Jon Laughton B.Sc, MA, MIoD, FRAes.

Current Directorships

• MD – Ad Manum Consultants Ltd
• Chairman – Hawksland Holdings Ltd

Jon Laughton has over thirty-three years successful business experience in Senior Executive & Director positions – most notably in the Aerospace, Electrical Switchgear, Leisure Marine & Consumer goods sectors. His international business experience includes working in the USA, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Romania, The Netherlands, Italy, France, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Belgium & Germany.

Formerly the Managing Director of Hurel-Hispano UK Ltd, a £75M turnover, French owned aerostructures design & manufacturing company, Jon formed his own company, Ad Manum Consultants Ltd, in 2005 to provide companies with a ‘one stop shop’ for interim management or consultancy support in a range of services. The business has enjoyed significant growth in what is a very competitive market. Clients include blue chip companies such as Dyson, The Baxi Group, Messier Services UK Ltd, The Kilgour Group, GCT GmbH, Fokker Technologies BV, GKN Munich, SABCA Limburg N.V. & The Balta Group.

In 2005 Jon’s company formed an informal partnership with Gary Windas the MD of Hawksland Associates Ltd (see below); this was a strategic alliance to develop business jointly. The partnership was formalised later that year and in early 2007 Gary & Jon incorporated Hawksland Holdings Ltd as a vehicle for acquiring established engineering businesses that can be developed into a ‘world class’ group supplying the aerospace sector. Their vision for this group is to leverage their significant experience and network of ‘world class’ associates to build a capability that will include Production Engineering, Precision Machining, Composite Manufacturing & Large Sub-assembly. This remains a work in progress.

Jon has a first degree in Metallurgy from Manchester University a Masters in Leadership & Management Learning from Lancaster University Management School, is a member of the Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Gary Windas MIoD, FRAeS

Gary is a specialist in strategic business development, commercial, programme, operations and supply chain management he has over 30 years of A & D industry experience – 26 years as a consultant.

Gary helps clients with strategy, tactical execution and turnaround situations – leveraging decades of experience and know-how, market intelligence and insights supporting them: grow market share, open-up new markets, improve operational performance, reduce costs and spend. He
has managed and optimised global supply chains and whole life-cycle programme managed several technology, aircraft aerostructures, engine and systems development programmes.

Amanda Duggan

Amanda is a world leading specialist coach to Leadership teams helping them excel in delivering success for shareholders & employees alike.

She began her career with the Halifax Bank, during which time Amanda worked supporting the introduction of employee involvement / recognition programmes with organisations in Europe, South Africa and the Middle East.

She then spent 13 years with Dale Carnegie Training working with a diverse range of clients in Leadership Development & building high performing teams. Amanda still retains the position of Master Trainer for Dale Carnegie & Associates Inc. and works on behalf of Carnegie University to develop / assess new trainers across the world. She won the Dale Carnegie Trainer of the Year Award for Europe / Middle East and is a Certified Hogan Practitioner, licensed in the Hogan Suite of Instruments

Amanda’s extensive experience in designing & delivering innovative training / development solutions for the private and public sectors ensure she is the ‘go to’ person for Leadership Development

Ian Bryson B.Sc (Team Leader)

An experienced Operations & Engineering Managing Director / Operations Director with a demonstrable record of business transformation and performance improvement gained in the aerospace and automotive industries. Through the effective use of strategic business planning, Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement he has provided companies with the leadership & direction to deliver cultural change & quantifiable improvements to all aspects of operational business performance

Trained as an Engineer, with an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, his experience to date includes the aerospace, defence, automotive and technology development. He is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and was formally trained in Lean Manufacturing by Kawasaki in Japan.

Recent Assignments

Interim Head of Operations of a Defence contractor manufacturing highly complex Composite structures for Marine, aerospace and defence products during which he managed a complete building refurbishment and site capability enhancement, with an investment budget of £7m

Established the Production Engineering function for a highly reputable aerospace service provider to provide a fully developed team of Engineers with a remit to drive Operational Excellence, Design to Cost and Systems Engineering for bespoke high complexity Multi-million pound projects. This included the optimisation of an auxiliary fuel tank manufacturing cell based on a “Takt driven line” for a complex assembly based on single piece flow. The end customer subsequently awarded the client their supplier of the year.

Delivered a strategy for prototyping and manufacturing development for an innovative technology developer and a full rate manufacturing / supply chain strategy for highly innovative energy recovery and efficiency devices in the on and off-highway sectors.

Professor John Burgoyne B.Sc, M.Phil, Ph.D

Professor Burgoyne is an internationally recognised leading thinker, author, expert and advisor in the fields of Leadership & Management Learning/Development. From 1987 until 2012 he was the Professor of Management Learning at Lancaster University & Departmental Head and has the author of over 190 publications in his fields.

Professor Burgoyne retired from full time academic roles in 2012 and now combines part-time positions at Lancaster University Management School, University Campus Suffolk, Ashridge Business School & Henley Business School with individual assignments.

Since the early 1980s Professor Burgoyne has undertaken formally funded research on no less than 40 occasions on behalf of clients in both the private and public sectors and.

His main areas of activity and interest include:

• The nature of managerial action
• Managerial careers and the management of careers
• Management development policy
• The Learning Organisation, Knowledge Management and the Virtual Organisation
• Theories of the learning process
• Evaluation of management education and development programmes

In 2014 Ad Manum Consultants Ltd was delighted to welcome Professor Burgoyne as a new senior associate who will be able add real value to existing and prospective clients in this demanding field.

