Professor Ben Morgan has been appointed as chief executive officer of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), following a successful term as interim CEO.

Ben has been serving as interim CEO of the AMRC since January 2025, and will continue to build on the AMRC’s legacy of industrial, economic and regional transformation as it enters its 25th year.

Having begun his career at the AMRC as a project engineer in 2009, Ben rose to become a senior robotics engineer and automation projects manager before taking on the senior post of head of the integrated manufacturing group, leading a team of more than 70 engineers carrying out transformative research for the UK manufacturing industry.

Congratulating Professor Morgan on the appointment, Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “Ben has played an important role in the AMRC and its achievements throughout much of its 25-year history. I am very pleased to confirm his appointment as permanent CEO to further build on the AMRC’s many successes.

“I look forward to continuing to work closely with Ben, collaborating with our many partners to turn world-leading research and innovation into tangible impact across the region, the UK and beyond.”

Professor Morgan said it is an honour to be appointed CEO of an organisation that has been such a significant part of his working life.

He said: “It’s been a huge privilege to be part of the AMRC’s transformational journey for the last 17 of its 25 years, and I’m honoured to be able to lead it into the next 25 years.

“My time as interim CEO has been incredibly rewarding, from welcoming and working with the government's Industrial Strategy, to delivering projects that strengthen the UK’s capabilities in aerospace, defence and nuclear energy.

“The UK manufacturing industry is in a time of generational opportunity. I feel incredibly lucky to be leading a team of individuals who will play a critical role, innovating with the manufacturing sector to take advantage of that opportunity.”

Guided by the UK’s 10 year Modern Industrial Strategy, Professor Morgan reiterated the AMRC’s commitment to working with colleagues across the AMRC, the University, and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult to deliver impact to industry.

“The Industrial Strategy has given industry a necessary and welcome emphasis on advanced manufacturing, defence, digitalisation and clean energy. The value of a resilient manufacturing sector has been acknowledged as a key driver for the future of the UK’s economic future.

“It’s now up to us to lead that charge for change. Within the wider ecosystem of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult and University of Sheffield, the AMRC is ready to move forwards, together; the future of innovation is through collaboration.

“2026 is set to be an enormous year for us, between celebrating our 25th anniversary, opening our Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) facility, and setting out our key strategic objectives to ensure the AMRC is having the greatest impact possible on the future of UK manufacturing.

“The AMRC’s legacy, built on the site of the former Orgreave coking plant, is an extraordinary foundation that we all have the privilege of building upon - pushing boundaries, challenging conventions, and delivering solutions that matter.”

Prior to becoming the interim CEO, Professor Morgan served as research director, a role he held for more than five years, and was appointed a Professor of Innovation in 2022.

Ben has led the delivery of a number of significant research and innovation programmes in aerospace and defence, as well as numerous automation and digital projects across the supply chain.