Airbus UK SVP appointed head of government HVM Catapult

In an announcement made by High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, Katherine Bennett CBE - Senior Vice President (SVP) of Airbus UK - will be stepping down from her current role, to become Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the UK government’s HVM Catapult. Bennett will succeed Dick Elsy CBE FREng when he retires later in 2021. “The announcement follows a formal recruitment process led by the Chair of the HVM Catapult, Allan Cook CBE,” stated HVM Catapult. 

About Katherine Bennett CBE

Currently the SVP of Airbus, Katherine Bennett CBE has been at the company for 16 years leading the company’s external engagement and strategy in the UK.

Prior to Airbus, Bennett worked with Vauxhall Motors heading up their government affairs function, as well as working with Hill and Knowlton Public Relations, appointed Chair of the Western Gateway, and managed the public affairs for VentilatorChallengeUK which was led by the HVM Catapult.

In 2019, Bennett was awarded the Order of Commander of the British Empire for services to the aerospace and aviation sector.  

Bennett is also Vice President of Aerospace on the Council of ADS, on the Board of the Aerospace Growth Partnership and on the Board of the Wales Government Science and Innovation Council. 

In 2018, Bennett founded the UK’s Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter which focuses on building a fair and balanced industry for women in this sector. 

“I am honoured to have been asked to lead the next phase of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s development, building on the strong foundations which have been created over the past eight years. The HVM Catapult has the wide-ranging relationships and understanding needed to be part of the Industrial Strategy refresh process and to contribute to building the UK’s status as a scientific superpower,” commented Bennett.

“The Catapult’s country-wide network of centres provides the ideal platform from which to diffuse the latest capabilities to the thousands of manufacturing businesses that are the bedrock of our economy, boosting their performance, preparing them to be part of the Prime Minister’s Green Industrial Revolution and growing their contribution to our national prosperity,” she concluded.

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