Katherine Bennett is CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, where she leads the organisation in its primary mission – driving industrial transformation through innovation.
She is a strong advocate for UK industrial capability and is a member of the boards of the European Association of Research and Technology Associations (EARTO) and the Aerospace Growth Partnership, and works with national partners on the Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board to support communities and workers through the move towards low carbon steelmaking.
Katherine serves as Chair of the Advisory Council for the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW), chaired Western Gateway Pan Regional Partnership for four years and served on the Levelling Up Advisory Council chaired by Andy Haldane.
Katherine has worked extensively in manufacturing having spent 16 years at Airbus and also as head of policy and public affairs for General Motors (Vauxhall) in the UK.
Her passion for diversity in engineering and manufacturing led to her foundation of the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter and in 2019 she was awarded a CBE for her contribution to aerospace and aviation. She holds honorary doctorates from Cranfield University and UWE Bristol and is President of The Welding Institute for 2026-27.
