HORIBA MIRA Plans for Further Growth with Changes to Executive Board
HORIBA MIRA – a world-leader in advanced engineering, research and product testing – has announced changes to its executive team, with Declan Allen becoming Managing Director. He will succeed Dr George Gillespie OBE who will be executive chairman of HORIBA MIRA and also take on a more senior role within HORIBA as an Executive Vice President of the ATS division.
Declan Allen and George Gillespie
Declan will take over the day to day management of HORIBA MIRA from April 26 and will focus on continuing the development of its engineering and testing services , further collaboration with HORIBA in developing test equipment and continuing to expand the business’ international reach through the HORIBA network, particularly in Japan, China, India, Europe and the US.
He will also continue to push forward HORIBA MIRA’s work in electrification, connected and autonomous vehicle technology, vehicle resilience and cybersecurity.
Declan Allen said:
“The past few years have seen strong growth across the business and I’m committed to building on this success. Under George’s leadership we have accelerated our integration with HORIBA and delivered significant investment in new facilities such as the Advanced Emissions Test Centre, the expansion of MIRA Technology Park, and the Advanced Battery Development Suite opening this month.
“George has done a tremendous job over the past nine years in getting the business to where it is and I’m looking forward to building on that success and continuing our proud tradition of being at the cutting edge of advanced engineering and testing. We will continue to expand our world-class, global team in both core and emerging business areas, providing exciting career development opportunities for both existing and new team members as we grow.”
Dr George Gillespie OBE will step down from the day to day running of the HORIBA MIRA business to focus on a new role within HORIBA Automotive Test Systems as an Executive Vice President of the ATS division. He joined MIRA in January 2009 as CEO and has helped the business to double its turnover in recent years and expand its international presence.
Dr Gillespie commented on Allen’s appointment:
“The business has seen lots of change over the past nine years, but together with HORIBA we have positioned this company as a global leader in our field. By handing over the reins to Declan, and understanding his vision, I’m excited to see how the HORIBA MIRA team will continue to grow and contribute to the development of future automotive technology and advanced testing.”
Declan Allen joined MIRA as Operations Director in August 2011 before taking on the increased responsibility of Chief Operating Officer (COO) in February 2013. He is a mechanical engineer by profession, with a Masters in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering from Queens University in Belfast, and brings 17 years of operational management experience in the automotive and motorsport sector to his role at HORIBA MIRA.
