From scientist to the boardroom
I started as an atmospheric scientist, studying volcanic ash, ice clouds and how they affect aircraft. That work took me from Michigan Tech to the University of Bristol, the University of Cambridge and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, where I led technical pre-sales with an Airbus–easyJet consortium demonstrating a volcanic-ash detector.
I founded SATAVIA in 2013 and began active operations in 2015. As a solo founder I bootstrapped the company, raised investment and grew it to nearly 30 people. Our first product, DECISIONX, was AI software combining aircraft-engine data with the environmental conditions aircraft fly through to predict component degradation, helping OEMs reduce maintenance costs under power-by-the-hour service contracts. When COVID took our pipeline to zero, I pivoted to contrail avoidance and flight-planning optimisation, combining weather forecasts with flight data, and built a market before regulation required it. I led customer acquisition throughout and grew a sales team selling to CEOs, CFOs and COOs, doing business in 14 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. In 2024 GE Aerospace acquired the company, and I ran the product line there as General Manager.
Where I've worked
- 2024 – 2026
General Manager
GE AerospaceOwned the P&L, product roadmap and commercial strategy for the DECISIONX product line after GE Aerospace acquired SATAVIA. Led the commercial integration into GE Aerospace, including migrating the platform into GE's AWS subscription and integrating DECISIONX into GE's software-as-a-service products, including Fuel Insights, as a partner integration. Worked across commercial, product, finance and engineering teams, influencing without formal authority, to co-sell into airlines with GE Aerospace's Engines and Software-as-a-Service teams.
- 2013 – 2024
Founder & CEO
SATAVIA, CambridgeBuilt the sales function from zero, owned a board-set annual revenue quota and signed approximately £15M in total contract value. Sold AI software to organisations including Airbus, GE Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Safran, Lufthansa Technik, Etihad Engineering and Iberia Maintenance, and to airlines including Emirates, Etihad, KLM and SunExpress. Expanded accounts beyond pilots: Rolls-Royce moved to fleet-wide use, Safran became a recurring-revenue customer across an engine family, and Etihad went from pilot to a 10-year agreement within 18 months, signed at the Dubai Airshow in 2022. Developed a patented avoided-impact carbon-credit methodology that received Gold Standard concept approval in 2023, and contributed to the UK Jet Zero Taskforce non-CO2 group. Won funded programmes from the European Space Agency, the Aerospace Technology Institute, the European Commission and Innovate UK, and built go-to-market partnerships with Microsoft and AWS.
- 2007 – 2013
Research scientist and technical pre-sales
University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, Norwegian Institute for Air ResearchClimate projects at the University of Bristol and a range of research projects at the University of Cambridge. At the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (2010–2013), led technical pre-sales with an Airbus–easyJet consortium demonstrating a volcanic-ash detector.
12 granted patents, six families
- Sole inventor
Optimising the climate impact of aircraft by forecasting and validating contrail formation
US 12210356 B2 · GB 2599918 B · EP 4229493 B1 - Sole inventor
Method and system for determining improved flight trajectory
- Lead inventor
System and method for aircraft flight control
US 12462700 B2 · EP 3850553 B1 · GB 2577064 B - Lead inventor
System and method for generating an aircraft flight trajectory
US 12140432 B2 · GB 2584499 B - Co-inventor
System and method for aircraft contaminant monitoring and operation scheduling
- Co-inventor
Meteorological hazard identification apparatus and method
GB 2529271 B · GB 2561996 B
Education, family and life outside work
- PhDMichigan Technological University · 2005–07
- MSMichigan Technological University · 2002–05
- MSciUniversity of Bristol · 1997–2001
- RYA Yachtmaster OffshoreSailing
- Cycling and off-piste skiingMountains and roads
- KitesurfingWind and water
