Leadership team

Learn more about our leadership team

Our leadership team brings together decades of combined experience across numerous fields and is guiding us forward through the company’s vision and strategy plan. 

Each member brings unique perspectives and skills, united by a shared commitment to our company’s mission and values. You can learn more about the people steering our company toward continued growth and success by viewing their profiles below.

Board

Sir Tim Fraser
Chair
Sir Tim Fraser became Chair and Non-Executive Director of Sheffield Forgemasters in February 2023. A Royal Navy officer for 40 years, he joined in 1982, commanding destroyers and aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. He held senior Ministry of Defence roles, including Vice Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Joint Operations with extensive operational and strategic leadership experience across operations globally.
Gary Nutter
Chief Executive Officer

Gary joined Sheffield Forgemasters as CEO in February 2024, bringing extensive global business leadership experience across automotive, aerospace and marine industries, most recently as CEO of aerospace engineering group RLC Aerospace Ltd, following senior roles at Kongsberg Marine Ltd and Rolls-Royce Plc. His international experience includes leading a $1 billion aerospace services business overseeing 840 people in Singapore and marine operations across seven sites in five countries. Having lived and worked in the UK, Italy, Singapore and Norway with direct responsibilities spanning the UK, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Brazil, Poland and Finland.

Gareth Barker
Chief Operating Officer

Gareth began as an apprentice machinist at Sheffield Forgemasters aged 19, he then progressed through roles including Product Manager, General Manager of the South Machine Shop, and became the company’s youngest Operations Director before advancing to Managing Director of the Forgings Division in 2011. Following positions as Customer Programmes Director and Group Operations Director with responsibility for entire site operations at Brightside Lane, Gareth was appointed to the Board of Directors as Chief Operating Officer in 2021, working alongside the CEO and CFO with overall responsibility for all site operations, technical and quality output, Health, Safety and Environment, and implementation of new plant investments.

Patrick Davison
Chief Financial Officer

Patrick was appointed as CFO in June 2025, he has over 18 years of experience in executive roles across international businesses, engineering, manufacturing and aerospace industries. Most recently serving as Group Finance Director for Masonite Europe where he oversaw a $40 million transformation programme, he brings a strong track record of managing demanding transitions and complex operating models.

Patrick Butcher
Non-Executive Director

Patrick joined Sheffield Forgemasters as a Non-Executive Director in April 2022, bringing board-level expertise in financial and operational leadership across listed, private equity-backed and public sector organisations, having most recently served as Interim Group Chief Financial Officer of Headlam Group plc and previously held Group CFO roles at Capita plc, The Go-Ahead Group plc and Network Rail Limited.

Norman Bone
Non-Executive Director

Norman was appointed as a Non-Executive Director in January 2024, bringing extensive experience as an experienced CEO and Chair, having formerly served as Chair of aerospace giant Leonardo UK Ltd with responsibility for all three UK divisions in electronics, helicopters and security.

Andrew McNaughton
Non-Executive Director

Andrew, a chartered civil engineer and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering with extensive experience in major infrastructure projects, has served as a Non-Executive Director for Sheffield Forgemasters since December 2021, playing a key role in overseeing investments in new infrastructure and equipment for the Ministry of Defence to support the company’s long-term sovereign capability.

Kelly Jones
Non-Executive Director

Kelly is an experienced turnaround and transformation specialist with an international leadership background across engineering and manufacturing, brings extensive expertise in business transformation, operational improvement and corporate leadership. Having held senior roles with Rolls-Royce in China, the US and Derby, as well as serving as CEO of Rotary Power and Michell Bearings and Transformation Director at Kingsgate Consultancy, she supports Sheffield Forgemasters’ long-term transformation and strategic growth as a Non-Executive Director.

Sinead Proctor
General Counsel and Company Secretary

Sinead serves as General Counsel and Company Secretary, bringing extensive experience as a lead General Counsel in commercial, acquisition, and transaction negotiations, international corporate governance and company secretarial management. Having previously served as Head of Legal Risk and Compliance for Liberty Steel, a manufacturer with integrated production capability supporting the global oil and gas, aerospace and industrial engineering sectors.

