Prior to this role, since 2015, Chris was President of our Defence business. He has held engineering, programme and operational leadership positions in both our Civil Aerospace and Defence businesses. He has worked closely with key airframe partners, airline customers and governments and serves on the Board of Rolls-Royce North America Holdings Inc.

From 2012 to 2015 he ran an important part of our global supply chain operations, covering manufacturing plants, purchasing and strategy. From 2006 to early 2012, Chris led Civil Aerospace’s largest new product introduction and production programmes, including as Director of the Trent XWB programme where he achieved milestones up to the first engine flight. Before this, he held posts as Director – Boeing Programmes and Director – Airbus Production Programmes. Earlier, he was Director – Joint Strike Fighter in the Defence business, leading the programme which delivered the novel Rolls-Royce LiftSystem® for the Lockheed Martin F-35B.

Chris joined Rolls-Royce as an undergraduate in 1981 and graduated with a degree in Engineering Science from Oxford University. He is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a Fellow of the Association of Project Management.