The UK R&D Society was founded to be the authoritative voice for UK technology businesses, focused on the commercialisation of research and advocating to government, investors, and intervention agencies to develop a sustainable industrial strategy that supports economic and social growth in regions across the nation.
Ric joins the R&D Society as a Strategic Advisor supporting the Society’s current proposals to the Government on the UK Industrial Strategy, prompted by the Industrial Strategy Green Paper ‘Invest 2035’ published on 24 November 2024. The R&D Society’s response to the Green Paper can be seen here.
Professor Richard (Ric) Parker CBE, PBM, PSTM, FREng, FRAeS, FIMechE, FInstP, FCGI is an independent Special Advisor, working with various companies and institutions in the fields of technology strategy and technology transfer.
Ric is Chairman, Singapore Aerospace Programme and Chairman of the Technical Committee for the Singapore Low Carbon Energy Research Programme. He was Chairman of the $4.4B European Clean Sky programme until 2019. He is a Distinguished Visitor at the UK National Physical Laboratory and Special Advisor to the company Boom Supersonic Ric was appointed Director of Research & Technology (CTO), Rolls-Royce Group in January 2001 and retired April 2016 after 37 years with the Company. Ric gained a CBE for Services to Engineering, 2013; Royal Aeronautical Society Gold Medal, 2015; and Singapore President’s Science and Technology Medal 2024. Ric has Doctorates (honoris causa) from seven universities worldwide. Ric is married to Jeanette, and has homes in Nine Elms, London and Derbyshire.
Ric Parker commented:
A new UK industrial strategy must be clearly linked to Innovation. The UK is number three in the world for high-quality technical publications, but UK inventions are all-too-often taken to market by other countries. Throughout my career, I have been passionate about bringing together industry and universities, so that there is a seamless flow up the whole Technology readiness ladder from idea to proof of concept, to technology demonstrator, to pilot/prototype and finally to marketed product. The Government has a key role to play in supporting and stimulating this entire process.
Iain Simpson, Chair of the R&D Society, commented:
We are delighted to welcome Ric to our advisory board. He brings a vast amount of experience of technology leadership and commercialisation including an understanding of the importance of building linkages with supply chains and academic institutes both in corporate organisations but also in innovation ecosystems in the UK and Singapore. We look forward to working with Ric and the rest of our advisory board as we work to support the growth agenda in the UK.