The Board

The Board of Endeavr are responsible for providing strategic direction, reviewing the financial commitment and overseeing the governance and management of its undertakings. In 2022 the Board, who meet quarterly, approved the move to a Challenge led approach to commission Airbus' technology needs in an effort to increase engagement with the programme.

Board members

Dr Phil Jones

Dr Phil Jones

Head of UK Cyber, Airbus Cybersecurity Programmes
Airbus Defence and Space

Phil is the Airbus Board representative for Airbus Endeavr Wales. He joined Airbus as Head of UK Cyber in 2015 before moving to France with his family to be Head of Operations, Cybersecurity in 2017. Returning to the UK in 2021, he resumed his role leading Airbus UK Cyber business which is the UK’s premier provider of High Grade cryptographic and key management solutions to the UK Government. He subsequently became Site Director for the Airbus site in Newport.

Prior to joining Airbus, Phil worked for Thales UK for 20 years in a variety of executive leadership positions, including roles as Managing Director of Thales Missile Electronics, Thales e-Security and Thales UK Strategy Director.

He started his career as a Laser Engineer in a commercial high power laser company having gained a First-Class Honours Degree in Applied Physics and completed a PhD in Medical Laser Physics at UCL by part time study. He lives near London, with his wife and two children and commutes on a weekly basis to Newport.

Áine Gawthorpe

Áine Gawthorpe

Deputy Director, Industrial Transformation and Foundational Economy Division
Welsh Government

Áine is the Welsh Government representative on the Board of Airbus Endeavr Wales where she is the Deputy Director for the Industrial Transformation and Foundational Economy Division. The division comprises High Value Manufacturing, Industrial Decarbonisation, Energy and Steel and the Foundational Economy.

Áine joined the Welsh Government in November 2021, having previously spent 25 years working in the criminal justice field. A qualified Solicitor and Probation Officer, she was most recently responsible for managing transformational change programmes and COVID response for HM Prison and Probation Service in Wales. She lives in West Wales with her husband and two crazy spaniels.

Anne Reynish

Anne Reynish

Senior Manager Industrial Transformation
Welsh Government

Anne is the Welsh Government representative on the Executive team of Endeavr and is a Senior Manager within the Industrial Transformation team, part of the Economy Division.

Anne joined the Welsh Government in 1990 and has experience of working within operational delivery in a wide range of areas including inward investment, property, relationship management, project development and the management of Welsh Government strategic relationships. Currently based in Cardiff, Anne has worked in several Welsh Government offices including Chicago and Houston in the US.

Anne holds a Master of Science degree in Local and Regional Economic Development from the University of South Wales and a Diploma in Surveying from the College of Estate Management in Reading.

Julia Rose

Julia Rose

Company Secretary
Airbus Endeavr Wales

Julia, a qualified solicitor, has been part of Endeavr since its inception and has seen it grow and evolve significantly over the years.

Julia is Head of Corporate Law for Airbus Defence and Space in the UK and has worked for Airbus since 2006, undertaking a number of different roles and working on all company legal topics. Prior to that she trained as a lawyer at Eversheds LLP and before that worked in sales and marketing for a subsidiary of what is now Tata Steel. Julia is also a pension trustee and an accredited mediator.

Julia holds an LLB (Hons) from Bristol University, a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from Cardiff University and also Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Sales and Marketing from Loughborough University.

Victoria Harris

Victoria Harris

Strategic Partnerships Manager
Cardiff University

Victoria is the Higher Education Institution (HEI) representative on the Executive team of Endeavr, and is a Strategic Partnerships Manager within the Research and Innovation Department at Cardiff University

Victoria joined Cardiff University in 2019. Working closely with public, private, third sector organisations and the academic community at Cardiff University, she offers support for developing, nurturing, and managing external strategic partnerships, to deliver outcomes across research, innovation, skills, and civic mission.
Prior to joining Cardiff University, Victoria had a 10+ year career working in recruitment and HR. She has a wealth of experience in employability and skills, talent acquisition, and developing people strategy, across several business sectors. Victoria is passionate about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and has established herself as a University EDI Champion.

Nick Crew

Nick Crew

Chief Operating Officer
Airbus Endeavr Wales

As a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, Nick has spent many years delivering large systems and service solutions for government, defence and commercial customers. He has presented business cases at board level for pursuit decisions and concluded contract negotiations in the UK, Europe and Asia.

Today, as the UK research and technology key account manager for public funding and co operations for Airbus Defence and Space UK, Nick works with businesses and academic institutions to inspire innovation that drives economic growth.

Stephanie Eden

Stephanie Eden

Head of Design Authority and Technical Office
Airbus Defence and Space

Stephanie is the Airbus Defence and Space representative on the Executive team for Airbus Endeavr Wales and is Head of the Design Authority and Technical Office within Connected Intelligence, a programme line within Airbus Defence and Space Division.

Stephanie joined Airbus in 1999 as a Business Graduate and has worked in numerous departments within the company including Marketing, the System Design Centre, Engineering, Innovation and Research and Technology, She was also seconded to NITE works in 2003 until 2006. Currently based in Newport, Stephanie now manages a transversal Architecture department based across the UK, France and Germany.

Stephanie holds a Batchelor of Science Degree in Technology Management from the University of Bradford.

Tony Beck

Tony Beck

Head of Finance
Airbus Defence and Space

Tony represents finance as a member of the Endeavr Executive Committee. He joined Airbus in 2003 and during this time has held a number of positions within the UK as well as in France and Germany. He currently heads up a team responsible for developing and supporting the financial aspects of customer proposals and pricing, along with strategic programmes and investment opportunities.

Tony is a CIMA qualified Accountant who lives in the South-West of England and before joining Airbus, worked at British Telecom, Debenhams and Orange in a variety of operational and commercial finance roles.

Professor Stuart Allen

Professor Stuart Allen

Professor in the School of Computer Science & Informatics
Cardiff University

Stuart represents Cardiff University on the Airbus Endeavr Wales board and is a Professor in the School of Computer Science & Informatics with research interests in human computer interaction, mobile communications, artificial intelligence and data science.

He joined Cardiff University as a postdoctoral researcher in 2000, before becoming a lecturer in 2002, and progressing to a Professor in 2016. Between 2015 and 2024, Stuart was Head of the School of Computer Science & Informatics, during which time the School more than doubled their number of staff and students, moved to a bespoke new building, and launched the National Software Academy.

Stuart holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Nottingham and a PhD in Graph Theory from the University of Reading.