ABOUT US
WE ARE AN INDUSTRY 4.0 TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY PROVIDER, BASED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE (UCLAN) AND THE LANDING AT MEDIA CITY.
Our mission is to establish the North West as the UK’s place for pioneers in the fourth industrial revolution by supporting businesses to be early adopters of industrial digital technologies. We do this by building a future workforce for your business that supports innovation and creates exciting new job opportunities, keeping talent within the region.
We’ve formed a ground-breaking joint venture business with UCLan that focuses on using disruptive technologies to streamline manufacturing processes in order to increase revenue and efficiency.
We want to help SMEs and start-up businesses who may not previously have considered – or had the opportunity to implement – industrial digital technologies to get into this space.
Our expert team brings together Technical Disruptors, technology post-graduate talent nurtured and developed through our partnership with UCLan and IN4.0 Fellows. We use industry leaders with a track record and pedigree in achieving business success to work directly with our clients and help accelerate change.
We are committed to:
Fostering long-term growth and profitability in local communities
Enabling businesses to grow and succeed
Reinvesting in training and creating opportunities for young people
Consistently innovating to meet our clients evolving needs.
Collaborating with clients, communities and world-class industry partners.
MEET THE TEAM
Our team are a mix of passionate, dedicated and highly skilled individuals.
We love technology and we’re committed to delivering sustainable excellence to our customers, helping them grow and succeed!
MO ISAP
CEO
During his career, Mo has successfully started and scaled several businesses. He is a Board Member of the Greater Manchester LEP leading on schools and future skills, and he chairs the Greater Manchester Careers and Employability Board.
Mo also has an MBA, is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and is the Founding Director and Vice Chair of STAR Academies, a Multi Academy and Free Schools Trust, operating some of the most successful schools in the country.
ANDY BEADEN
CHAIRMAN
Andy has 30 years’ experience in business finance and manufacturing technology, having listed the materials technology business Luxfer on the NYSE and worked at two major FTSE 100 Groups.
He established his own venture capital business in late 2017 and is an experienced main board director of innovative and creative businesses. He’s a Fellow of both the ICAEW and RSA, qualified econometrician and a poet with a blog of over 250k views!
DANIELLE BROWN
MARKETING MANAGER
Danielle holds a first-class Marketing and Public Relations degree from the University of Central Lancashire. She’s also currently studying towards the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Digital Diploma in Professional Marketing.
Danielle has always been interested in technology and after graduating from university she worked for a computer software company for 3 years. She loves travelling and as part of her university degree she took part in a Chinese exchange programme to Beijing.
CHRISTINE FARE
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Christine has a wealth of diverse procurement and supply chain experience which has been recognised because she has been made a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing in 2019. As a Procurement and Supply Chain specialist she has expertise in all aspects of the Product lifecycle, with over 20 years’ experience, working within the Aerospace Industry. A key strength is the enthusiastic approach to problem resolution, she drives an energy which is infectious across her team and beyond.
JO BRITON
ACCESS LEAD
Jo has 25 years’ experience gained in the professional services, training, membership and manufacturing sectors where she has designed and delivered numerous high-profile manufacturing events, conferences and professional development programmes spanning everything from manufacturing to management, coaching and mentoring, marketing and leadership development.
She has also led brand and digital transformation programmes and managed continuous change.
MATT CUERDEN
BUSINESS CO-ORDINATOR
Matt holds an undergraduate degree in Marketing and Public Relations, as well as a master’s degree in Creative Marketing and Trend Prediction.
As part of his master’s degree, he looked at how factors in society such as public health and technology can influence our lifestyles which sparked his interest in technology and the potential impact it can have.
He joins IN4.0 Group with a background in Marketing across various industries and with a focus on education marketing.
BEN HORN
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Bio coming soon...
ALAN REID
BUSINESS DIRECTOR
Alan is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with over 30 year’s industrial experience ranging from project management to detailed manufacturing process specification. He was awarded an MBE for services to young people in 2002 and to this day he still continues his social responsibility commitments.
ARUN KUMAR
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Arun Kumar has an undergraduate degree in Aeronautical Engineering from India. He then successfully established a research forum and directed it for 2 years. He has worked with over 35 projects in the following categories: renewable energy, manufacturing, smart materials, environmental sustainability, and business process improvement. He then pursued his Masters in Business Analysis and Strategic Management from the University of Manchester.
IN4.0 FELLOWS
Our Fellows are experts in their respective industries and they are advocates for Industrial Digital Technologies, helping to develop Industry 4.0 training and deliver detailed consultancy programmes.
They’ve been carefully selected due to their commitment to making a positive change and their pedigree in leadership and technology innovation and adoption.
Not only are they passionate about talent development and education, they’re also willing and able to work collaboratively and share good practice with our members.
IN4.0 Fellows will support the design and delivery of the IN4.0 Access Accelerator. Our clients will benefit from their industry experience and knowledge.
Meet our Fellows…
RICHARD HAGAN
MD OF CRYSTAL DOORS
Richard founded Crystal Doors, a Rochdale-based manufacturing company, 25 years ago and he’s revolutionised his business operations through the adoption of industrial digital technologies.
Crystal Doors manufacture bespoke kitchen, bedroom and bathroom vinyl wrapped doors. They’ve fully incorporated industry 4.0 technology into their production processes by implementing 3D printing, CNC nesting cells and robotic spraying. They also operate the country’s first customised industry 4.0 dust extractor which has saved the company £10,400 a year!
