Laura Cotter joined the Company in 2025 and is a Chartered Manufacturing Engineer, working for the last eight years at York Minster as Consultant Research and Innovation Manager.
Occupation and business:
I’m a Chartered Manufacturing Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and my career has taken me from world‑class production lines to heritage innovation around the world. A Loughborough University graduate, I spent 10 years at JCB developing high‑performing production lines and achieving major cost efficiencies through commercial purchasing. In 2015, I founded BStreamlined Ltd to help organisations work smarter by streamlining processes, cutting unnecessary costs and improving quality. I work across a wide mix of sectors, including engineering, automotive, farming, heritage, professional and business services, education, and structural steel.
Describe what you do:
York Minster is a great example, where I’ve spent the past eight years as Consultant Research & Innovation Manager, developing and delivering the Centre of Excellence for Craft Skills and Estate Management’s technology strategy. A key part of that work is benchmarking best practice, learning from leading heritage and conservation teams internationally, and adapting ideas from world‑renowned organisations in other sectors into practical approaches for heritage, bringing the best of them back to York. I’m now focused on the next phase of innovation and ‘tech for good’, committed to delivering productive change across the heritage sector while keeping York, and York Minster’s Centre of Excellence, right at the forefront and setting the pace.
Why did you join the Company?
Much of my work is about building partnerships, and I’ve seen the impact that the right connections, encouragement and knowledge‑sharing can have. Joining the Merchant Adventurers offered a meaningful way to be part of a historic and collaborative network in York. My passion for combining heritage with innovation aligns strongly with the Merchant Adventurers, who bridge York’s traditions and its future, so it felt like the right place to meet people who care about the city and want to play a practical part in keeping York thriving. I’m looking forward to supporting the company’s charitable work and playing my part in encouraging the next generation of innovators and forward‑thinkers.
Best thing about being a member
2026 marks my second year of membership, and from the outset I was warmly welcomed and encouraged to join the community and its conversations. It’s been a real pleasure to meet people who care deeply about York and are generous with their time, experience and introductions. And the wine is rather good too!
