Dr Mandy Ridyard
Mandy received her BSc degree in Chemistry and MPhil in Crystallography from the University of Leicester. She then worked as a Graduate Management Trainee in CarnaudMetalbox Enterprises in September 1989 and by the time she left the company she was responsible for New Product Development. She then worked for Rank Hovis as National Sales Manager and for Mars as Field Sales Manager respectively before she leads Produmax as Financial Director since 1999. The company is a supplier to world-leading aerospace companies such as Boeing, Bombardier, Moog and Meggitt, exporting 80 per cent of the flight control components it manufactures overseas.
Under the leadership of Mandy, the company business has grown substantially over the years and has received numerous awards. In 2014, the company was selected to join the SIG (Sharing in Growth) transformation engineering programme. With the support of SiG, Mandy’s farsighted vision and strategic leadership are uncovered.
Mandy Ridyard, Finance Director/Chair, Produmax/Space Hub Yorkshire
She received ‘The Manufacturer Top 100’ award for culture change in 2017. This award recognises the most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing, as nominated by The Manufacturer’s 265 thousands-strong audience, the wider industrial community, and judged by an esteemed judging panel featuring leaders of industry, academic institutions and manufacturing associations. Her vision, dedication and energy led Produmax into winning the SiG Ikigai award for engineering transformation in 2017. Ikigai is a Japanese word that encapsulates passion and purpose. The award recognises how Produmax staff and management have worked together and developed their skills to grow the business, opened new headquarters, changed the company culture, created a farsighted strategy and delivered operational performance in line with world-class practices.
Mandy is also the Chair of Space Hub Yorkshire (SHY) - a group dedicated to coordinating space activity across the region, providing space expertise and acting as an advocate for space research and industry opportunities. In addition to her work with SHY, she is Co-Chair of the local Digital Skills Partnership, and holds positions on the LEP, Bradford Economic Recovery Board and Bradford Sustainable Development Partnership where she contributes to key initiatives and concerns on a regional basis.
Mandy has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering by the University in July 2022 for her outstanding contributions in engineering transformation, the embodiment of IKigai spirit in manufacturing.
Why did I join the Innovation and skills advisory board?
I am a keen advocate of Bradford, its university, West Yorkshire and the North and I work across a range of organisations. I am Chair of Space Hub Yorkshire and a key member of Space North. I am a board member of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. The Bradford-Renduchintala Centre for Space AI will be a key asset to our region and how we expand our knowledge, skills and businesses within Yorkshire and the space economy. I joined the ISAB as I am keen to support the centre in its aims and help connect and promote the centre more widely across the UK landscape.
What can I offer to the Centre?
- Connection into Space Hub Yorkshire and its wider remit
- Connection into the Innovation landscape of West Yorkshire and beyond as Chair of the West Yorkshire Innovation Network which has Mayoral support
- Connection into companies in our region within this remit
- Connection into the wider Space landscape through other regional hubs
- Experience and expertise in finance, communications and marketing
- A black book of contacts across business and institutions