(L-R) Mike Connolly, Mike Richards-Brown, Jane Duffy and Tabs Khojani, of Made Smarter North West
Made Smarter has bolstered its North West team with four new specialists as SME manufacturers accelerate investment in technology and skills.
Mike Richards-Brown and Tabs Khojani will help firms find practical ways to digitalise their operations, while Jane Duffy and Mike Connolly will help businesses prepare their people and develop the leadership needed to deliver change.
Mr Richards-Brown joins following roles at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre North West (AMRC NW) and the North of England Robotics Innovation Centre (NERIC).
Ms Khojani brings 20 years of experience in Greater Manchester’s innovation and business support sector and also joins from NERIC at the University of Salford.
Ms Duffy previously supported businesses through the Business Growth Hub across Greater Manchester, while Mr Connolly, a mechanical engineer, has spent more than three decades with global manufacturer Hubbell, working across engineering, quality, operations and HR.
Donna Edwards, programme director for Made Smarter North West, said: “These four appointments bring an incredible breadth of experience and will help us meet that growing demand and support even more manufacturers to turn their ambitions into action.”
Tabs Khojani, technology adoption specialist, said: “I’m excited to join Made Smarter and work directly with manufacturers to help them unlock their potential.
“It’s not about technology for technology’s sake, it’s about solving genuine business challenges and creating lasting value.”
Made Smarter has provided £8.3m in funding, helping unlock £28m of investment from manufacturers, while 282 businesses have received skills or leadership training and 105 digital interns have been placed with businesses.
