2020: Terry Spall

Terry Spall

135th President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Terry Spall received his first degree in mechanical engineering in 1985 followed by a MSc in Engineering Programme Management from Lancaster University in 1990. He is a chartered mechanical engineer and a Fellow of the Institution.

Terry's involvement with the Institution goes back to the late 1980s when he was active in the Automobile Division centres in the North West and Birmingham. He became Chair of the Birmingham Centre which led to him becoming a Board Member of the Automobile Division and eventually Chair in 2007. He has been a member of the Trustee Board for five years (up to 2014), Vice President for four years and has chaired both the Technical Strategy Board and Regional Strategy Board. He was formerly Chief Judge for the Formula Student competition.

Since graduation he has worked at Leyland Trucks specialising in Vehicle NVH, structural & component testing and project management, Leyland DAF Vans as Vehicle Test Manager, LDV responsible for outsourced technical contracts and Nissan at their European Technical Centre at Cranfield before joining MIRA in 1995.

Terry has held a number of posts within HORIBA MIRA with responsibilities for vehicle programme management and more recently as Vice President International Operations and President of MIRA Shanghai.  He has led the establishment of MIRA’s overseas operations in seven countries including China and India.

Terry began his current role as Commercial Director for MIRA Technology Park Ltd in October 2010. He has played a key role in advancing this GBP300 million development which is rapidly gaining global recognition as a centre of excellence in transport technology; benefiting from the comprehensive test facilities and resources at MIRA.  It now has 40 resident companies, with total employment on the park now over 1100 and expected to rise to over 2500 by 2025.  MIRA Technology Park has been recognised by the UK Government for its growth potential and was awarded enterprise zone status in 2012. In 2015 it was stated as being one of the top performing enterprise zones by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.  In March 2018 Terry also led a successful application resulting in MIRA Technology Park being awarded with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.

Terry left MIRA in January 2020 and is now a consultant.

Terry is a member of the national AMSCI Programme Investment Board. In July 2012 he received an Honorary Fellowship from UCLAN.

Terry is a keen mountaineer and fell walker. Since  2018 he has climbed Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains, trekked to Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar (5545m) in the Himalayas. He  has also completed the Three National Peaks Challenge three times in succession (2017/18/19) raising money for various charities. Terry is also aiming to climb all 214 'Wainwrights' in the Lake District, having currently climbed just over 100.

Terry is also a keen classic car restorer, currently working on two projects, a 1989 TVR3000S and a 1968 Morris Minor.

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