Directors

Sir David McMurtry

Chairman and Chief Executive

Sir David McMurtry, CBE, RDI, FREng, CEng, FIMechE, Chairman and Chief Executive, was employed by Rolls-Royce plc, Bristol, for 17 years, latterly holding the positions of Deputy Chief Designer and Assistant Chief of Engine Design of all Rolls-Royce engines manufactured at Filton in Bristol. After inventing the original probe in the early 1970s, Sir David founded Renishaw in 1973 with John Deer.

His CBE was awarded “for services to Science and Technology” and he was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) in 1989. He is a visiting Professor of Huddersfield University and has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Engineering at the University of Birmingham and honorary degrees of Doctor of Engineering at Heriot-Watt University, the University of Bristol and the University of Bath. Sir David is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of the American Society of Manufacturing Engineers and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. In addition to his role as Chairman and Chief Executive, Sir David also has responsibility for group technology.

John Deer

Deputy Chairman

John Deer, Deputy Chairman, trained as a mechanical engineer and worked for Rolls-Royce plc, Bristol, from 1960 to 1974. He was Managing Director of Renishaw from 1974 to 1989, primarily involved in the commercial direction of the Group, with particular emphasis on marketing and the establishment of the Group’s wholly-owned subsidiaries in the USA, Ireland, Japan, Germany, France and Italy. John and Sir David McMurtry were members of the four-man team of Renishaw engineers honoured with the MacRobert Award in 1987. John is responsible for group manufacturing and group quality and is chairman of the overseas marketing subsidiaries.

 

Ben Taylor

Assistant Chief Executive

Ben Taylor, CEng, FIMechE, Assistant Chief Executive, has been involved in the field of metrology all his working life, after graduating in mechanical engineering and design from Pennsylvania State University. Before joining Renishaw Inc as President in 1985, he was the Director of Engineering at Sheffield Measurement, USA. Ben was appointed to the Board of Renishaw plc in 1987 and is responsible for group marketing, international operations and human resources. He serves on various metrology committees and other professional associations and is a Chartered Engineer, a fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers.

 

Allen Roberts

Group Finance Director

Allen Roberts, FCA, Group Finance Director, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Before joining Renishaw in 1979, he was employed for 11 years by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. He was appointed a director in 1980. Allen heads group finance, business systems and Wotton Travel Ltd and is the Company Secretary.

 

Geoff McFarland

Group Engineering Director

Geoff McFarland, Group Engineering Director, graduated in mechanical engineering from Heriot Watt University and is a visiting professor at Bath University. After working in the medical device and electronic manufacturing sectors, Geoff joined Renishaw’s research facility in Edinburgh in 1994, before moving to headquarters to become Director and General Manager of the CMM Products Division. Geoff was appointed to the Board in July 2002. He heads the group engineering function and is also responsible for group IP and patents. Geoff is a non-executive director of Delcam plc.

Non-executive directors

Joe McGeehan

Senior independent non-executive director

Joe McGeehan, CBE, FIEE, FREng, the senior independent non executive director, is Managing Director of Toshiba Research Ltd: Telecommunications Research Laboratory, Bristol. After obtaining the degrees of BEng and PhD in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Liverpool, he spent several years involved in industrial research before entering academia. Since 1985, he has held a number of senior positions at the University of Bristol. In 2003 he was awarded the degree of DEng by the University of Liverpool for his major contribution to mobile communications research, much of which has formed the basis of international standards. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Electrical
Engineers and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Joe was appointed a director in January 2001.

Terry Garthwaite

Non-executive director

Terry Garthwaite, FCA, non-executive director, is a chartered accountant, who after qualifying, joined Price Waterhouse in London. He held a number of senior finance positions within Foseco plc including Director of Corporate Finance, prior to spending eleven years as Group Finance Director at the multinational engineering group Senior plc. He is a non-executive director of Brammer plc and Wilmington Group plc. Terry was appointed a director of Renishaw plc in July 2003 and is chairman of the Audit committee.

David Snowden

Non-executive director

David Snowden, FCA, non-executive director, was a partner at KPMG for 25 years, latterly acting as Senior Partner for KPMG in South Wales. David was appointed a director of the Company in July 2003 and is the chairman of the Remuneration and nomination committee.

 

Bill Whiteley

Non-executive director

Bill Whiteley, FCMA, non-executive director, was, until his retirement in May 2008, the chief executive of Rotork plc, where he had been a director for 24 years. During this period, Bill managed Rotork plc’s business during a period of major expansion, both geographically and in product lines. Bill is also a non-executive director of Spirax Sarco plc, Dialight plc and Brammer plc. Bill was appointed a director of the Company on 20th June 2008.