A £20m initiative designed to support the North West’s manufacturing sector through the adoption of more industrial digital technologies has appointed a new chair to its steering board.

Andrea Thompson is BAE’s managing director for Europe and international programmes. This includes responsibility for its role in the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft programme.

Prior to this, she spent several years working in the US before returning to the UK to spend time at the likes of Leyland Trucks and Rolls Royce.

In her new role at Made Smarter, Thompson will oversee the successful development and operational delivery of the Made Smarter programme.

The steering board, which features more than a dozen representatives from across the North West, will also monitor progress of the pilot project and report on learnings which will help to inform the proposed national roll-out of the Made Smarter concept.

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