Joshan Mahmud B.Sc (Hons), MMus

Josh is a highly sought after Senior Software Developer / Business Analyst with 10 years experience building an extensive range of applications for both the public and private sectors. Equally at home with start ups & established companies, Josh brings technical knowledge and practical experience to the full development lifecycle as well as agile methodologies including SCRUM & TDD.

Josh is acknowledged for his strong business analysis and technical writing skills within a range of teams and industries; he is equally comfortable in working on solo projects or leading teams of developers and acting as the technical lead on your projects.

Based in London Josh can commute easily to all parts of the UK or Europe.

Suzanne Hill C.Eng IMechE, MCQI, CQP

Suzanne has over 20 years experience in developing & applying Continuous Improvement and Quality solutions in senior management positions within the global aerospace sector across multiple locations. Her portfolio covers Aerospace Manufacturing, Assembly and Logistics.

Suzanne has a reputation for achieving significant improvements in productivity and organisational effectiveness by focusing on Lean ‘basics’ such as problem resolution, 5S, visual management, waste reduction, standardised work and kaizen.

Suzanne has a passion for “all-employee” contribution to Continuous improvement, partcularly through the creation and facilitation of “belt” coaching systems (Yellow and Green Belt).

Suzanne is a Chartered Engineer (C.Eng IMechE), Chartered Quality Professional (CQP CQI) with a technical (engineering) and business management education.

Gavin Bridges B.Sc, MIMechE (Senior Associate)

Gavin is a highly experienced performance improvement professional with strong programme/project management skills. His focus is on sustainable profit increases, working capital reductions and service/customer satisfaction improvements. He is able to diagnose root cause problems and rapidly develop appropriate improvements. He is expert in the implementation of simple yet effective Operations & Supply Chain business processes.

Aerospace Experience

• Project managed the delivery of the A320 flap and slat system
• Resolved in-service problems with the Panavia Tornado wing sweep mechanisms, BAe Harrier nozzle actuation systems and faulty generator drives on the Avro Vulcan bomber.
• Other aerospace clients: Lucas Aerospace, Plessey Aerospace, British Aerospace, BAe Marine, Thompson Marconi Sonar Ltd, Marshalls of Cambridge, MOD Fleetlands, and MOD Base Repair Organisation.

Specific Expertise:

• Applying Lean, Six Sigma, JIT, TQM, and similar lean transformation methodologies
• Developing solutions to complex Supply Chain problems across Suppliers, Manufacturing, Inventory, Assembly, and Distribution
• Business Case Development – constructing business cases to verify project viability
• Developing & executing project plans to budget
• Performance Improvement: focused on increasing Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
• Systems Engineering: Specification, procurement, configuration and tailoring, implementation

Don Landsborough

Don is our expert in the field of airline operations and civil aircraft maintenance (AMRO). He has over forty years experience in all aspects of airline operations, particularly engineering & maintenance. He is widely connected throughout the industry having worked with BOAC, British Airways, Field Aircraft Services, GE, Britannia Airways, Airbus Industrie, TUI, Air Astana, low cost South American Airlines & FLYGLOBESPAN.

His international experience takes in Singapore, Kazakhstan, France, Germany & South America and having spent the formative years of his life in Taiwan, Don has a good understanding of the cultural issues affecting Airline operations. He is also fluent in Hokkein.

Don has been an EASA Form 4 holder and was formerly the Chairman of the European Association of Independent Airlines.

Tony Sansom D.M.S, F.I.Q.A, I.Eng (Senior Associate)

Tony is a former Head of Quality at GKN Aerospace with a career spanning over 35 Years in Aerospace Composites Design, Manufacturing & processing environments. He is fully conversant with the requirements to gain & sustain all relevant aerospace Regulatory and Customer Quality Approvals. He is acknowledged for his excellent range of analytical skills & lean process knowledge.

As an independent Quality Specialist since 2011 with an in depth knowledge of the techniques required to establish statistical process control in aerospace manufacturing and assembly, he has undertaken a number of key assignments including previously working with SABCA Limburg successfully assisting in their NADCAP audits & qualification. Examples of the assignments undertaken since 2011 are:

• SABCA Limburg – preparation for NADCAP Qualification Audits
• Quality Consultancy Activities for GKN in the UK – confidential
• Setting up the quality systems for a new Composites Spar manufacturing Facility in Bristol
• CTRM in Malaysia (on behalf of GKN Munich) to improve A350 Flap Rib component supply quality / improve quality systems

Tony will be specifically focussed on the resolution of the quality problems associated with the A350 Flap Support Structure

Steve Sykes C.Eng, MIMechE, MRAeS, MAPM, B.Sc (Senior Associate)

Steve has over 30 years experience working at very senior levels in the international Aerospace & Defence Industries for many of the world’s largest corporations including BAE Systems, Goodrich and Marshall. He is an acknowledged expert in Programme Management, Engineering Planning and Organisational Transformation particularly using lean methodologies.

Most recently Steve has been supporting Ultra Electronics leading the MA700 programme and Marshall Aerospace in Programme Director roles responsible for the KC46A Programme, Wide-body aircraft conversions and the P8. He has a reputation for always delivering projects on time and in budget.

As a former Engineering Director for Goodrich Actuation Systems in the UK, Steve ran an EASA Part 21J approved organisation delivering very significant performance improvements and cost savings. Prior to Goodrich Steve worked internationally for BAE Systems on the RJX/BAe 146 programme (Flight Ops, Conversions & General Aircraft Services).

For the A350 assignment in SABCA Brussels, Steve will be particularly focussed on:

• Planning & coordinating the work breakdown structure activities
• Working closely on Design related issues affecting the parts manufacturing & assembly cells / applying Lean Engineering concepts
• Training SABCA personnel in the application of lean principles / concepts

Ad-Manum on assignment