Eve joined the LGA in July 2024. Previously Eve was at Leeds City Council where she spearheaded the delivery of the city’s Inclusive Growth Strategy introducing pioneering work in a range of areas including the Leeds Inclusive Anchors Network, the Social Progress Index and the delivery of their vision for innovation as the council’s Chief Officer, Culture and Economy.
Before joining local government, Eve worked at NHS Digital for 15 years on the delivery of complex and large-scale IT change programmes including the first Prison Health IT system in England and the Child Protection Information Sharing Project – which included her working with the LGA.

Paul has over 25 years board and executive-level experience, including CEO and Managing Director roles, across the transport, defence, and education sectors. He founded Interimconsult, a management and innovation consultancy, five years ago and has managed industry-wide initiatives including the delivery of the Rail Sector Deal and, most recently, the development and rollout of the Rail Sector Innovation Charter, a groundbreaking initiative that will improve the environment for innovation throughout the rail sector . He has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, MBA, and degree in engineering, and continues to provide board advisory services to tech start-ups in the transport sector.

Professor Mark Westwood is the Head of Centre and Professor of Aeronautics at Cranfield University.

Mark spent his early career at QinetiQ, working primarily in aerospace research and development across a range of civil and military technology demonstrator programmes covering navigation, guidance and control with extensive experience of simulation and flight test.

In 2012, Mark took the position of Head of Computational Aerodynamics at Aircraft Research Association, leading a sustained growth in industrial R&D activity partnered with a range of international aerospace OEMs and UK MoD/dstl.

Mark joined the Transport Systems Catapult in 2015 to lead R&D projects developing automated and autonomous vehicle technologies, with highlights including the HumanDrive connected and autonomous road vehicle project with Nissan as the lead OEM. In 2017 he moved to the position of CTO, and in 2019 as CTO of the newly formed Connected Places Catapult, led on the Catapults technology strategy and industrial research and development, resulting in the development of the Catapult’s activities in drones, Advanced Air Mobility and sustainable aviation.

He joined Cranfield University in late 2021 as Head of Centre and Professor of Aeronautics, where he leads a team of 45 academic and research staff. The Centre for Aeronautics is one of the world’s largest centres for postgraduate education and research in aircraft design, aerodynamics, advanced modelling and simulation tools and methods. Mark’s current research interests include sustainable aviation, guidance and control, air traffic management, simulation, and autonomous systems. He is also a member of the CAA’s Environmental Sustainability Panel, a specialist, non-statutory body providing expert technical advice to the CAA.

Clare is Global Cities Lead with global engineering, management and development consultancy, Mott MacDonald. Having led regeneration, low carbon and sustainable innovation projects across the globe, Clare uses systemic thinking to push boundaries and, most importantly, improve people’s lives. From her 35 years’ experience in the sector, originally as a building services engineer on sustainable buildings, she combines her practical understanding of construction and development drivers with policy engagement, bringing insight into the technical, political, financial and behavioural aspects of sustainable development and healthy, resilient, low carbon living.
[Could also add this, I’m happy for you to decide] Clare co-created an industry-led collaboration of infrastructure organisations supporting the UK transition to net zero, including authoring a report ‘A place-based approach to net zero’ on the city-scale transition, which explores the challenges and opportunities facing city leaders.

Professor Sarah Sharples is Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport. She is a Professor of Human Factors in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham and from 2018 to 2021 was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People.

She has led research in transport, manufacturing and healthcare, and currently leads the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Connected Everything Network Plus.

She founded and is co-director of the EPSRC Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), and has led research programmes examining implementation of new technologies in rail, highways and aviation.

She was President of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors from 2015 to 2016.

With a strong background in systems engineering, including safety-critical systems in the aviation and defense industries, I bring expertise in precision, safety, and strategic innovation. Transitioning to the electric powertrains sector for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), I have focused on advancing sustainable and efficient transportation solutions. Driven by a passion for decarbonisation, I am committed to leveraging cutting-edge technology to address modern transportation challenges and support a more sustainable future.

Jamie works at the Rural Design Centre, helping to facilitate positive change for rural communities through research, design and innovation.

With extensive experience in user centred design, his work prioritises both people and planet, aiming to ensure that products and services are sustainable, accessible and impactful.

Over the past year, alongside colleagues, he has been quantifying and measuring the social impact of eight rural transport innovations, helping to inform inclusive and effective transport solutions for rural communities.

John is a collaborative place leader with 25+ years’ experience of pioneering economic development and “making things happen” at the interface between public, private, and higher education sectors.

For the last 10 years, John has been convening and championing all aspects of the Liverpool City Region’s (LCR) innovation agenda and ecosystem, latterly as the Combined Authority’s Lead Officer for Innovation & Commercialisation. His primary role is to catalyse partnerships, policies, and programmes that maximise the LCR’s distinctive, world-leading assets and capabilities, in order to drive transformational regional/national economic growth and solve intractable local challenges. The LCR is now at the forefront of UK place-based innovation practice, with innovation a primary Mayoral priority.

He previously worked at the LCR Local Enterprise Partnership, Liverpool Vision, and St. Helens Council, where he led a series of successful programmes that included a national City Growth Strategy pilot, plus delivery of the landmark, multi-award-winning 20m Dream sculpture by Jaume Plensa overlooking the M62, commissioned by ex-miners as part of Channel 4’s “Big Art Project”.

Prior to local government, John spent 2 years working for the European Commission in Brussels, has also lived/worked in Germany, the USA, and Canada. He grew up in Edinburgh, and speaks German and French.

John is on the Board of Scottish innovation agency Interface, and in a voluntary capacity also the Chair of Future Yard CIC, whose mission is “to positively transform both Birkenhead and the nature of what a UK grassroots music venue does, based on the founding principle that music can change the world…”.