Meet the Team
Sarah Hunwicks
Managing Director
Sarah spent 18 years in the Royal Navy as an Air Engineer Officer mainly supporting Helicopter operations and procurement in roles at sea and ashore including Sea King, Merlin, and Lynx platforms and embarked in CVS and RFAs, leaving the Service from her final role as the AEO of a Lynx Squadron. For 4 years Sarah then worked as an Engineering consultant through Aviation Requirements covering design certification, trials and capability delivery for Wildcat. Sarah joined the core AR team in May 2017 as one of the Principal Safety and Airworthiness Engineers, focussing on business development and the delivery of Independent Technical Evaluation. Sarah was appointed to the Board in the role of Business Development Director in April 2019 and subsequently to Managing Director in September 2024.
Dan Denham
Operations Director
Dan first joined AR in 2007 in a Business Development role. Alongside this, he delivered a 5 year contract as the Flight Manual Product Set SME for the Lightning Project Team. Previously, Dan spent 13 years in the Fleet Air Arm, firstly as a Sea King MK4 pilot in both 845 and 846 Squadrons, and then as a Gazelle AH1 pilot in 847 Squadron. He was then selected for fast jet training and ultimately was the Operations Officer for 801 Squadron flying the Sea Harrier FA2. His last job in the RN was as the Lightning and Harrier Desk Officer at Handling Squadron. Having spent 18 months away from AR (and the Defence Industry), Dan re-joined in November 2016 and was appointed to the Board as Operations Director in April 2017.
Jason Becker
Technical Director
Jason joined AR in 2012 as the Principal Independent Structural Airworthiness Advisor (ISAA) for RAF Puma HC Mk1 and Mk2. He has over 25 years’ experience in delivering Structural Integrity advice during his time in the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm, QinetiQ and Aviation Requirements. He joined QinetiQ in 2005 as a Principal Structural Integrity Advisor; where he provided Independent Structural Airworthiness Advisor (ISAA) advice to the MoD and Industry on various Fixed and Rotary Wing platforms. In 2016 he was appointed to the board of AR as Technical Director, responsible for the delivery of ITE, ISAA and Technical Assurance across all MoD and Industry Air Platforms supported by AR. He has an MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design from Cranfield University and a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from RMIT University, Australia. He is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Member of the Vertical Flight Society.
Jim Leese
Engineering Bid Director
Jim joined the Royal Navy in 1985 and following a progressive career within the Lynx Small Ships Flight community, joined the Aircraft Support Executive in 1997 and commissioned as an Air Engineer Officer in 2000. After 2 years on 801 Squadron, Jim joined the Joint Combat Aircraft PT in 2003 and then Merlin Software Systems Support Team in 2005. As an Aviation Requirements consultant, Jim supported the Apache and Lynx-Wildcat Project Teams between 2008 and 2012 in developing their Integrated Operational Support programmes, before moving to support the Wildcat Combined Test Team until 2016, delivering Certification, Qualification, Trials and RTSR support. Following a 2-year role in BAE Systems supporting Astute Class submarines, Jim joined the AR core team as the Principal Safety and Airworthiness Engineer followed a period as the Head of Safety and Airworthiness. He was subsequently appointed to the Board in the role of Engineering Bid Director in May 2024.
Sean Perkins
Head of Structural Integrity
Sean joined AR in 2016 as the Principal Structural Integrity Engineer. He currently provides Independent Structural Airworthiness Advisor (ISAA) support to Puma, Gazelle, Chinook, AH64E and UKMFTS Delivery Teams. During a 25 year career in the RAF, Sean served at both non-commissioned and commissioned ranks and on a number of platform types in various engineering, technical support and airworthiness positions. He was the Rotary Wing Structures lead in the Military Aviation Authority for 3 years providing Structural Integrity advice and guidance and also managed a number of the initial, landmark Type Certification programmes through the Military Air Systems Certification Process. Sean has a BEng(Hons) in Aeromechanical Systems Engineering and a MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design both from Cranfield University. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the RAeS. He has now been promoted to Head of Structural Integrity.
Joe Stevens
Head of Safety & Airworthiness
Joe joined the AR core team in June 2023 after completing an enjoyable 22 year career as a Royal Navy Air Engineer Officer. His career highlights include time in Joint Helicopter Command as a capability manager, as AEO 845 Naval Air Squadron, as an Engineering Authority in the F-35 Lightning Delivery Team and a 3-year appointment as a Repair Officer, DAOS signatory and Detachment Commander with MASU (now 1710 NAS). Joe is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a graduate of the UK MOD Advanced Command and Staff Course. He read an undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering (Liverpool) and was fortunate to have the opportunity to gain an MSc in Information Capability Management (Cranfield) and an MA in Defence Studies (King’s College London) whilst in uniform. He was promoted from Principal Engineer to Head of Safety & Airworthiness in December 2024.
Andrea Pearse
Finance Manager
Andrea joined the AR finance team in 2016. She moved to the UK from Hungary in 2005 where she had been a qualified Physiotherapist. Having settled in the UK, she decided on a career change. Having completed her Association of Accounting Technicians’ qualification, she worked as an assistant accountant for a multinational company. She has continued to pursue her studies with the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants, where she is in the final stages of becoming a chartered accountant.
Jo Tucker
Commercial & Operations Manager
Jo joined AR in July 2020 as the Commercial and Operations Manager and is responsible for the effective Management of all Contracts. She has a spent her whole working life in the Aerospace Industry; starting as a Business Apprentice at Westland Helicopters (now Leonardo), progressing into a senior commercial role at GKN Aerospace before becoming a Civil Servant within the MoD as a Commercial Manager supporting the Apache and Merlin Platforms. Jo is also responsible for the effective running of the AR Offices as well as all of the Manpower Substitute Frameworks (PSR, EDP etc).