Katherine Bennett, CBE FRAeS
Chief Executive Officer, High Value Manufacturing Catapult
Chief Executive Officer, High Value Manufacturing Catapult
Katherine Bennett is CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, where she leads the organisation in its primary mission – driving industrial transformation through innovation.
She is a strong advocate for UK industrial capability and holds number of key positions on industrial bodies, including membership of the boards of the European Association of Research and Technology Associations (EARTO), the Aerospace Growth Partnership and working with national partners on the Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board to support communities and workers through the move towards low carbon steelmaking. In addition to this, she was invited to join vocL, the platform that promotes responsible business voices, by its founder, the industrialist and chair of GB Energy, Juergen Maier.
Katherine serves as Chair of the Advisory Council for the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW), which has been established in association with Exeter University and the Pennon Group to undertake research into the challenges facing the water sector in the UK. She also chaired Western Gateway Pan Regional Partnership for four years and served on the Levelling Up Advisory Council chaired by Andy Haldane.
Katherine has worked extensively in manufacturing having spent 16 years at Airbus, latterly leading UK strategy and corporate affairs, but also working in the UK and at the leading aerospace manufacturer’s headquarters in Toulouse. She was also head of policy and public affairs for General Motors (Vauxhall) in the UK.
She has a passion for diversity in engineering and manufacturing led to her foundation of the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter and in 2019 was awarded a CBE for her contribution to aerospace and aviation. She holds honorary doctorates from Cranfield University and UWE Bristol.
Our leadership team with over 100 years of combined experience.
Our leadership team with over 100 years of combined experience.
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