INVITATION ONLY
This event is by invitation only. If you are interested in being added to the guest list, please complete our Register of Interest form
The MacRobert Award 55th Anniversary Dinner is a prestigious celebration of UK engineering excellence, bringing together some of the most innovative minds who have shaped engineering over the past five decades. Hosted by the Academy's President, Dr John Lazar CBE FREng, this special evening will not only honour the groundbreaking achievements of previous award recipients but look forward to the transformative innovations of the future.
The event will feature a dynamic panel discussion featuring past MacRobert Award winners who will share insights into their groundbreaking work, the impact of the award on them, and their vision for the future of engineering.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore an exclusive exhibition space showcasing the trailblazing innovations that have received the MacRobert Award over the years. This exhibition will include interactive displays and demonstrations, offering an experience of the technological advancements that continue to shape our world. The evening will also feature a series of captivating images from renowned conceptual photographer Ted Humble-Smith, whose reimagined a number of innovations.
Join us for an unforgettable evening dedicated to celebrating the past, present and future of engineering innovation.
Photography/filming notice
Please note that photography/filming may take place during this event. All photographs and videos will be securely stored on the Academy’s servers and used for editorial, marketing and media use by the Academy and selected press or industry media. Please let us know if you do not agree to this processing. Please refer to our General Privacy Policy for more details.
Venue and accessibility
It is very important to the Royal Academy of Engineering that our events are accessible to all. If you have any accessibility requirements, please contact the Events team more than one week in advance of this event so that necessary arrangements can be made. Contact details: [email protected].
Further information about accessibility at Prince Philip House can be found at: https://raeng.org.uk/about-us/accessibility.
Diversity monitoring form
The Academy is committed to building an inclusive economy that works for everyone. To help us achieve this, we would like to collect some basic anonymous data about the event attendees. If you would like to help, please complete the diversity monitoring form by logging into your user account on our website and completing ‘Update my D&I data’
Sir John Lazar CBE FREng
Sir John is a software engineer and entrepreneur with experience of building and managing successful global businesses. He is Chair of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which aims to help young people realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. He is also co-founder, General Partner, and a Limited Partner at Enza Capital, which backs founders and teams using technology to solve large and meaningful problems across Africa. He sits on the boards of multiple African technology companies and previously served as the Chair of What3words. He was awarded a CBE for services to engineering in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2016 and was knighted for services to engineering and technology in the His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours List 2025. Sir John was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2011 and chaired the Academy’s Enterprise Committee, which supports startups and scaleups across the UK and globally through the Enterprise Hub. He has also been a member of the Academy’s Education and Skills Committee and played an active role in developing the programme of study for England’s school Computer Science curriculum. Sir John has also been a judge and mentor for the Academy’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, which trains and backs early-stage African engineering companies. He has spent many years working on tech-related non-profit initiatives in Africa, especially building “digital blacksmiths” and maker labs. He has been an active angel investor and technology start-up mentor in the UK and Africa, with more than 40 individual pre-seed/seed investments. He graduated from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar with an MSc in Computation and a DPhil in History, following an undergraduate degree in Computer Science at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Sir John was elected as President of the Royal Academy of Engineering at its 48th AGM in 2024.