Directors

Sir David McMurtry

Chairman and Chief Executive

Sir David McMurtry, CBE, RDI, FREng, FRS, 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. He has also been awarded an honorary fellowship at Cardiff University. Sir David is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of the American Society of Manufacturing Engineers, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and in 2011 became a Fellow of The Royal Society. The Institute of Physics jointly awarded its 2012 Swan Medal to Sir David and John Deer for their role in founding Renishaw and leading it to become one of the world's principal manufacturers of metrology equipment. In addition to his role as Chairman and Chief Executive, Sir David also has responsibility for group technology and is the Chair of the Nomination Committee.

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. In 2012 John was awarded the Swan Medal by the Institute of Physics jointly with Sir David McMurtry (see above). 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 Institution 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.

Geoff McFarland

Group Engineering Director

Geoff McFarland, Group Engineering Director, has a degree in mechanical engineering, and is a visiting professor at the University of Bath and an honorary professor at Heriot-Watt 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

Carol Chesney

Non-executive director

Carol Chesney, FCA, non-executive director, is a chartered accountant who worked at Arthur Andersen for seven years in audit services. Carol worked for some time in the group accounts function at English China Clays plc before joining Halma plc, where she is now company secretary, having also been group financial controller. Carol's role at Halma includes interpretation of accounting standards, share plans and pensions, property, environmental, anti-bribery and health and safety compliance, corporate governance and management of internal audit. Carol was appointed to a director of Renishaw plc on 19 October 2012 and is the Chair of the Audit Committee. 

David Grant

Non-executive director

Dr David Grant, CBE, FREng, FLSW, CEng, FIET was Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University from 2001 until September 2012, with responsibility for 30,000 students, 6,000 members of staff and an annual income of £430 million. Prior to that he held leadership positions at a number of international engineering companies including Dowty Group and GEC plc where he was Group Technical Director. He is currently a Governing Board member of the Technology Strategy Board and Chairman of STEMNET. He was a Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2007 to 2012. He is a a non-executive director of the Defence and Science Technology Laboratory and a non-executive director of IQE plc. David was appointed to the board on 25th April 2012.

John Jeans

Non-executive director

John Jeans, CBE CEng, is currently Chairman of the Council of Cardiff University and Imanova. In addition he chairs the Board of MRC Technology and is a non-executive director of the Alliance Medical Group. He is also a Board member of the University and College Employers Association, Chairs the Technology Strategy Board's stratified medicine advisory Board, is a Steering Board member of the HealthTech and Medicines Knowledge Transfer Network and is an advisor to the University of Manchester's venture fund. He formerly held senior leadership positions in several global companies including Smith & Nephew, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson and Amersham plc (now GE Healthcare). John was appointed to the board on 11 April 2013. 

Bill Whiteley

Senior independent non-executive director

Bill Whiteley, FCMA, the senior independent 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 the chairman of Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc, Hill and Smith Holdings plc and Brammer plc. He has been awarded an honorary degree of Engineering at the University of Bath. Bill was appointed a director of the Company on 20th June 2008.