TopHat appoints Airbus VP to drive innovation in housebuilding

TopHat has appointed Matthew Evans, vice president of digital transformation at Airbus, as its new chief technology officer to drive innovation in UK housebuilding

Matthew Evans will take charge of TopHat’s digital strategy and will be a key figure in integrating new technology into the company’s manufacturing process to provide well-designed, energy-efficient housing for private developers, housing associations and local councils.

Evans has 15 years’ experience working for some of the world’s biggest companies, including Lockheed Martin and Siemens.

During his time at Airbus, Evans was responsible for helping to create the revolutionary Skywise platform that is saving the aviation industry billions of pounds a year.

In his new role, Matthew Evans will take a data-led approach to improve TopHat’s processes across the full lifecycle of each home’s creation, from its design and production through delivery and support.

‘Help to solve this skills shortage’

Jordan Rosenhaus, chief executive and founder of TopHat, said: “Housebuilding is an industry that needs to embrace technology to improve its energy efficiency, productivity and build quality.

“This is also a fantastic opportunity to support the wider growth of the British high-tech manufacturing sector.

“The construction industry faces a skills crisis, with many workers set to retire in the next decade and a shortage of young talent coming through the ranks.

“A new model of housebuilding will help to solve this skills shortage by bringing people into the industry who wouldn’t otherwise take onsite construction roles.”

Matthew Evans, chief technology officer at TopHat, added: “By spinning a ‘digital thread’ that links every stage of the manufacturing process from design to assembly, we can make the process more repeatable and certain, create a higher-quality product, and minimise waste through the learning and efficiency that this will generate.

“Starting with a blank piece of paper, it makes much more sense to build homes in a factory-controlled setting.

“You wouldn’t build a plane in a field, and the same should be true of new homes.”

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