Find out who will be judging this year's applications
Meet the Judges
External Judges
Adam Getliff, Programme Manager (International), University of Leeds
Adam is Programme Manager (International) in the Enterprise and Innovation Office at the University of Leeds, where he is responsible for supporting academics to develop international partnerships with industry. Find out more...
John Collier, Shareholder and Board Member, Business Link Yorkshire
John Collier is a natural innovating entrepreneur who possesses a combination of energy, creativity and drive coupled with firmly grounded appreciation of financial robustness and focus on results. Find out more...
Prof. Paul Richards, Deputy VC, The University of Staffordshire, representing the Lord Stafford Awards
Paul Richards, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Staffordshire University, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the University and its academic provision. He leads the University’s commercial strategy and its approach to innovation, enterprise and regional impact. Find out more...
Chris Scholey, Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP)
Chris Scholey is a physicist by training and has held a range of managerial roles throughout a career in manufacturing working in refractories, industrial gases and plastics before becoming managing director of Rexam Glass in 1995. Find out more...
Joanne Pollard, Director, CO2Sense
Joanne is the Chief Executive of The Yorkshire and Humber Sustainable Futures Company, which is the sustainable delivery body for Yorkshire Forward. Find out more...
Yorkshire Innovation
Alan Rowlinson – Yorkshire Innovation Council Member
Born in Staffordshire and educated in the Midlands, Alan moved to York in 1971 to join Shepherd Building Group. In his subsequent career with the Group, he was appointed to numerous senior positions including MD or Chief Executive of various subsidiaries including a period as Chairman & Chief Executive of the Construction businesses and MD of Portakabin Ltd. FInd out more...
Chris Middleton – Yorkshire Innovation Council Member
Born and educated in Leicestershire, Chris has spent the last 32 years working in the engineering manufacturing sector. He began his career working in and later managing an R & D facility designing, innovating and supplying products to aerospace, defence and general engineering companies worldwide. Find out more...
James Dick – Yorkshire Innovation Council Member
Jim Dick holds a degree in Physiology and Zoology from the University of Sheffield. After a short spell as a management trainee with Courtaulds plc, Jim spent 30 years with Smith & Nephew plc. Find out more...
Sector Champions - Yorkshire Forward
Hilda Coulsey, Strategic Sector Champion for Sustainable & Cross Sector Technologies, Yorkshire Forward
As a chemical engineer; Hilda has worked in technical roles to board level in chemicals, polymers and pharmaceuticals businesses. This role entails developing initiatives to support business growth by innovating in low carbon, more sustainable technologies and practices.
Tony Lomax, Strategic Sector Champion for Food & Drink, Yorkshire Forward
Tony has been an executive in the food industry for his entire career having commenced his working life as a Management Trainee with Unilever. He then joined United Biscuits and spent over twenty years within UB, culminating in him becoming CEO of Wimpy Hamburgers Worldwide. Find out more...
Neil Sullivan, Strategic Sector Champion for Healthcare, Yorkshire Forward
Neil has a PhD in Molecular Genetics (Edinburgh), an MBA (Imperial College), an LLM in Commercial Law (Northumbria) and a BSc in Biochemistry and Chemistry (Southampton). He has had a long career in scientific research and biotechnology commercialisation, with experience in several small biotechnology companies (some successful some not!) and has started two companies de novo. Find out more...
Richard Wright, Strategic Sector Champion for Advance Engineering Materials, Yorkshire Forward
Educated at Scarborough Boys Grammar School and Sheffield University where he obtained a degree in Zoology and a postgraduate diploma in Metallurgy Richard spent his first period of employment at AWE Aldermaston in the plutonium production facility manufacturing the fissile components for the first Trident submarine. Find out more...
