The High Value Manufacturing Catapult is pleased to announce the appointment of its new chair Steve Bagshaw CBE.

Steve is an experienced senior business leader with 35 years’ experience across the biotechnologies and fine chemical manufacturing sectors. Most recently, Steve was deputy chair at CPI, one of seven HVM Catapult industrial innovation centres across the UK.

An expert industry advisor to the UK Government’s Vaccine Task Force during the COVID-19 pandemic, Steve was General Manager and CEO of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies for the previous 13 years. He was awarded a CBE for services to the manufacturing and biotechnology sector in 2020, is a member of UKRI’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and chairs the BioYorkshire Industrial Advisory Group.

Steve Bagshaw CBE, chair of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said: “As I see it, a fundamental role of HVM Catapult is making sure innovative manufacturing businesses of every scale get the help they need to succeed in commercialising new ideas and products. Not just in accessing cutting edge capabilities and know how, but also in establishing resilient supply chains, recruiting and training skilled staff, acquiring the funding needed, and navigating the changing policy world – everything that a Catapult can offer.

“From my time at CPI, one of the seven HVM Catapult centres, I know the crucial role that SMEs play in the future success of the UK economy.  All our centres are focused on helping develop and scale-up affordable, sustainable and time critical ways to support companies in their journey towards becoming more productive and efficient – both environmentally and economically.  This in turn helps to create and secure ‘sticky jobs’ that will bring economic growth across the UK.

“I look forward to working with chief executive Katherine Bennett and all our colleagues across the HVM Catapult network to champion and help deliver innovation in UK manufacturing.”

Steve’s appointment coincides with HVM Catapult, which the AMRC is a member of, starting a new five-year funding cycle after signing the Grant Funding Agreement with Innovate UK. The agreement is effective from September 2023.

Katherine Bennett CBE, chief executive of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Steve to his new role as chair of HVM Catapult, succeeding Allan Cook who has done a tremendous job for the past five years. Steve is a true pioneer in UK biotechnology, and his contributions – including at CPI - have been invaluable.

“I know he will continue to make his mark on manufacturing innovation and inspire the next generation of industrialists across all regions of the UK.”