The Advanced Manufacturing advisory sector panel, represented by the Makers Alliance. The Makers Alliance will work closely with key stakeholders including Manufacturing NI, universities, further education colleges and councils to address the needs of industry. Its focus will be to accelerate innovation, digitalisation and the green agenda within manufacturing. It will play an important role in supporting the development of a single, unified vision for the sector. This vision will integrate with national strategies and ensure that the Northern Ireland manufacturing sector remains strong and globally competitive.
Mark Nodder
Joint CEO
Mark most recently held the combined role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wrights Group, the Ballymena based manufacturers of public transport vehicles, retiring in March 2019 after 21 years with the company.
A trained lawyer, Mark began his career with the National Audit Office in England and subsequently moved to Riyadh, working as Contracts Manager for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence and Aviation. Relocating to Northern Ireland in 1986. Mark worked for Shorts/Bombardier as Sales and Marketing Director of the Defence Systems Division and went on to hold a similar position with Survitec.
Mark is a past President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and is also a member of the Economic Advisory Group, an independent group of senior industrial figures providing advice to the Minister for the Economy and board member for Invest Northern Ireland. He was awarded an OBE for services to the Northern Ireland economy in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Mark Huddleston
Joint CEO
Mark Huddleston is founder and director of jheSOLUTIONS and joint CEO of Makers Alliance. He has over 20 years’ experience working in a range of start-up, SME and multi-national businesses within the manufacturing sector.
Mark is a member of the Matrix panel, Northern Ireland’s science industry panel. Mark also has been a member of a range of skills panels in Northern Ireland, supporting work around youth training and apprenticeships and was the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Employment & Skills with the UKCES. He is committed to seeing productivity enhancement, not only through skills but also the adaption of technology and innovative solutions both to processes and working practices.
Mark has volunteered for a number of years with Young Enterprise, supporting entrepreneurship with school pupils and a school governor promoting business and education links.