Press releases
Prestigious Mountbatten award given to leading figure in the UK IT industry
John P Leighfield CBE, Chairman of Research Machines Plc, and Deputy Master of the Information Technologists’ Company is the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Mountbatten Medal.
03 November 2006
John P Leighfield CBE, Chairman of Research Machines Plc, and Deputy Master of the Information Technologists’ Company is the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Mountbatten Medal.
John Leighfield was chosen by HRH the Duke of Kent as the recipient of the award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Information Technology and his achievements in the industry.
Mr Leighfield has had a long and very distinguished career in the UK IT industry. Over the past 20 years, Mr Leighfield has successfully taken on many ground breaking roles including IT director of Leyland Cars and founder, managing director and then chairman of ISTEL amongst others. John has been chairman of RM (Research Machines) plc, a provider of IT services to education since 1993 and has been deeply involved in the advancement of the development and use of ICT in schools.
The Mountbatten Medal, which has been awarded annually since 1978, was presented to John Leighfield at the annual Mountbatten Memorial Lecture by HRH the Duke of Kent.
The award is made by the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) for outstanding individual contribution to the promotion of electronics or information technology and their application, and is supported by the British Computer Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
The Mountbatten Medal Advisory Panel comprises of Presidents of the IET, the British Computer Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering. The recipient is selected by HRH The Duke of Kent. The medal was founded by the National Electronics Council, which covered the fields of electronics and information technology.
Dr Alf Roberts, chief executive of the IET said: “The Institution is delighted that John Leighfield is being recognised for his achievements in the field of Information Technology and Electronics. His glowing CV cannot fully convey the contributions that John has made to the industry, particularly his work encouraging young people to make their career in the electronics or IT industries. John joins a prestigious list of previous winners which includes Sir Tim Berners-Lee for his creation of the World Wide Web and Professor Andy Hopper who has co-founded eleven companies within the ITC sector.”
Welcoming the award, Charles Hughes, President of the BCS said, “John has made many contributions to the development of the IT industry and continues to do so in a variety of roles. His skills, enthusiasm and self-less nature have made a major impact on organisations and people in education, government and the voluntary sector”.
John P Leighfield CBE, Chairman of Research Machines Plc, and Deputy Master of the Information Technologists’ Company is the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Mountbatten Medal.John P Leighfield CBE, Chairman of Research Machines Plc, and Deputy Master of the Information Technologists’ Company is the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Mountbatten Medal.All press and photograph enquiries to:
Jenny Bond
Press Office
T: 020 7344 5445
E: jennybond@theiet.org
Notes to editors:
John Leighfield has held several key roles in organisations such as the Sector Skills council and Training bodies. In the late 1990s he established the Alliance for Information Systems Skills which contributed much to improving the professionalism of IT in the UK by the creation of the Skills Framework for the Information Age SFIA which is increasingly being adopted as the career structure for IT in Government and Industry in the UK. John is now chairman of the Steering Board which is guiding the professionalism in IT programme launched by the BCS.
In addition, other contributions to education have included sponsoring Kingshurst City Technology College, the very first specialist electronics school in Solihull. John has been involved with Warwick University for more than 30 years and is currently Chairman and Pro Chancellor of the University.
John has also held many significant roles within respected institutions including President (1993/4) and Honorary Fellow of the British Computer Society. He is a Fellow and the past President of the Institute for the Management of Information Systems (IMIS). He is on the Board of Intellect, the IT trade association, and was President of CSSA one of the constituents of Intellect, in 1995-6. He is a Deputy Master of the Information Technologists’ Company, the 100th City of London Livery company. He was a director of the trading arm of the Communications Managers Association (CMA) and for services to CMA was awarded an honorary fellowship.
The Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology reflects the interdisciplinary, global and inclusive nature of engineering. With a worldwide membership of more than 150,000, the Institution aims to lead in the advancement of engineering and technology by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and ideas at a local and global level and promoting best practice, ensuring that its members are thoroughly equipped to meet the needs of today's rapidly changing technological world. Members work in a diverse range of technical backgrounds including IT, communications technology, electronics, power engineering, software, control, informatics and manufacturing and range from students to leading figures in industry, research and development and academia. The Institution has been formed by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and Institution of Incorporated Engineers.
The Information Technologists' Company
The Information Technologists’ Company is the 100th Livery Company of the City of London, bringing together the centuries-old Livery tradition and information technology, the key industry of the new millennium. Since 1992, when the Company was awarded Livery status by the court of Aldermen of the City of London, it has been actively demonstrating the relevance of the Livery tradition to modern day society. The Company uses the time, expertise and resources of its members to promote the information technology profession and undertake a range of charitable and educational activities. The Company currently has more than 650 members, all of whom are senior practitioners in the IT profession. For further information about the Information Technologists’ Company, please visit www.wcit.org.uk