Robert Sharman is responsible for GKN Aerospace’s global research and development, future strategy and direction for Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies across airframe and aeroengines, including co-leading GKN’s AM cross divisional R&D activities.  Rob has worked in the aerospace industry for more than 15 years and is a materials scientist and engineer by training and did a P.h.D. in additive manufacturing of titanium with Rolls Royce Plc. He started his career working as a forensic engineer on air accident investigations and then moved into central U.K. government (DTI, later BIS) working as an aerospace and defence industry market analyst; responsible for market forecasting for UK government aerospace launch investment projects, including the Airbus A350XWB and Bombardier C-Series. Later he moved into industrial policy writing for U.K. aerospace, space, and defence sectors. During this time, he was responsible for setting up the U.K. Composites and Space National industrial strategies and was responsible for EADS, Finmeccania and Thales groups’ links and relationships into UK government.  He moved to GKN Aerospace as Global Head of Metallics Technology in 2011 and became Global Head of Additive Manufacturing in 2014.