About Us
Keith was co-founder of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, which grew from a team of ten entrepreneurial engineering researchers to a global R&D institution with partners drawn from across the aerospace, defence, automotive and clean energy sectors in just two decades. The AMRC was a role model for the High Value Manufacturing Catapult established following the Hauser Report commissioned by Peter Mandelson. Keith went on to establish manufacturing R&D facilities in North Wales, the North West of England and in Scotland with the recently opened £100m National Manufacturing Institute Scotland. His work led to the government of New South Wales putting advanced manufacturing and skills at the heart of its $20 billion Western Sydney Aerotropolis development which will create 200,000 new jobs in a very deprived region in Australia. The model has also been adopted in South Australia, Denmark, the USA and Korea and has attracted the interest of both Malaysia and China.
He sits on the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology, where he works on high level areas of strategic interest to HM Government.
Keith enjoys playing ‘the pipes’ maintaining a small holding, lawn bowls, walking football and walking the dogs. He is a supporter of Manchester United and a keen and accomplished sailor.
Iain’s experience spans roles across the private, public and third sectors, ranging from being part of the management team of one of the UK’s foremost land, property and regeneration companies through to chairing a flagship Community Interest Company specialising in using sports and arts to support more the 10,000 young people at risk of dropping out of the established education system. As Head of Communications and Investor Relations at Harworth Group plc, his skill in understanding development and the needs of Government led to him securing over £70m in Government grants and loans to accelerate site build out - including advanced manufacturers - as well as successfully lobbying on matters ranging from HS2 and to Land Value Capture, to key local planning applications.
He founded Bellona Advisors (bellona-advisors.co.uk) in October 2021 to help shape and promote the big ideas of UK based clients to the people that need to see them: customers, funders and government bodies. He is a specialist in forging relationships with land/property developers and with central and regional government agencies to make new high-value development happen. When not producing podcasts that make the complexities of UK planning law or the importance of multi-modal transport networks to the economy both entertaining and enlightening, Iain is a keen runner and ardent (some may say obsessional) fan of 1970s and 1980s motorsport.