Dr MARILYN COMRIE
OBE FRSA
Dr Marilyn Comrie is an award winning serial entrepreneur, international trade & innovation specialist and strategist working in the area of advanced manufacturing and zero emission vehicle technologies.
Marilyn was honoured by HRH the Queen in 2009 with an OBE for services to women’s enterprise. She was also awarded the prestigious Kofi Annan African Leadership Excellence Award as well as an honorary doctorate by Birmingham University in 2018.
MIKE BLACKBURN
OBE
Mike has significant experience in the IT industry, specifically in helping the development of organisations as they grapple with the implementation of technology to support or transform their business. As we move into the next generation of technology, getting the correct balance of technology, people and process will be even more critical for success. Mike’s experiences in business transformation and leadership development means he can support individuals and businesses to adapt and be even more successful.
STEVE COX
3D TECHNOLOGIES CONSULTANT - AMFORi
Steve Cox is a 3D Technologies Consultant who’s a passionate advocate of "The Future of Making" using the latest digital design techniques and software, together with new manufacturing methods such as 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Steve is a qualified, professional engineer with over thirty years experience in the automotive industry which, coupled with skills developed around the use of new and emerging product creation and manufacturing techniques, means that he can clearly see the exciting possibilities ahead in Industry 4.0
MARK BAYLEY-SMYTH
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CIRCLE LEADERSHIP
Mark Bayley-Smyth is founder and Managing Director of CIRCLE Leadership, a Manchester-based leadership and business consultancy. Mark has held senior management positions across a range of market-leading, international companies, corporates and SMEs in a variety of industries and disciplines, most recently as Managing Director at Siemens. He also served as Executive Committee Member of a key UK trade association, supporting the development of policies for the energy sector.
STEVE COX
3D TECHNOLOGIES CONSULTANT - AMFORi
Steve Cox is a 3D Technologies Consultant who’s a passionate advocate of "The Future of Making" using the latest digital design techniques and software, together with new manufacturing methods such as 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. Steve is a qualified, professional engineer with over thirty years experience in the automotive industry which, coupled with skills developed around the use of new and emerging product creation and manufacturing techniques, means that he can clearly see the exciting possibilities ahead in Industry 4.0
MARK BAYLEY-SMYTH
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CIRCLE LEADERSHIP
Mark Bayley-Smyth is founder and Managing Director of CIRCLE Leadership, a Manchester-based leadership and business consultancy. Mark has held senior management positions across a range of market-leading, international companies, corporates and SMEs in a variety of industries and disciplines, most recently as Managing Director at Siemens. He also served as Executive Committee Member of a key UK trade association, supporting the development of policies for the energy sector.
PARTNERSHIPS
We want our clients to learn from the best.
Therefore, we’re actively collaborating with businesses and partners that share our passion for delivering tangible outcomes through technology adoption.
Alex Alexandrescu
CEO - DICEY TECH
Alex is a Romanian-born and Manchester-bred entrepreneur who graduated top of class from his MSc in business strategy at the University of Manchester. With a background in strategy consulting, he rediscovered a childhood passion for technology and digital making when he assembled his first 3D printer. Now he is co-founder and CEO at Dicey Tech, where he aims to inspire and enable generations of students to learn and develop themselves for the future of work, through building the things that make them curious.
Sofiane bebert
CTO - Dicey Tech
Born and raised in Niger, Sofiane came to the University of Manchester in 2011 to study an MEng in Mechatronic Engineering. He graduated in 2016 and joined Thales graduate scheme, where he was awarded Graduate Engineer of the Year award in 2018. At this point, he’d been working part-time for 6 months to also focus on founding and growing Dicey Tech.
Sofiane now works full time as CTO of Dicey Tech, blending programming accessibility with the design freedom offered by 3D printing into enhanced learning experiences.
Amrit Singh
Programme Lead and Mentor
Amrit Singh is an award-winning creative director, artist and digital influencer. With over 10
years of graphic design experience combined with art and social media expertise, Amrit has
directed and collaborated on successful campaigns around the world. Under his brand
MrASingh, he’s one of the top creative live streamers on Twitter, with broadcasts reaching over
8m live views and racking up over 18m likes.
Adriana Braje
Mentor
Creative marketing consultant and auditor with extensive practical experience in marketing
strategy development, implementation, and evaluation. Passionate educator who delivered a
vast number of motivational speeches, marketing, and content development lectures and
seminars. Contributor to major curriculum changes at the current HE institution and founder of
@adrianabraje digital brand with over 90,000 followers across different social media platforms,
which generated nearly 20 million unique views on YouTube.
Abbie Kirwan
Programme Lead and Mentor
Co-founder and creative director of Blue Caribou Productions, a video production company
based in MediaCityUK that specialises in creating content for Corporate, Events and Music.
Blue Caribou Productions produces and creates dynamic videos that tell your story, engaging
with clients across the UK and beyond. Abbie’s role as creative director involves developing
concepts into creative productions, bringing videos to life through scripting and producing.
Joanne Parker
Mentor
Co-founder and creative director of Blue Caribou Productions, a video production company
based in MediaCityUK that specialises in creating content for Corporate, Events and Music.
Blue Caribou Productions produces and creates dynamic videos that tell your story, engaging
with clients across the UK and beyond. Joanne’s role as creative director involves developing
concepts into creative productions, bringing videos to life through grading and post-production.