Ricardo has re-emphasised the centrality of innovation to the company’s mission and culture with the announcement of the key appointment of Professor Neville Jackson to the newly created post of Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO).
Prof. Jackson has been with Ricardo for twenty seven years, joining the company following his graduation from Imperial College London in 1982. Throughout his time with the company he has been strongly associated with innovation and technology development including the design, management and execution of Ricardo’s significant and sector-leading internally funded research activity. In this work he has been highly influential in chairing the Ricardo Technology Steering Group and has led many initiatives to forge technology and innovation research collaborations with government, academia and industrial partners. A visiting Professor at the University of Brighton, Neville Jackson also serves as the chairman of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, the UK Government sponsored body tasked with accelerating a sustainable shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels whilst creating opportunities for UK business. In addition to this, Prof. Jackson is also a director of CENEX, the UK Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon Vehicles and Fuel Cells, a member respectively of the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council Industry User Panel, the recently formed UK Automotive Technology Council, and the steering group for the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council.
The new Ricardo CTIO role will see Prof Jackson become the guardian of innovation for the company, both in terms of the management and execution of research activities as well as encouraging and developing the core culture of innovation that has been the hallmark of Ricardo throughout its history. In addition to the far-reaching internal aspects of his new role, Prof Jackson will also take lead responsibility for encouraging and fostering relationships with external bodies with an interest in the development and deployment of new innovations and technologies. These include national, state and regional governments on a world-wide basis, the European Commission, regulatory authorities, industry representative bodies and other key stakeholder groups.
Commenting on this important new role and appointment, Ricardo CEO Dave Shemmans said: “The new role of Chief Technology and Innovation Officer represents one of the most important functions of a company such as Ricardo, and I am pleased that Neville Jackson has accepted this appointment. Throughout our history the effective development of new innovations and technology has been a core value of Ricardo, but it has never been more important than it is today. With the imperative to mitigate the probable causes of climate change and address the need for new, more sustainable sources of energy and modes of powering transportation, we need to focus ourselves on the task of creating those new innovations that are capable collectively of delivering nothing short of a new industrial revolution in clean, low-carbon technology. I believe that Professor Jackson is exactly the right person to focus the energy, skills and talent of the Ricardo team on these future challenges.”
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