Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Managing Director operating in the Industrial Engineering space. If you think a Managing Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Gareth Maker
Co-Founder & Managing Director of M Squared Lasers
Gareth Maker attained a first class honours degree in Physics from Southampton University in 1986. The laser research group at Southampton is one of the largest and most prestigious in the UK, and as part of this group Gareth completed PhD research into laser development in 1989, producing many firsts in the field of diode-pumped solid-state lasers. He then spent a year working on laser research within the new Optical Research Centre (ORC), also based in Southampton. This was part of a government initiative to create centres of excellence for research within UK universities, and as such the ORC represented a £10M investment by the UK government. In 1991 he co-founded Microlase Optical Systems Ltd. Gareth then took the company from a startup to one having a turnover of around £3M and a worldwide reputation for excellence. The technical and financial success of this business eventually led to a trade sale to Coherent Inc (one of the world’s largest laser companies and NASDAQ listed) in 2000. Gareth continued as joint Managing Director until 2002, at which point the business had grown to 50 employees, had achieved a turnover of £7M, and occupied purpose-built prestigious premises within Glasgow, Scotland. He then acted as a technical consultant to several photonics companies, helping them to remain forward looking both in their R&D activities and in key areas of product design and manufacturing.
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About M Squared Lasers: M Squared Lasers develops and manufactures next-generation lasers and photonic instruments.
Brian Miller
Managing Director & Co-Founder of uFraction8
Dr Brian Miller is one of the original inventors of uFraction8’s technology. Following the successful PhD where the technology was developed, he undertook a Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship to learn the skills required for commercialisation of the technology. Furthermore, he has a background as a professional engineer and was involved in delivering high value projects in gas turbine control systems in industry.
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About uFraction8: uFraction8 develops microfluidics-based filtration systems to help bio-manufacturers to harvest biomass sustainably and more efficiently.
Ken Ritson
Group Managing Director and Co-Founder of EDS HV Group
Ken Ritson is Group Managing Director. Ken is responsible for installation contracts and services/project management within EDS. Ken started his career with a UK Electricity Company and progressed to a Training & Development Engineer. In 1993 he joined a UK contracting firm as Contracts Manager, and formed EDS in 1994. As a founder member of EDS Ken has a vast experience from installation, training and development through management of multi-million pound companies. Ken’s practical, commercial, business and industry knowledge has left him well placed to deliver solutions to clients in the most challenging situations.
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About EDS HV Group: EDS HV Group engages in the design and installation of wind farm construction projects.
Bruce Renfrew
Managing Director of Renfrew Group International
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About Renfrew Group International: Award winning Renfrew Group are a full service, product design consultancy.
Nigel Hall
Founder & Managing Director of WHP Engineering
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About WHP Engineering: WHP Engineering is a multi-disciplined, engineering company dedicated to providing both standalone and turnkey solutions.
Phill Adamson
Managing Director & Co-Founder of Paragon Rapid Technologies Ltd
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About Paragon Rapid Technologies Ltd: A leading product development and production support company, offering prototyping, manufacturing and supply chain management solutions.
Phil Blewitt
Managing Director of NETA Training Centre
Phil Blewitt is the managing director at NETA Training Group. Prior to joining NETA Training, Phil served as the senior vice president of business development at Site Group International Limited. Before that, he has held various executive positions at Petrofac Training Services.
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About NETA Training Centre: NETA Training is a vocational training provider that delivers a wide range of commercially and Government funded engineering training.
Phil Blewitt
Managing Director of NETA Training Centre
Phil Blewitt is the managing director at NETA Training Group. Prior to joining NETA Training, Phil served as the senior vice president of business development at Site Group International Limited. Before that, he has held various executive positions at Petrofac Training Services.
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About NETA Training Centre: NETA Training is a vocational training provider that delivers a wide range of commercially and Government funded engineering training.
