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Bringing together years of expertise to support our members.

Our team is an extension of your team.

Combining considerable industry experience and know-how, we bring to life the power of working together for mutual benefit.

Automate UK is a members’ organisation. Each member owns the same amount of shares regardless of their size or annual spend within our trade association. As a member, your company can nominate an employee to be a director of Automate UK.

Great things happen when people forge collaborations with technology. This includes the Automate UK Executive, which works passionately to drive innovation as the leading trade association for the processing and packaging industry.

Peter Williamson

Peter Williamson

Executive Chair
Scott McKenna

Scott McKenna

Chief Operating Officer
Laurie Barnes

Laurie Barnes

Chief Technical Officer
Natalie Charlton

Natalie Charlton

Head of Sales
Daniel Middleton

Daniel Middleton

Exhibition Sales Executive
Charlotte Paget

Charlotte Paget

Sales Executive
Jacqui Ferreira

Jacqui Ferreira

Office Manager
Lisa Jordan

Lisa Jordan

Administration Executive
Tina Grobler

Tina Grobler

Administration Executive
Nicola Sanger

Nicola Sanger

Administration Executive
David Chadd

David Chadd

Head of Publishing
Paul Gander

Paul Gander

Editor, Machinery Update
Bill Lake

Bill Lake

Publishing Manager
Liezl Orenzo-Javier

Liezl Orenzo-Javier

Marketing Manager
Ken Lam

Ken Lam

Digital Marketing Manager
Chris Meads

Chris Meads

Marketing Executive
Alan Cuthbertson

Alan Cuthbertson

Public Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement Executive
Jackie Phillips

Jackie Phillips

Head of Finance
Jo Champ

Jo Champ

Credit Controller / Accounts Assistant
Esther Beauchamp

Esther Beauchamp

Finance Assistant

The Board of Directors meet approximately every three months. They work with the Automate UK executive to develop products and services that benefit you, the members. Each director has a functional role for which they are responsible. Automate UK directors are not paid and give their time voluntarily to propel the association to new heights.

Peter Williamson

Executive Chair, Automate UK
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Automate UK Executive Chair and former Managing Director at RARUK Automation, Peter Williamson brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the association as it helps to drive the UK forward with the adoption of automation within manufacturing.

James Causebrook*

Deputy Chair and Finance Director, Automate UK | Grunwald UK
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Elected to the Board of Directors in 2018. James is the Managing Director at Grunwald UK – specialist suppliers of cup filling and sealing machinery, packing and dosing machines for the food and dairy industry throughout the UK, Ireland and North America. He was appointed Chairman of the Automate UK Group of Associations in December 2022.

Mark Stepney*

Vice Chair, Automate UK | Schubert UK
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Mark was elected to the BARA Council in 2020 and has been the Managing Director of Schubert UK since 2009. The company produces digital, robot-based packaging machines, with a focus on the interplay between simple mechanics, intelligent control technology and scalable modularity. They supply their packaging machines to the food, beverage, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.

David Barber

Technical Director, Automate UK | Mettler-Toledo Safeline
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Elected to the Board of Directors in 2017. David is Head of Research & Development at Mettler-Toledo Safeline – a leading supplier of metal detection inspection equipment to the food and pharmaceutical industries. He was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Automate UK Group of Associations in December 2022.

Richard Little

PPMA Show Director, Automate UK | Jenton International
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Elected to the Board of Directors in 2007. Richard is the Managing Director at Jenton International – a manufacturer and distributor of equipment to the packaging, printing and converting industry.

Allan Anderson

UKIVA Director, Automate UK | ClearView Imaging
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Elected to the Board of Directors in 2019. Allan is the Managing Director at ClearView Imaging, which provides bespoke vision systems and component parts. Allan is also the Chairman of UKIVA.

Steve Jones

Marketing & Communications Director, Automate UK | Ishida Europe Ltd
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Elected to the Automate UK Board of Directors in December 2021, Steve is the Marketing Director of Ishida Europe Ltd. Ishida provides weighing, x-ray inspection, checkweighing, tray sealing, packing and leak detection equipment, plus supporting software, for food and non-food applications.

Andrew Yates

Publishing Director, Automate UK | Endoline Machinery Ltd
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Andrew Yates is the Managing Director of Endoline Machinery Ltd and was elected to the Automate UK Board of Directors in December 2021. The Endoline group of companies have been successfully manufacturing end-of-line packaging machinery in Great Britain since 1981. Endoline’s range of packaging machines includes case erectors, automatic case loaders, case sealers, and robotic palletisers.

Mark Baker

Education & Training Director, Automate UK | Cornwell Products Packaging Limited
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Mark Baker is a Director of Cornwell Products Packaging Limited and was elected to the Automate UK Board of Directors in December 2021. Cornwell Products supplies turnkey automated packaging and palletising systems. They also supply cooling solutions within the UK Dairy, Fresh Foods, Beverage, General Foods and Home & Personal Care sectors.

Rosie Davies

BARA Director, Automate UK | Reeco Automation
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Rosie is Managing Director at Reeco Automation and joined the Automate UK Board of Directors in December 2022. She brings her knowledge and experience of systems integration and development/testing of new projects and services.

Ian Jardine FCCA*

Non Executive Director and Company Secretary at Automate UK
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Ian has been involved with PPMA Ltd from its inception in 1987. He has been Company Secretary and Head of Finance for 30 years. During this time he has also headed up the executive of the Company on several occasions pending the appointment of a CEO. He was directly involved in the negotiations of the show management contract with REED Exhibitions and the exit from it. He is still a practising accountant in the hope that practice makes perfect.

Steve Banton

Director, Automate UK | ABB Robotics
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Steve Banton is the Global Programme Manager - Social Selling & inside Sales at ABB Robotics. With a passion for technology and innovation, Steve excels in cultivating strong relationships with partners and clients to drive business growth and success. Being a huge advocate for UK Robotics and Automation led Steve to being voted on to the BARA council in October 2021 to help better represent the membership and offer his expertise in social selling. As a regular poster on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Steve uses his reach and network to promote UK Manufacturing as widely as possible. Outside of the office, he thrives on adventures, including snowboarding down pristine slopes, paddle boarding, and exploring the depths of the ocean through scuba diving as a certified Divemaster. When on dry land Steve loves spending time at the beach with his family at home in Cornwall. Steve's adventurous spirit extends beyond his career, making him a dynamic individual both in and out of the workplace.

* Executive Chair Oversight Committee member