Rakesh read Physics at The University of Nottingham and, upon graduating, joined Marconi where he obtained a patent for his work on military radios. He joined Ultra Electronics (Ultra) in 1989 as Chief Engineer. Having completed a Group sponsored EMBA, at The University of Bath, he moved within Ultra into strategy and M&A finishing a two year assignment in the USA in 1999. Rakesh has managed businesses and divisions across Ultra’s wide portfolio from; defence and aerospace to nuclear energy, cyber and infrastructure, with consistent success in driving innovation and growth. He became Chief Executive of Ultra at the beginning of 2011, a position which he held until the end of 2017. Rakesh was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2016 where he was Chair of the Industrial Fellowship committee until 2025. In January 2021 he was appointed as Chair of Kromek Group plc in addition to being; the Senior Independent Director for Paypoint Group plc and Non Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Mony Group plc. In the private sector Rakesh is also a co-founder of Inkwell Data Ltd, an IoT tech disrupter and Chair of Horizon Technologies Consultants Ltd, an aerospace and Space based surveillance business. He is passionate about education, being a Director of a Multi-Academy Trust, Chair of Governors for a Social Emotional and Mental Health school and a Lay Council Member of The University of Nottingham. Rakesh was honoured in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours List with an OBE for services to defence capability. He received the Freedom of the City of London, by redemption, in July 2018 and was made a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness makers in the same month.
