Programme Speakers
Steve Riches
Stephen initially qualified as a Manufacturing Engineer whilst working in the telecoms industry. He progressed on to specialising in advanced manufacturing, large scale automation, the transfer of technology and flexible manufacturing lines. Initially working for Plessey and then followed by Standard Telephone & Cables, this included a two year secondment to continental Europe working in ITT's European head quarters in Brussels. His career progressed to hold more senior management positions, including managing a large telecoms manufacturing complex in north London and in GPT, managing a multi-function development-engineering group responsible for high technology telecommunications products. In 1991 he carried out a transfer of technology programme to set up and establish a telephone manufacturing facility in Russia. In 1992 with a career change, he became a director and general manager of a business services company. He joined Lancaster University in 2001 to help formulate and implement the University's Knowledge Transfer and Reach Out strategy. As Deputy Director of the Business Enterprise Centre, he developed projects and secured funding to set up Reach Out delivery teams across the University. In September 2004 he took on the post of Director, InfoLab21 Knowledge Business Centre with a specific remit to maximise Lancaster University's InfoLab21's regional impact and provide the industrial linkages for engagement with InfoLab21's academic departments.
