The Institute for Systems Engineering (IfSE) has announced its first cohort of Fellows at the organisation’s official launch event held at Saddlers’ Hall in London on 17 February 2026.
Seven professionals were awarded Fellowship as part of the initial phase of the institute’s new recognition scheme, with IfSE President Andrew Pemberton presenting the honours during the event.
“Having transitioned to IfSE, members asked us to establish a Fellowship Scheme.
“I am pleased to announce our first seven Fellows who have graciously taken part in phase one of the pilot. The IfSE Council is now working towards phase two of the pilot, aiming to open fellowship up to all members by the end of 2026.” – Andrew Pemberton.
This first cohort of Fellows will take part in the development of the next phase of the IfSE Fellowship scheme, representing the institute both internally and communicating with IfSE’s strategic stakeholders. Keep an eye out for the next Fellows being announced soon.
Jon is a respected professional engineer, who has a track record of delivering value in complex and challenging environments. He has 30 years’ experience in control systems and railways (including heavy rail, metros and trams) and is respected as a leader in railway Systems Engineering and Systems Thinking.
“I am honoured and proud to be awarded an inaugural Fellowship of the Institute for Systems Engineering (IfSE). INCOSE has played a significant part in my career. I gained inspiration and knowledge from the Systems Engineering visionaries who I got to know in the early days of the UK Rail Interest Group (RIG), and I have been lucky to attend a number of Annual Systems Engineering Conferences and International Symposiums, that have always left me wiser.” – Jon Elphick
Alan is a recognised Systems Engineering leader, with 40 years’ experience in defence and security. He recently retired from BAE Systems as Head of Systems Engineering for the Digital Intelligence Sector, and a Global Engineering Fellow. He is a past-President of both INCOSE and INCOSE UK.
“I am proud to be one of the first IfSE Fellows, and I look forward to helping make the Fellowship distinctive, valued and valuable to the discipline of Systems Engineering.” – Alan Harding
Tim is Founder and CEO of Edinburgh Systems, a consultancy specialising in Systems Engineering and Systems Thinking for complex programmes. A Chartered Engineer, he works across industry, government and academia to help organisations manage complexity, strengthen integration and conduct systems research across sectors including infrastructure, healthcare, semiconductors and frontier technologies. Edinburgh Systems is an IfSE Endorsed Training Provider.
“I’m honoured to be part of the first cohort of IfSE Fellows following the transition from INCOSE UK to an independent professional Institute. I see this not only as a personal milestone, but as recognition of the growing maturity of the Systems Engineering profession in the UK and its increasing importance in addressing complex technological and societal challenges.”- Tim Kerby
Chris is the Founder and Chair of Optima Systems Consultancy, previously Engineering Director of Jacobs-Sula with an earlier career in BAE Systems, EASAMS and Royal Navy. He’s been working in the Systems Engineering profession for 28 years in a wide range of roles in defence and nuclear sectors including design authority, systems architecting and engineering capability development. Chris has served INCOSE UK/IfSE as UKAB Chair and Outreach Director, formalised the organisation’s approach to and governance of Equality Diversity and Inclusion, and instigated the first set of EDI events. He was lead author of the 2020 SEASON report and continues to take an active interest in Outreach for the profession.
“It’s great to see this transition to IfSE finally come about. It’s such good news for the profession in the UK. I plan to use the platform provided by the Fellow title to help me in another round of Systems Engineering Outreach activity in the years ahead. There is still such a need to increase the awareness of the need for Systems Engineering and the value it brings.”- Chris Lamb
Peter’s last full-time role was as a Chief Engineer with QinetiQ, responsible for enhancing the capabilities to support MOD Air Ranges and still providing Technical Assurance. He volunteers to support IfSE professional registration and as a Liaison Officer with the Engineering Council. Peter also undertakes assessments for the Masters Systems Engineering Apprenticeship.
“I was delighted to be accepted as a Fellow of the Institute of Systems Engineering at the official launch event for the Institute. I count it a great honour to be recognised by my peers and look forward to continuing to support the development of early- and mid-career systems engineers.” – Peter Moore
Laura has been the VP of Engineering for Ultra Maritime since April 2024. In this capacity she leads engineering operations in the UK, bringing over 20 years of experience in systems and software engineering across the defence and transport sectors.
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Laura is a dedicated advocate for diversity and inclusion in engineering, she serves as a trustee on the board of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) and has been recognised as a Fellow of both the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and WES.
“I’m honoured to be selected as one of the inaugural fellows for the Institute for Systems Engineering (IfSE). Having moved out of a technical role into leadership a number of years ago, I still apply Systems Thinking principles to my day to day work, to great effect (most of the time!)” – Laura Shrieves
As an engineering leader, Jennifer has over 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry, with a focus on Systems Engineering. She has held senior roles at leading companies such as Leonardo, McLaren Applied and QinetiQ, where Jennifer has successfully grown and developed teams of engineers and trainers across various domains, including systems, supportability, safety, and training. Her expertise lies in delivering complex engineering projects from concept to delivery, ensuring quality, efficiency, and compliance. Jennifer is currently Head of Systems Engineering for the UK Electronics EW/FCA line of business at Leonardo, responsible for the recruitment and development of a large department of systems and supportability engineers and trainers.
As a Chartered Engineer and now Fellow, Jennifer is passionate about continuing professional development, inclusivity and mentoring and champion this both internally and externally as well as encouraging the future workforce by volunteering as a STEM ambassador.
“I was honoured to be invited to be part of this initial cohort of Fellows and am looking forward to helping the institute with the next phases of this important initiative.” – Jennifer Whitby
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