Kinewell bolsters board with experienced duo

Newcastle-based cleantech Kinewell has appointed David Pinches as non-executive director and Craig Lilford as fractional chief financial officer, strengthening its board as the business continues to grow.

David brings more than 40 years’ experience in the technology sector, having held senior roles including head of software at Sage, commercial director at Scott Logic and non-executive chair of Salesfire.

Craig joins with extensive board-level finance experience, having held senior leadership positions at Sage Group and RBS Group before advising high-growth businesses as a fractional chief financial officer.

In their new roles, David and Craig will support Kinewell’s strategic growth, governance and commercial development as the company continues to expand its offshore wind technology business.

David said: “Kinewell is a fantastic success story for UK plc, creating high skilled jobs and exporting its software solutions to customers across the globe, but more importantly, the company is also playing a pivotal role in tackling one of our planet’s greatest challenges, energy security and the climate crisis.

“I am thrilled to be joining the business as non-executive director at such an exciting time in its journey and look forward to contributing to the next stage of the company’s growth while supporting the global transition to a net-zero society.”

Craig added: “What really drew me to Kinewell was the chance to be part of a business tackling some of the offshore wind sector’s biggest challenges. 

“The team is doing genuinely important work to help offshore wind institutions reduce costs, improve performance and accelerate deployment, and that really resonated with me.

“Having spent much of my career helping businesses grow and create long-term value, I was also struck by the strength of the technology and the ambition of the people behind it. 

“Joining the board at this point in Kinewell’s journey feels like a hugely exciting opportunity.”

David and Craig’s appointments build on a strong year for Kinewell, strengthening the company’s leadership following a £750,000 investment, the acquisition of ForeCoast® Marine and recognition with a King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.

Dr Andrew Jenkins, founder and chief executive of Kinewell, said: “We are delighted to welcome Craig and David to the Kinewell board.

“Their extensive knowledge and experience of technology, finance and marketing, as well as working with scaling businesses, will significantly enhance both the software solutions and support we provide to our clients and the long-term development of our business as we continue to innovate and grow.”

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