Richard van Galen

About Richard van Galen

With over 20 years of extensive digital experience, this professional specializes in Industry 4.0, MES, ERP, Portals, and Project Management, primarily within aerospace, global manufacturing, and corporate settings. Key strengths include- Strategy development and expectation setting at the C-Suite level- Leadership of cross-functional, multinational teams- Expertise in Industry 4.0, MES, and digital transformation- Change management and continuous improvement initiatives- Project management of ERP modules using both waterfall and agile methodologies- Strong interpersonal, problem-solving, and talent management skillsCurrently serving as the Industry 4.0 and DPLC Director at Collins Aerospace (since March 2024), leading a team of over 40 full-time employees and 50 contractors. Responsibilities include overseeing manufacturing systems, IoT, robotics, and real-time location services by refining strategies with an emphasis on agile methodologies, improving team performance, and fostering accountability

Experience

1. Director of Industry 4 0 (I4 0) and Digital Product Lifecycle (Dplc)

   Collins Aerospace

   Mar 2024 — Present · Charlotte, NC, US

   Develop and execute digital strategy for Industry 4.0 across Collins Aerospace• Leading team of 40+ FTEs and additional ~50 Contractors responsible for Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and Industry 4.0 (i4.0) initiatives including but not limited to: Internet of Things (IOT); Automated Mobile Robots (AMR); Realtime Location Services (RTLS); Automated Optical Inspection (AOI); platforms that enable citizen development of dashboards and applications • Inherited an existing team that has been operating as a startup for the past two years. In the process of shaping them into an organization that can deliver faster, consistent results. Within six months have: met our MES targets by September and our Connected Devices / Factory Segmentation goals by October; developed a clear vision and execution strategy for Collins OE and MRO businesses• Recently developed and implemented a new execution strategy with the Connected Assets team to embrace more of the agile methodology that they had already adopted, but also driving more accountability into the businesses to recognize value in the applications and tools being delivered. Also in the process of applying Agile principals to the MES team and encouraging them to think in a more iterative approach to delivering value to our businesses• 96/100 leadership score in recent leadership assessment survey (9 points higher than the company average)

Education

• University of Warwick - Warwick Business School

  MBA, Business Administration and Management, General

• University of Warwick

  BEng, Civil Engineering

  1992 — 1995

• University of Warwick

  MEng, Civil Engineering

  1995 — 1996

• University of California, San Diego

  Executive Program for Scientists and Engineers (EPSE), EPSE (Exec Program for Scientists & Engineers)

  2013 — 2014