The Bristol-based Centre for Modelling & Simulation (CFMS), a not-for-profit specialist in digital engineering, has appointed Nick Sturge MBE as its first Non-Executive Director. In this role, he will help with the company’s commitment to advancing the adoption of digital engineering in the UK.

Sturge has extensive knowledge of creating and fostering innovation ecosystems, having led numerous initiatives, including Bristol’s Engine Shed and SETsquared Centre. He has also worked on other innovation activities for the University of Bristol, the Institute of Directors and many other technology-focused organisations. His work and relationships across the South West and wider UK fits with CFMS’s aim to deliver digital engineering into new sectors. In 2019, Nick was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthdays Honours for his services to the digital economy.

Prof. Iain Gray, Chairman of CFMS, said:

“Digital engineering tools are transforming design productivity in the aerospace sector, where these capabilities were first developed. Nick’s appointment will further strengthen the CFMS vision of supporting the growth of industrial digitalisation across UK industry. This is testament to our commitment to grow and deliver value to organisations across sectors and the digital engineering ecosystem.”

Nick Sturge added:

“In a world of rapidly changing technologies, societal needs and net zero goals, there are exciting opportunities to use digital technology to demonstrate the value of innovation. I have worked with CFMS over the years through my roles at Engine Shed and SETsquared and am delighted to have the opportunity to work with the board to help drive forward with their ambitions to transform digital engineering.”

CFMS has pioneered new approaches to digital engineering largely within the aerospace, automotive and other sectors since its inception in 2010. It is now starting to deliver improvements in other sectors, and this new appointment is designed to accelerate CFMS’s expansion into the infrastructure, sustainability and energy sectors.

CFMS helps organisations harness the power of digital technologies to better understand and evaluate product and process performance and fosters collaboration by working directly with industry, academia and the digital supply chain to accelerate the adoption of these new technologies.