Engineering expert awarded honorary degree

A leading engineering director at Jaguar Land Rover has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton. 

Vehicle Programme Director at Jaguar Land Rover, Danella Bagnall, was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Technology from the University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Danella was appointed to the role of Vehicle Programme Director at JLR in February 2015. In her role, Danella is responsible for delivering model year programmes on the D8 vehicle architecture, including the recently revealed Evoque Convertible programme.

Danella’s honorary degree comes after years of working to promote young women developing careers in engineering and mentoring young people for the next generation of the engineering industry.

She began her career as a Technical Apprentice with the Rover Group in 1987, completing an ONC in Mechanical Engineering at Tile Hill College. She then took degree secondment, studying combined engineering with a Mechanical Bias at Coventry University.

Returning to the business in 1992, Danella has held various positions within Product Development at Rover Group.

In 2013, Danella became Programme Planning and Integration Director at JLR, which developed into her becoming the first mid-sized SUV Vehicle Architecture Planning Director in Product Creation and Delivery.

Danella was appointed to the role of Vehicle Programme Director in February 2015.

She said: “I was thrilled to be offered this honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton and it was a very special afternoon with my Dad with me - not only to accept it in person but to meet some of the talented students receiving their degrees.

“It's a nice feeling to be honoured for my efforts to promote engineering as a career of choice. The UK is facing a major skills shortage in this area - so I think everyone in the industry has a responsibility for sharing their passion and enthusiasm for engineering with others.

“I’m accepting this on behalf of the young engineers who I have helped in their journeys - they inspire me and I'm determined to carry on being an advocate for the cause.”

ENDS

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