Posted by: Amiee Category: NWAA news Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Dr David Bailey, director of operations at the North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA), is stepping up to the role of executive director as he joins the board.

Dr Bailey has spent more than 25 years in the aerospace industry including spells with British Aerospace’s Broughton site in North Wales (now Airbus) and power generation specialist Alstom as head of technology, leading future technology programmes.

David, 43, of Tarleton, who holds a degree in aeronautical engineering and a PHD in aerodynamics, joined the NWAA in 2004. He was responsible for developing and winning the funding for the group’s industry-leading ASCE (Aerospace Supply Chain Excellence) programme, which aims to build a world competitive aerospace supply chain in the region.

As a member of the board, he will play a key role in shaping the future of the organisation, which represents hundreds of engineering and manufacturing businesses involved in the aerospace supply chain in the region and further afield.

David joins the NWAA board as its second executive director alongside chief executive Martin Wright and will help to lead the group’s transition from a largely government funded organisation to a commercially sustainable organisation with a balance of public and private revenue streams.

In recent years David has also led the drive to establish close ties with aerospace cluster organisations in countries including Spain, Canada, and Mexico.

He said: “The North West of England is part of a global industry, and it is vital to firm up our ties with both the established and emerging aerospace sectors around the world. This will stand our members in good stead for the future.

“I am keen to ensure that our members are supported in every way I can to reflect the levels of excellence that the aerospace industry requires, and to ensure that the North West continues to be recognised as a global centre of excellence.”