Executive Team

Gary Nutter
Chief Executive Officer

Gary joined Sheffield Forgemasters as CEO in February 2024, bringing extensive global business leadership experience across automotive, aerospace and marine industries, most recently as CEO of aerospace engineering group RLC Aerospace Ltd, following senior roles at Kongsberg Marine Ltd and Rolls-Royce Plc. His international experience includes leading a $1 billion aerospace services business overseeing 840 people in Singapore and marine operations across seven sites in five countries. Having lived and worked in the UK, Italy, Singapore and Norway with direct responsibilities spanning the UK, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Brazil, Poland and Finland.

Gareth Barker
Chief Operating Officer

Gareth began as an apprentice machinist at Sheffield Forgemasters aged 19, he then progressed through roles including Product Manager, General Manager of the South Machine Shop, and became the company’s youngest Operations Director before advancing to Managing Director of the Forgings Division in 2011. Following positions as Customer Programmes Director and Group Operations Director with responsibility for entire site operations at Brightside Lane, Gareth was appointed to the Board of Directors as Chief Operating Officer in 2021, working alongside the CEO and CFO with overall responsibility for all site operations, technical and quality output, Health, Safety and Environment, and implementation of new plant investments.

Patrick Davison
Chief Financial Officer

Patrick was appointed as CFO in June 2025, he has over 18 years of experience in executive roles across international businesses, engineering, manufacturing and aerospace industries. Most recently serving as Group Finance Director for Masonite Europe where he oversaw a $40 million transformation programme, he brings a strong track record of managing demanding transitions and complex operating models.

Richard Bell
Director of Sales & Business Development

Richard has served as Sales and Business Director since February 2022, bringing extensive commercial leadership experience from managing multi-disciplinary sales teams across rail, oil and gas, aerospace, construction and automotive industries. A Chartered Mechanical Engineer with an MSc in Engineering Management he has experience in strategic direction, financial analysis, negotiating multi-million-pound contracts and frameworks, and delivering business turnarounds and growth.

Jesus Talamantes-Silva
Director of Engineering & Technology

Jesus serves as Director of Engineering & Technology, where he has led and overseen complex industrial research and development programmes focused on materials, fabrication and welding technologies for critical nuclear and engineering applications. He has played a key role in major electron beam welding (EBW) and local electron beam welding (LEBW) developments at the company.

Laura Hooper
Director of People & Culture

Laura serves as Director of People and Culture, bringing over 20 years of HR experience operating strategically and operationally within senior management teams and at executive level across various fast-paced business environments. Laura develops and builds relevant strategies that enhance working practices and impact positively on financial performance, whilst handling complex and difficult situations with thought, confidence and empathy.

Steve Sharp
Director of Information Technology

Steve serves as IT Director, he brings over 20 years of IT and technical systems management experience with consistently increasing responsibilities in technical skills, staff management and global team leadership. Steve possesses an excellent understanding of managing relationships and communication between IT and the business, building highly effective and efficient IT teams, and rationalising individual requests against global standards and local business requirements with a resourceful approach to problem-solving and solution implementation.

Ken Stevenson
Director of Strategy & Transformation

Ken Stevenson is the Director of Strategy and Transformation, working with the leadership team to deliver the company’s strategy and business plan that will set out aims, objectives, values and vision for the next several decades of manufacturing across defence and commercial markets. He has previously worked as a consultant advising on the company’s MoD acquisition and transition into public ownership over a three-year period.

Sinead Proctor
General Counsel and Company Secretary

Sinead serves as General Counsel and Company Secretary, bringing extensive experience as a lead General Counsel in commercial, acquisition, and transaction negotiations, international corporate governance and company secretarial management. Having previously served as Head of Legal Risk and Compliance for Liberty Steel, a manufacturer with integrated production capability supporting the global oil and gas, aerospace and industrial engineering sectors.