Our Story

Justin Kelly, CEO of Glass Futures, is a Chartered Engineer and former Siemens executive, with over 30 years’ experience in industrial innovation, sustainability, and leadership across the manufacturing and technology sectors.

Aston Fuller is the General Manager of Glass Futures, with over a decade in the glass industry. He previously held roles at Ardagh Glass, British Glass, and GTS, focusing on furnace operations, energy management, and sustainability-driven innovation.

Sarah Harrold is Head of Strategy and Government Engagement at Glass Futures, leading policy, partnerships, and strategic initiatives to accelerate innovation and sustainability in the glass sector and wider foundation industries.

Rob Ireson is Head of Innovation at Glass Futures, with a background in materials science and extensive experience in R&D, partnerships, and sustainability. He leads technology development to advance decarbonisation and innovation in the glass and foundation industries.

Andy Pink is Head of Operations at Glass Futures, overseeing facility management and operational excellence. He brings extensive experience in industrial operations and is dedicated to supporting innovation and sustainability in glass manufacturing.

Jo Robinson is Senior HR Manager at Glass Futures and leads the people strategy, fostering a culture of innovation, inclusion, and continuous development. Her expertise in talent management, organisational development, and employee engagement ensures the business attracts, retains, and nurtures top talent.

Sharon Tinsley as Financial Director, brings robust financial stewardship, ensuring the organisation’s fiscal health and sustainability. Her expertise in financial planning, risk management, and compliance supports informed decision-making and underpins the organisation’s long-term viability and growth.

Louise Johnson, Executive Assistant, provides critical executive support, ensuring the smooth functioning of the leadership team. Her organisational skills and attention to detail enable efficient coordination across departments and stakeholders, supporting strategic and operational effectiveness. She also manages the office and external event delivery at Glass Futures.

Richard Katz, President and founding director of Glass Futures, has a distinguished career in the glass industry, founding multiple companies and holding senior roles, including Chair of Royal Brierley Crystal and Master of the Glass Sellers.

Dr. Daniel Backhouse is Senior Glass Technologist at Glass Futures, specialising in the development of sustainable raw materials. His research explores biomass ash and industrial waste streams as low-carbon alternatives to traditional glass-making inputs like soda ash and limestone, helping reduce energy use and CO₂ emissions in the sector.

Daniella Calle is Circular Economy Specialist at Glass Futures, with a background in packaging engineering and sustainability strategy. She brings expertise in designing long-term solutions for material efficiency, waste reduction, and circular systems across industrial supply chains.

John is a Senior Process Specialist and Chartered Chemical Engineer with over 23 years’ experience in oil, gas, petrochemical, and manufacturing industries. He specialises in process optimisation and energy efficiency, leveraging advanced simulation tools to deliver sustainable, compliant, and efficient operations through technical excellence, data-driven decisions, and leadership.

Dr. Jim Scotson is a Project Manager at Glass Futures. With a background in database consultancy and first-principals chemical modelling, Jim’s goal is decarbonisation through digitisation as he leads many of the AI, machine-learning and digitisation projects at Glass Futures.

Dr Lucy Smith is Commercial Strategy Manager at Glass Futures. A Materials Engineer with a PhD in sustainable materials and an MBA, she has experience supporting start-ups and spin outs to scale up their innovation and delivering commercial growth across the innovation ecosystem. Lucy is passionate about collaborative partnerships to enable industrial transformation.

David Hughes is a Key Account Manager at Glass Futures, driving collaborative partnerships across the glass industry. Focused on delivering sustainable innovation, commercial value, and strategic growth through trusted client relationships and a deep understanding of sector challenges and opportunities.

Caroline Hobday is a Key Account Manager at Glass Futures and works closely with members across the UK and beyond to support innovation and sustainability in the glass industry. With a degree in Events Management from Liverpool John Moores University and a strong background in client relations and business development, she’s passionate about helping partners work together to decarbonise glass and shape a more sustainable future.

Dave Fordham is the Global Engagement Lead at Glass Futures. With over three decades at the forefront of the international glass community, he has played a pivotal role in advancing collaboration and innovation throughout the entire supply chain. He is widely respected for his deep industry knowledge, expertise in connecting global stakeholders and commitment to sustainable practices.

Brian is a business leader specialising in decarbonisation and the circular economy, with expertise in sustainable packaging, consumer goods innovation and glass technology. He has led the scale-up of start-ups advancing reusable packaging and low-carbon logistics through strategic leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and a focus on driving industrial transformation.

Alanna is Communications and Marketing Manager at Glass Futures, leading strategies that champion our vision for a sustainable glass industry. With a First-Class Honours degree in PR and currently completing an MSc in Science and Health Communication, she excels at making technical information accessible, promoting knowledge exchange, and fostering collaboration.