Board and Non-Executive Advisory — Len Pannett
“The best boards combine challenge and support in equal measure — and the non-executive contribution is most valuable when it brings genuine operational expertise that the executive team does not already have in the room.”
I am available for non-executive director and board advisory roles in growth-stage businesses where engineering, supply chain or additive manufacturing expertise adds genuine value that a generalist board member cannot provide.
I am particularly interested in businesses that are post-Series A, scaling toward a listing or significant funding event, and operating in engineering, manufacturing, defence, renewable energy, sustainability or additive manufacturing sectors. Equally, I welcome conversations with PE sponsors looking for operating partners or advisory board members with direct industrial and transformation experience.
I bring to board roles the same combination I bring to executive mandates: engineering and operational rigour, PE-facing credibility, direct transformation experience across multiple sectors and geographies, and an honest perspective on what is working and what is not. I am direct, well-prepared and more interested in asking the right questions than in being agreeable.
What I offer a board.
Operational scrutiny: The ability to evaluate management proposals not just financially but operationally — understanding whether plans are credible, whether the risks are properly identified and whether the organisation has the capability to deliver what it is committing to.
Supply chain and manufacturing expertise: End-to-end supply chain knowledge including manufacturing strategy, inventory, logistics, procurement and the integration of new technologies. Particularly relevant for businesses where the supply chain is a source of competitive advantage or operational risk.
Additive manufacturing: For businesses where 3D printing is a strategic opportunity, a risk or a differentiator — I bring the most current and directly experienced perspective available, as author of the definitive business guide and Co-Chair of the UK Ministry of Defence’s Project TAMPA.
PE and investor experience: Having operated at the most senior level in multiple PE-backed businesses, I understand the investor perspective and can support management teams in navigating PE relationships, preparing for due diligence and building the governance structures that give sponsors and future investors confidence.
Transformation oversight: The ability to scrutinise and challenge major change programmes — assessing whether the governance is adequate, the risks are managed and the organisation is genuinely capable of delivering the transformation it is attempting.
International dimension: Bilingual in English and Portuguese, with direct operational experience across Europe and Latin America and networks across multiple geographies — relevant for businesses with international ambitions or operations.
What I am looking for.
I am selective about board commitments because I take them seriously. The organisations I am most drawn to share certain characteristics: a collegiate, purpose-driven culture where governance is taken seriously without becoming bureaucratic; a mission that goes beyond pure commercial return; and a leadership team that genuinely wants to be challenged rather than merely endorsed.
Sectors of particular interest: defence and security, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, sustainability technology and additive manufacturing services. Size: typically up to 5,000 employees, international in ambition if not yet in footprint, and at a stage of growth where the right board contribution can make a material difference.
I currently hold a small number of board and advisory commitments and take on new ones selectively. If you believe there is a fit, the best starting point is a direct conversation.
Current and recent board roles.
Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), USA — International Board Director (2024 to date)
With 11,000+ members across 195 countries, CSCMP is the world’s leading supply chain professional body. As International Board Director I lead the organisation’s international growth strategy, having established new chapters in India, Portugal, Mexico and Brazil.
Project TAMPA, UK Ministry of Defence — Co-Chair and Executive Committee Member (2021 to date)
A 120+ company task force driving the adoption of additive manufacturing across UK defence, bringing together industry, government and academia.
Manufacture 2030 — Advisory Board Member (2021–2024)
The leading SaaS platform for measurement, monitoring and management of Scope 3 emissions in supply chains.
Visagio Ltd and VG Partner — Board Member (2013–2022)
Multinational operations and transformation consultancy and Latin American market entry advisory firm.