Katherine Bennett, CBE FRAeS

As Chief Executive of HVM Catapult, Katherine Bennett is a proud ambassador for UK design, engineering and manufacturing. Katherine drives UK industrial transformation with industry, academia and government to commercialise cutting-edge research and advance national strategic priorities, including clean energy, health tech and key enablers skills, supply chain and sustainable R&D manufacturing.

In her role, Katherine led the Task Force for Industry Resilience for Critical Minerals for battery manufacture and was a member of the Levelling Up Advisory Council. As part of the Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board, Katherine supports national partners to implement skills and regeneration programmes for those impacted by the transition to low CO2 steelmaking.

Prior to joining HVM Catapult, Katherine spent 16 years at Airbus where she developed Airbus’ UK strategy and led the company’s corporate affairs activities. She also chaired Western Gateway for four years while in this role. Katherine’s significant contribution to the aerospace and aviation sector was recognised with a CBE in January 2019. She has honorary doctorates from Cranfield University and UWE Bristol.

Katherine’s main passion is people and she has led multiple industry initiatives throughout her career to promote diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace.