We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2023 Cranfield Manufacturing and Materials Alumni Awards.
These awards recognise the exceptional achievements of our manufacturing and materials alumni while showcasing the global impact of Cranfield University.
Meet the 2023 Distinguished Manufacturing and Materials Alumni Award Winner
Steve Phillips FIET (Fellowship in Manufacturing Management 1992)
Board Director, Wick Communications
In his 25-year career as an information technology leader, Steve has set and delivered digital transformation strategies that propel innovation and top and bottom-line growth, as well as offer competitive differentiation. His career also includes leading companies through complex mergers and acquisitions, a process that requires knowledge and expertise from a tech perspective.
During his career, Steve has optimised margins by reducing IT expenses by $20 million, while simultaneously improving system service levels by 50% and introducing new technologies that drove material revenue growth. He has also developed and delivered digital platforms that support new go-to-market business models such as e-commerce, services delivery and reverse logistics and led on the deployment of Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation and chatbot technology to optimise operational and financial performance, which enabled $125M of new digital revenue. His people-first approach is demonstrated through the successful mentoring of multiple senior IT leaders into CIO/exec board roles.
Steve has a number of achievements to his name including being a CIO Hall of Fame Inductee, a MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Award Finalist and receiving the HMG Strategy Transformational CIO Leadership Award. He is also a Fellow of the UK Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Meet the 2023 Excellence in Achievement Award for Recent Manufacturing and Materials Graduates Winner
Wayne Thornton (MSc Operations Excellence 2014)
Transformation Director - Interim, Chivas Brothers
Wayne has senior leadership experience in various site and group roles including change management, DMAIC, WCO, asset care/TPM, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement. His credibility in supporting senior teams on change journeys derives from extensive personal experience of leading operational FMCG change programs and full P&L recoveries, and he is an accomplished problem-solver with experience at household food and drink manufacturers such as Colman’s, Britvic and Weetabix.
Wayne has also managed the delivery of the Hovis Group capital budget across eight bakeries, one flour mill, two dedicated logistics hubs and the head office, via a central project management team. This involved being responsible for 340 people and distributing 60 million loaves annually. In 2022 he set up his own company Excellerate, where he supports businesses from the shop floor to the board to deliver sustainable improvements.
As a leader, Wayne has a strong coaching focus, helping people realise their full potential to deliver sustainable results. His coaching and mentoring approach reflects his belief that people are at the core of engaged and lean cultures.
