Automate UK appoints Dan Thombs as CEO, succeeding Peter Williamson
30 June 2026 
Automate UK, the trade body that represents the UK industrial automation sector, has appointed Dan Thombs as its new CEO, succeeding Peter Williamson, who has taken on the role of policy director after reaching the end of his term.
Thombs brings 30 years’ experience in automation and advanced manufacturing, including directorships at Comau and Bystronic, and a period as global chief commercial officer at the Expert Technologies Group, before running his own consultancy for the past nine years. At Automate UK, he will be tasked with accelerating the organisation’s reach and impact, expanding its member services, and accelerating the adoption of automation in the UK.
“I consider it a privilege to have been appointed to this position,” says Thombs. “There is a whole world of possibility around what this organisation can and should do to advance the industry. Our ambition is to make Automate UK the leading force for automation adoption, helping manufacturers unlock productivity, competitiveness and sustainable growth. Through stronger collaboration between technology providers, integrators and end users, we can drive innovation that benefits manufacturing in the UK and beyond.
“As a not-for-profit organisation, Automate UK is a neutral body and trusted partner to the industry, with no vested or commercial interest of its own,” he adds. “My role, and that of Automate UK, is to support our members and UK industry as a whole by helping to drive productivity and growth through the adoption of automation.
“We are committed to making a difference to everyone working across all the industries we support, building on the excellent work that my predecessors Peter Williamson and James Causebrook, and the wider Automate UK team, have delivered to date.
“As part of that vision, we will be introducing a new end-user membership programme, bringing manufacturers closer to the automation community, giving them a stronger voice in industry discussions, and helping shape the future direction of UK manufacturing.”
Thombs plans to expand Automate UK’s lobbying powers to partner with other trade associations, funding bodies and government agencies, to grow the economy through increased productivity. “By partnering with senior leaders and other associations, we can create the momentum to build representation across industry, but I want more than that – I want to build a voice that delivers change: it will be easier to create an environment where we can grow the economy if all the stakeholders share a common objective.
“If end-users adopt more automation, they will become more competitive and more profitable, which will help members sell more technology, creating growth and more jobs,” Thombs continues. “But to do that, we need to understand our end users’ objectives and the roadblocks to achieving them. Only then can we identify the solutions, create the equipment and systems to meet their needs and drive the economy forward.”
Next year, Automate UK is launching a new event – Automate UK Week 2027 – which will unite the UK’s processing and packaging, robotics, industrial vision, drives and controls, and warehouse automation communities. It will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 28-30 September 2027.
