Christopher James Latham

A seasoned Senior Engineering and Operations level professional with 32 years of success in Engineering, Aerospace, DE&S procurement and UK Space Agency. Proven track record of delivery complex projects, programmes and strategy development by strategic oversight and team leadership all with a focus on process transformation and Customer Excellence and Best Practices. Strategic thinker with excellent communication skills, able to gain the confidence of senior executives, stakeholders, and customers.

Skilled at maintaining support and rapport with staff at all levels during multi-level change initiatives, ensuring exceptional outcomes.

Lean Six

Sigma specialist and Master Black-Belt trained professional, passionate about leading complex process improvement and critical transformation programs, especially in highly regulated sectors.

Interim Quality Manager at PIRAN ADVANCED COMPOSITES (2025-01 – 2026-01)

Provided leadership and direction to Quality and Engineering teams, embedding a culture of technical excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.

• Built organisational capability by coaching functional heads, leaders, engineers and production teams in composite best practice, technical standards and structured problem-solving.
• Supported the advancement of AS9100 and ISO 14001 systems as part of broader engineering governance and operational maturity.
• Championed continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to enhance process capability, reduce waste and improve product conformity.

Vice President Operations & MoD at SPACE ENGINE SYSTEMS (2024-01 – 2025-01)

Leading Project initiation and Business development across international teams on novel hypersonic propulsion systems and orbital spaceplane developments.

• Extensive stakeholder collaboration with UK MoD and Space Command agencies.
• Driving Operational readiness and Integrated Technology road maps.
• Lead UK funding proposals and development opportunities at International trade events.

Principal Managing Consultant & Lean Capability Lead at ENGAGE TECHINCAL SOLUTIONS Ltd (2020-01 – 2024-01)

Senior role managing a team to deliver ILS Technical Support for Defence Aviation acquisition, while also executing Lean and Capability strategies for both the company and client. Board member for EOT transformation.

• TLS Procurement Supportability leadership and strategy for new MoD rotary wing projects.
• Engineering Reliability and Maintainability information developments and improvement.
• Business Level Support Strategy transformation refresh input case generation.
• Inservice Availability Improvement Strategy and Plan resulting in FLC improvement.
• Refreshed customer reliability KPI's to enhance service performance and incentivisation.

Senior Continuous Improvement & Intelligence Officer at MINISTRY OF DEFENCE – Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, UK (2014-01 – 2019-01)

Senior interim management contract role leading strategic and tactical CI activities.

• Lead of Technical Data Exploitation Strategy delivering 'decision ready' information gains.
• New MRO platform support contract Business case 'as is'/'to be' analysis and development.
• Transformation Executive Team Lead – Defence Digital HQ, Corsham -Secondment (2015)

Global Business Improvement & Capability Manager / MBBD at ROLLS-ROYCE plc. Defence Sector Services (2011-01 – 2014-01)

Led and influenced the Aftermarket Improvement Strategies & Delivered Lean Six Sigma projects in Key Customer value-streams.

• Established, Governed and Mentored £6M effectiveness & efficiency improvement portfolio
• Roll out of RR 4 Centre business model - generating IDTs + 6FTE savings per centre
• Led process development workstream for RR Project Zero and Customer disruption index
• Established Lean Acceleration programmes to Key Customer Arrears (25%->75%OTIF)
• Facilitated Global MRO Customer Kaizen events to drive up Customer On-time deliveries
• Led Defence Business Unit Corporate Best Global Practice & Governance streams.

Customer Business, Finance & Commercial Improvement Lead at ROLLS-ROYCE plc. Defence Aerospace (2008-01 – 2011-01)

Led key Customer driven improvements.

• Revamped Global Customer Satisfaction process to give true 'line-of-sight' and 6% increase
• Led refresh of end-2-end Customer 'Win-Business' and GNPB process-improving P% wins
• Introduced, led and delivered Customer lensed 'Journey to Process Excellence' programmes
• Process lead on rapid implementation of new 'Resolve Customer Issues' CRM Siebel.

Operations Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt / CI Manager at ROLLS-ROYCE plc. Defence Aerospace (2006-01 – 2008-01)

Delivered agreed, significant benefits to the business through the leadership, on a full-time basis, of improvement activities.

• Led large scale test reject projects x3; driving RfT rate from 65%->95% (£250K)
• Co-ordinated 'OFI' Improvement Programme (~£2.2M Lean and Efficiency yields)
• R-R Global Corporate Best practice group member – hosting/undertaking monthly visits
• Led Adour engine Measurement Excellent work-stream improving R&R compliance.

Process Improvement Manager (Operations) at ROLLS-ROYCE plc. Defence Aerospace (2003-01 – 2006-01)

Led a team of Process Improvement Facilitators & Leaders delivering Quality, Lean, Yield and RFT benefits.

• Managed CI Pillar staff of New Production facility transfer (40% Footplate reduction)
• Led Ops Improvement programme and representation at World Class Manufacturing forum
• Championed implementation of new RR Production Improvement system©
• Delivered Improvement Journey and Culture skill training (Staff to senior level)

Quality & Improvement Engineer – Value Stream at ROLLS-ROYCE Defence (Europe) (2000-01 – 2003-01)

Technically responsible for Quality & Improvement within EJ200 & Pegasus Value streams (Supply to Customer receipt)

• Lead Quality Member of EJ200 (Eurofighter) On-time production release & verification team
• Drove root cause investigations within supply network to full corrective conclusion
• Led implementation of SAP QN Quality module on time
• Member of European working group (D4) driving NCR control and improvement by 45%

Various Engineer, Management & Graduate training posts at ROLLS-ROYCE Defence (Europe) (1998-01 – 2000-01)

• 12-month Fast track Graduate scheme covering all areas from new project to Cust support
• Delivered 7x placement projects incl. Test Improvements, Manufacture & Procurement
• Business Link (WEAF) & Knowledge Management (Derby) secondments from RR

Project Manager at SUNRISE MEDICAL Inc. / OXFORD HOIST COMPANY Ltd. (1997-01 – 1998-01)

Led a programme team of engineers delivering a large multi-site factory reconciliation project.

• Analysed & streamlined four major Cells optimising flow efficiencies by 10%
• Led successful on-time decommission, transfer, validation of flowlines
• Co-ordinated and rationalised management £3m of tools, assets and inventory by 25%

Senior High Precision Production Engineer at BEVERSTON ENGINEERING Ltd. (1987-01 – 1995-01)

• Time Served EITB Apprenticeship (Full Design, Manufacture & Inspection appreciation)
• CNC(Mazak) Milling ad Turning -> upping through-put & scrap targets by 20%
• Co-ordinated Raw Material Management processes driving 50% effectiveness
• Led Man job™ pilot and successful roll-out establishing capability and predictability.

B.Sc. in TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT – OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY, School of Engineering, Oxford (1995-01 – 1998-01)

HND in Mechatronics (1993-01 – 1995-01)

Computer Aided Draughting - Level III (1993-01 – 1995-01)

Computer Aided Engineering NC/CNC (1993-01 – 1995-01)

CGLI 230 in Mechanical Engineering Principles (1993-01 – 1995-01)