Rachael is a strategic advisor specialising in place and destination making and project management, change leadership, business analysis and strategic marketing.
Rachael has operated across all sectors in the private and public sectors from finance and engineering to healthcare and education working with directors and chief executives to affect change.
She has also led national and international projects and delegations ranging from taking the Northwest leadership including Metro Mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram to COP26, delivering Liverpool City Region at MIPIM, LREF and UKREiiF and delivering collective leadership programmes for Northern Powerhouse, British Property Federation, DBT and destinations across the UK.
Dr Richard Barrett
Richard is a Reader in Industrial Design at the University of Liverpool. His expertise lies in work in clean mobility, the future of mobility and low carbon vehicles through innovative design, advertising, and communication to drive customer adoption. He is leading on an initiative at the University in Advanced Transdisciplinary Design.
He led membership of the Design Cluster, bringing together disciplines across three faculties including representation at the Design Council, UK. Previously, he was Associate head of Industrial Design and Automotive Design at Coventry University. He was responsible for leading the strategic direction of Design at Coventry University, including the development of international partnerships, industrial collaborations, joint faculty initiatives and University wide initiatives.
Dr Richard Miller
Richard Miller has over 40 years’ practical experience in innovation and sustainability across multiple business and technology sectors, and in the private and public sector.
Trained as a chemist, Richard has been an academic, a research director with Unilever and ICI, developed and led programmes for the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, and founded a consultancy focusing on the practice of innovation, sustainability and the circular economy, and the future of urban living.
Scott Cain
Scott has worked in strategy, communications, innovation, and commercial roles spanning public and private sectors since the early 1990s.
His areas of focus include active travel (particularly micro-mobility), urban design, connected environments, and wellbeing.
He has led campaigns to create a more enterprising and entrepreneurial culture among young people, with Enterprise UK, and run what was the UK’s largest corporate and consumer media programme for Barclays.
Scott has worked with place leaders in over 50 cities on their innovation challenges, as well as with and for many of the world’s best-known companies – from Google, Amazon and Microsoft to Siemens, Nike, Virgin and Accenture. He has spoken and written widely, including being interviewed on and writing for national and international media – ranging from the FT to BBC Breakfast.
Vicki Ayton
Vicki first joined the Catapult in January 2021 on a business fellowship with the University of Chester where she was part of the set up and establishment of the Centre for Research into Environmental Science and Technology. Her particular focus was on the opportunities to support knowledge transfer in rural communities under the theme of smarter rural. Whilst in this post she also supported a number of Innovate funded research projects and industry collaborations, including Flox AI and the Pumphouse Knowledge Hub as well as supporting the establishment of industry networks such as Shropshire Water Forum and a retrofit cluster.
More recently she has worked with the Alternative Low Impact Materials Project at the University of Birmingham to support delivery of a number of research collaborations focussed on lower carbon alternative materials. Vicki’s expertise lies in partnership, collaborations and industry engagement, as well as the ability to spot opportunities at an early stage.
Connected Places Catapult aims to run another call for Affiliates early in 2024. Details will be posted on our careers page.
