Uzam Khan

2024 – Present: VP Manufacturing & Lean

Responsible for developing and deploying a unified Production System and lean strategy across Rolls-Royce.

Drive improvements in operational effectiveness and efficiency through lean methodologies.


2020 – 2024: Quality Executive, Civil Aerospace

Led Supplier Quality for Operations, overseeing strategy development, capability enhancement (people, processes, systems), and collaboration with industry peers through the AESQ forum.

Spearheaded the Zero Defects initiative, influencing industry leaders and suppliers to elevate quality standards.

Directed the global Problem Resolution Team, enhancing supplier issue resolution and leading central Quality and Data Reporting for improved decision-making.


2012 – 2020: QHSEI Executive, Rotatives

Led the Quality, HSE, and Improvement functions for a global business of 3,000 employees.

Pioneered the Zero Defects programme, achieving significant reductions in defects and concessions.

Championed HSE improvements, including achieving the first LiveWell Platinum recognition and zero landfill status in the division.

Led lean initiatives that resulted in £56 million inventory reductions in 2019, surpassing all other business units.

Implemented the Hoshin Kanri process, establishing a performance management hub for Rotatives.


2010 – 2012: Continuous Improvement Executive, Gas Turbine Supply Chain

Established a Continuous Improvement (CI) organisation and built a unified CI community.

Delivered £60 million in net benefits annually by aligning the executive team and driving CI initiatives.


2005 – 2010: Civil Business Improvement Director

Overhauled the Process Excellence (6 Sigma) programme to increase engagement and effectiveness, expanding the syllabus to include lean and change management.

Introduced Yellow Belts to drive broader employee participation in improvement activities.

Achieved a tenfold increase in improvement-related savings and redefined the Cost of Non-Quality metric, elevating it to the Civil Executive level for long-term focus.

Standardised the business plan deployment process, ensuring strategic continuity.


2001 – 2005: Rolls-Royce Production System (RRPS) Implementation Manager

Led the implementation of the RRPS Foundation and Industrial Engineering modules, which remain integral to Rolls-Royce operations today.

Guided the RRPS implementation across the Compression Systems Business Unit and contributed to the successful design and construction of major facilities at Inchinnan and Rotatives D Site.

Company designed and manufactured heat exchangers for industrial and marine applications. I had responsibility for manufacturing engineering, purchasing, production and quality.

Achieved a 50% reduction in customer complaints and arrears while improving productivity by 10%.

Led global change programmes, coaching senior leaders and project teams, and facilitating improvement through Kaizen events.

Led task-forces in cellular manufacturing projects, driving step change improvements in lead time, quality, cost, and delivery performance.