Speakers

Sarah Black-Smith is a passionate and active promoter for enhancing the productivity of UK Manufacturers. Since June 2022, she has been at the helm of the Motion Control business in Siemens Digital Industries and is the Sustainability Lead. Sarah believes that digitalisation and ongoing advancements are pivotal in achieving the UK’s sustainability and productivity objectives.

With an impressive tenure of 22 years at Siemens, Sarah has held multiple positions at two factories located in Congleton and Lincoln, which has greatly enhanced her understanding of the industry.

Sarah led the Factory Operations at the Siemens Digital Industries factory in Congleton since December 2018, having previously been Head of Manufacturing. During her time at Siemens Energy Lincoln, Sarah held several operational management positions driving efficiency and excellence throughout the factory.

Sarah graduated from Loughborough University in 2004 with a BEng (Hons) in Manufacturing Engineering and Management.  Sarah completed an MSc in Operations Excellence from Cranfield University in 2016 and earlier this year completed her Global MBA at the Alliance Manchester Business School.

Sarah's passion lies in collaborating with individuals and fostering strong relationships. She holds a deep admiration for the manufacturing sector in the UK, recognising the incredible talent and innovation that exists within the country, regularly documenting this on LinkedIn.

Sarah firmly believes that diversity is a crucial element in unlocking the full potential of the engineering and manufacturing industries. She advocates for greater diversity within businesses and engineering courses, as believes it is essential for driving fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and transformative approaches.