Leadership
Sir Michael Ryan CBE – AGP Industry Chair
Sir Michael Ryan CBE, Vice President and General Manager of Spirit AeroSystems, Belfast, is the Industry Chair of the Aerospace Growth Partnership.
Sir Michael Ryan was born in Belfast in 1959. He graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast in 1981 with an honours degree in aeronautical engineering, and joined Short Brothers the same year.
Prior to and following Bombardier’s acquisition of Shorts in 1989, he held various senior management positions, including in advanced composites production, fabrications and procurement.
In May 2000, he was appointed vice-president and general manager of Bombardier’s Belfast operations, and in July 2017 became President of the Canadian corporation’s aerostructures business. In 2020, he helped manage the Belfast operation’s successful transition to the new ownership of Kansas-based Spirit AeroSystems.
He was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2005, and in 2009 received an Honorary Doctorate from Queen’s University Belfast for services to business and commerce, followed by an Honorary Doctorate in 2015 from Ulster University for service to business and corporate social responsibility. In 2021 he was knighted for his services to the economy.
Sir Michael is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Married with three children, he enjoys sports, reading and listening to music.
AGP Ministerial Chair
The AGP is co-chaired by the Industry Minister from the Department for Business & Trade.
Balaji Srimoolanathan – AGP Programme Director
Balaji was appointed Programme Director of the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP) in November 2018. Balaji is responsible for the day to day operations of the AGP. In his role, Balaji works with the AGP Board, the AGP working groups and the UK Government to support the delivery of AGP’s strategy and its objectives. Balaji also manages the programme managers in secondment from industry to the AGP.
Previously, Balaji was Strategy Manager for the Aerospace Technology Institute, where he led the development of the ATI’s market and supply chain capability, and contributed to the development of the ATI technology strategy. Prior to this, Balaji has worked in various senior consulting roles with IHS Janes and Frost & Sullivan during which he advised clients which included Fortune 500 companies, global aerospace and defence majors, and governments.
Prior to his consulting roles, Balaji was an aerospace engineer and worked for both airlines and design and engineering firms. Balaji is an MBA in Aviation Management from RMIT University, Australia and an Aircraft Engineer.
Warren Gee – Manufacturing & Supply Chain Working Group Chair
Warren Gee is the Chair of the AGP Manufacturing Supply Chain Working Group and is Vice President Business Development for Rolls-Royce. At Rolls-Royce, he is responsible for future operational/supply chain strategy for both Civil and Defence Aerospace at Rolls-Royce where he leads a variety of activities including defining RR Make/Buy strategies, commodity strategies, country level strategies and a portfolio of strategic projects. Warren has worked for RR for nearly 20 years in a variety of senior leadership roles, and prior to that 10 years in Automotive.
John Watton – AGP Skills Working Group Chair
John Watton from GKN Aerospace is the Chair of the AGP’s Skills working group. The group focuses on helping deliver the high level skills required by UK Aerospace to secure the UK’s competitive position in the global aerospace market.
Aerospace Growth Partnership 