Meet the Team

Craig is the CEO / Managing Director at Astech and is responsible for managing the business on a day-to-day basis, supporting the teams across all internal departments and being at the forefront of client relationships. He is also responsible for outlining and delivering Astech’s strategic growth plans and working in close collaboration with the parent company Schauenberg to ensure that targets and growth objectives are met. Craig has over 20 years experience in engineering. During his 8.5 years at Astech he was worked in a number of senior roles, starting out as a Business Development Manager, before moving up to Sales & Marketing Director and latterly Managing Director | CEO. Craigs experience in engineering has helped him support the Astech team, ensuring that they continue to deliver innovative and market leading solutions to their valued customer base.

Phil is the Head of Finance at Astech and is responsible for all financial and business reporting and planning activities. He works alongside Craig to help deliver on Astech’s ambitious growth plans and development. Phil has over 20 years of experience in various tech companies and growth start-ups with a commercially driven mindset. In previous roles he has had a key involvement in mergers and acquisitions which have helped the companies grow from small UK teams into multi-national organisations. When not in work or being taxi driver for his kids, Phil likes to try his hand at golf.

Will is the Head of Product Development and is responsible for shaping Astech’s product vision and leading a team of talented developers. His primary objective is to ensure that Astech’s product technologies align with the evolving needs of laboratories of the future. At present, the primary focus revolves around Astechs cutting-edge SiLA 2-based workflow scheduling software (LabExpert®), their innovative 'Cobotic' product line (Robotic Lab Assistant, Cobox and RAMP), and the rapidly expanding array of SiLA 2-based hardware and data implementations. He is dedicated to ensuring that the products stand as robust and dependable solutions, catering to companies of all sizes in the global laboratory automation and pharmaceutical industries. Having accumulated over 15 years of experience at Astech, Will’s role has enabled him to contribute significantly to innovation at Astech, including software development, data management, control systems, robotics, motion control, and vision systems.

Michael is the Head of Engineering and Innovation and is responsible for a wide range of areas including co-ordinated mechanical, electrical, software design and implementation. He has worked in specialised automation for 32 years and brings a significant amount of experience to Astech in this field. In addition to this, Michael is an experienced robotics specialist with a proven history designing bespoke automation for Aerospace, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical industries. He takes great pride in managing and mentoring engineering, electrical and software teams in continuous improvement and product development for engineering and process automation.

Alison is responsible for leading the Project Management team at Astech, ensuring that all timelines, technical requirements, and budgets are met. Alison’s primary focus is enabling effective communication across all business disciplines and stakeholders, both internal and external, to encourage collaborative working processes. One of the really positive aspects of the role is that she is exposed to the full lifecycle of Astech’s innovative projects, from initial conception, right through to completion.

Jack is the Head of Operations at Astech and is responsible for all activities relating to production of all the equipment that are used across all systems and applications. This covers everything from procurement, through manufacture, and finally to the installation of our systems. Jack is very passionate about processes, systems, and business improvements, and relishes the challenges that come with the iterative nature of increasing efficiencies in these areas. As Astech embarks on their exciting growth plan, Jack will be throwing himself into the task of guiding the renovation of the new manufacturing facility, to further increase Astech’s production capacity and efficiency.

Graham leads REACTS, Astechs Support and Maintenance division, ensuring the optimal performance and upkeep of all systems developed by the company for its extensive client base. With over 21 years of experience in the automation industry Graham brings a wealth of experience to the team in service and support. Graham was Astechs inaugural Field Service Engineer and has returned home after 11 years. Outside of work Graham is a keen sportsman with a particular interest in football and rugby.

Jason is the Regional Sales Manager – UK, Ireland & Nordics. After studying Biochemistry at Liverpool John Moores University his career began as an Analytical Chemist specialising in automated sample preparation within the lab. He has since held a variety of roles including technical sales across the Lab Automation and Life Sciences industries. His core areas of expertise include establishing strategic alliances, cross-functional collaboration and navigating complex sales process in the global automation market to name a few. In his spare time he likes to make his own wine from homegrown grapes but we’ve heard it’s an acquired taste!

Lesley is the Regional Sales Manager for the USA and DACH. Lesley graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences, is a trained microbiologist and has spent the majority of her career in technical sales. She has worked for a variety of companies with a focus on innovative technologies and automation across most of Europe and the USA. Lesley’s core area of expertise is building partnerships with customers at all levels of the business enabling her to provide them with innovative automation solutions that make a difference.

Sarah is the Quality, Risk and Compliance Manager at Astech. She is responsible for working across the whole engineering lifecycle to support compliance of Astech’s products associated with regulatory requirements, legal and customers. Sarah has a MENG in Engineering and Industrial Management and has worked at Astech for almost 20 years and has considerable experience and expertise across ISO9001, TickIT Plus, GAMP5, Machinery Directive (UKCA and CE Marking), Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA), Risk Management.

As the Design Manager at Astech, Shahrad leads a dynamic team of engineers and designers, guiding them through complex projects and fostering a culture of creativity and innovation. His responsibilities include overseeing the entire design process, from concept development to final product realisation. Shahrad has played a pivotal part in shaping Astech's future direction. With a masters degree in Engineering, his strategic thinking and forward-looking approach have contributed to the company's continued growth and success. His current role as Design Manager at Astech represents the culmination of his extensive experience and expertise in the field of engineering. His leadership, problem-solving abilities, and dedication to innovation continue to drive both him and his team toward achieving new milestones and setting new industry standards. Beyond his professional life, he is an advocate for physical fitness and overall health, actively participating in sports and recreational activities.

Andrew is the Software Engineering Manager, having worked at Astech for over 11 years. Andrew is responsible for managing the software projects team, which involves overseeing the entire project lifecycle and working together with the mechanical and electrical teams to ensure adherence to customer requirements right through from concept to completion. Andrew utilises his experience working with the mechanical and electrical teams to ensure adherence to customer requirements right through from concept design to final acceptance testing. Andrew finds it fulfilling working as part of a highly skilled engineering team, developing novel and robust solutions to satisfy customer requirements. The systems he has been involved with during his time at Astech have provided cost-savings, throughput advances, repeatability improvements and vital data to customers throughout major pharmaceutical and industrial businesses across the UK, Europe and America.

Panayiotis is the Lead Applications Engineer at Astech and is responsible for producing solutions and proposals specific to client requirements and supporting the head of Applications with resource planning. Since taking the role of the lead applications engineer, he has also been responsible for mentoring and supporting the applications team ensuring all team members have the required support. Having studied Electromechanical Engineering at University he has been working in the Robotics and Automation sector in different roles including Mechanical Designer and Applications Engineer. Recently he furthered his studies with an MBA diploma. He has a multi disciplined engineering background combining academic and hands-on experience. As part of the applications role his aim is to always offer innovative ideas and the best possible solutions during the sale proposals and quotations process.