The National Composites Centre (NCC), Bristol’s world-leading institution for composites research and development, has appointed GKN Aerospace senior vice president Rich Oldfield as its new chief executive.
Owned by the University of Bristol and based on the Bristol & Bath Science Park, the NCC is the UK’s foremost centre for composites and forms part of the UK High Value Manufacturing Catapult. 
Mr Oldfield, pictured, who is currently senior vice president (SVP) for business development and strategy at GKN, will succeed NCC chief executive Peter Chivers from September 1.
He brings a wealth of engineering, technology and leadership experience to the position, having joined GKN Aerospace in 2009 as technical director.
A year later he became SVP for engineering and technology and in December 2014 assumed the role of SVP for advanced metallic technologies before taking on his current role in March last year.
He joined GKN from Airbus where he spent six years in various leadership roles on the design and manufacture of the A380 wings before being appointed deputy head of engineering in the wing centre of excellence, responsible for technical integration topics across all Airbus programmes,
He then joined the Strategy and Future Programmes organisation.part of the Airbus Strategy and Future Programmes organisation.
The £50m NCC supports UK industry to rapidly deploy innovative and cost-effective composites, working with academics, engineers and training providers in industrial-scale research, technology and manufacturing facilities.
University of Bristol pro vice-chancellor for research, Prof Nishan Canagarajah said: “Rich has an excellent reputation for his technical leadership and management experience and is ideally suited to this role. 
“As well as world-class research and technology development, the NCC is helping to train the next generation of engineers in composites manufacturing and technologies.
“I am looking forward to working closely with Rich to build on Peter’s excellent work as the NCC continues to establish itself in the growing and exciting worldwide composites industry.”
Rich Oldfield added: “This is an exciting time to be joining the NCC and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead. Composites are crucial to Britain’s aerospace, automotive, renewable energy, construction, and rail industries and the NCC is leading the way on their development.
“With colleagues and UK industry, my aim is to ensure the NCC builds on its position in the global composites industry and continues to be a world leader in this field.”
Peter Chivers became executive director of NCC in May 2010, leading the set-up of the centre, and from June 2011 took up the permanent position as chief executive.
