John Lees

John Lees is an accomplished executive leader in the capital equipment OEM industry, renowned for his innovation and expertise in developing breakthrough products across multiple sectors. With extensive experience working in international corporate, start-up, and consulting settings, Lees has become a thought leader, problem solver, and change agent in both private and public sectors. His professional experience spans OEM innovation, additive manufacturing, capital equipment engineering and manufacturing, food packaging, and sustainability.

Lees has a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and has also studied Management of Technology at the University of Minnesota, Executive Master of Technology Management at Chalmers University of Technology, and Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has held several high-profile positions throughout his career, including VP Engineering and Operations at Evolve Additive Solutions, Director of Engineering at Bosch Packaging Technology, and VP Engineering at Optomec. Lees has also worked as a Proprietor and Principal Consultant at infraharmonic LLC and as an Engineering and Supply Chain Manager at Tetra Pak.

Throughout his career, Lees has developed strong skills in several areas, including technology and product strategy and development, stage-gate NPDI processes, project portfolio management, lean development, IP management, technical marketing, and product management. He has also gained expertise in several key areas related to additive manufacturing, including 3D printing, micron-scale motion control, workstation and CAD/CAM software development, 5-axis motion, machine vision, robotics, and electronics manufacturing. In capital equipment engineering and manufacturing, Lees has honed his skills in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, system engineering, outsourcing and supplier management, ISO-9001, and CE compliance. He is also an industry leader in the field of food packaging, with expertise in aseptic packaging, automated cleaning and sterilization, and FDA approval.

As an expert in sustainability, Lees has focused on industrial ecosystems, the circular economy, economic modeling, lifecycle impact assessment, recycling policy, stakeholder recruitment and management, and data visualization. His skills and expertise make him a sought-after contributor to both industry and academic circles.