Responsible for leading a tremendously exciting eVTOL start-up with huge potential on their journey to a fully-fledged aerospace company. Having flown two full-scale prototypes, Vertical Aerospace is building technology to revolutionise how people fly, by making air travel personal, on-demand and carbon free. Leading all aspects of the business including engineering, finance, HR, IT, supply chain, operations, marketing and business support. Developing strategic partnerships, government and industry relationships, shaping product offering, company capabilities, strategy and routes to market.
Before joining Vertical, Michael spent 22 years at Rolls-Royce after graduating with a first class honours degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Bristol University. He was initially involved in designing turbines for future combat aircraft before taking up an early career opportunity as Technical Assistant to the Rolls-Royce Main Board Director – Engineering & Technology. Most of his career has been spent working across the Rolls-Royce civil aero engine portfolio, with increasingly senior roles in design, development and service support. As Head of Future Technologies reporting to the group CTO, he led a global multidisciplinary team that acted as the prime technological early warning system for the company as well as having responsibility for generating future concepts and developing, protecting and transferring cutting edge disruptive technologies across all of the Rolls-Royce businesses.