EDUCATION
Richard Atkinson | Lecturer in Supply Chain Leadership
Richard Atkinson teaches leadership, strategy, governance and engagement to supply chain executives from the many leading companies that partner with Aston University.
Richard is a former senior commander of combat forces in the RAF and has served as a Deputy Director of Strategic Planning in Whitehall, and as a NATO Director of Air Operations. He has developed high performance teams, large and small, and has led strategy for major transformations and global operations.
His greatest honour is to have served as an Aide de Camp to Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Richard is passionate about developing leadership skills in the future leaders of logistics and transport so they can boost innovation, through inclusivity and collaboration, and so develop the sustainable supply chains the world urgently requires.
Edward Sweeney | Professor and Deputy Executive Dean
Professor Ed Sweeney is Deputy Executive Dean of the School of Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University. He is Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management in Edinburgh Business School, part of Heriot-Watt University, where he is active in research, teaching and knowledge exchange activity.
He has held academic posts in the UK, Ireland and Malaysia.
Ed's research has been widely published, with close to 200 books and book chapters, academic journal papers and articles in practitioner publications.
An engineer by background, he has worked in the life sciences, automotive and logistics sectors.
Ed is passionate about supply chain innovation and effective academic/business collaboration in driving this innovation.
Claire Prance | Commercial Director Fulfilment
Claire is an established and proven 3PL Commercial Director for shared user warehousing. She specialises in providing multi-channel logistics services to consumer brands and retailers.
Claire's 30 years supply chain experience started with management and buying roles for The Body Shop, Arcadia Group and Oasis Stores, followed by sourcing and sales roles for two large fashion and accessories suppliers to high street multiples and independent retailers.
Having been in third party logistics since 2007, Claire now uses her retail supply chain experience and the wider logistics community to
help her clients establish, improve and grow successful operations around the world.
Specialist subjects:
- eCommerce and multi-channel logistics
- cross border ecommerce
- returns/reverse logistics
- shared user warehousing
Passionate about inspiring the next generation, Claire is particularly
committed to helping young people — especially women — discover rewarding careers in logistics.
