My professional background and experience

First, the basics

I am a British citizen. I was born in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh, where I grew up and was educated at Trinity Academy, Stevenson College and Napier University. Although a chemist by qualification, I have spent most of my working life in the electronics field, largely in the space and defence sector, and I have a practical understanding of digital and analogue electronic systems design and function. I also hold recognised qualifications in quality control methods and quality assurance management from the City and Guilds of London Institute and the Institute of Quality Assurance, and I have taken many other short courses in quality systems auditing, statistical methods, and assorted business and management topics.

Some career history, 1978 to date

1978

Throughout 1978 I was a Materials Engineer for Lothian Electric Machines Limited (Lemac). With two factories in Haddington and a Research & Development facility in North Berwick, Scotland, Lemac designed and manufactured fractional horsepower electric motors, and rotor/stator units for hermetically sealed systems. My experience with Lemac: more details

1979–1984

After leaving Lemac, in 1979 I joined Ferranti Defence Systems Limited in Edinburgh, Scotland. I was employed as an engineer in the Reliability Group of the Navigation Systems Department, concerned with predicting, demonstrating and improving the reliability of the company’s space and defence electronics products. My experience with Ferranti: more details

1984–1987

After more than five years with Ferranti, I moved to the American computer and software manufacturer, Wang Laboratories. I took up a post carrying a range of responsibilities in the Engineering Department at the company’s new production facility in Stirling, Scotland. From this base, Wang built and distributed desktop computers for the markets of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. My experience with Wang: more details

1987–1989

I left Wang to take up the post of Quality Manager with Bepi Circuits Limited, a major UK printed circuit board fabricator. Located at the focus of the printed circuit industry in the Borders region of Scotland, Bepi manufactured multilayer PCBs for major telecoms, commercial and military contractors throughout the UK and Europe. My experience with Bepi: more details

1989–1991

In 1989 I was appointed Technical and Quality Manager with a Scottish division of GEC-Marconi Limited, then the largest defence electronics group in the UK. With much of the customer base being other companies in the GEC-Marconi group, the company’s products were predominantly for the military market, as well as for some high-end industrial/commercial electronics manufacturers throughout the United Kingdom. My experience with GEC-Marconi: more details

1991–2000

I left GEC-Marconi to set up a consultancy business with a friend and former colleague. As Product Reliability & Quality Limited (PRQ), we specialised in the fields of quality, engineering and technology transfer. We served UK government, European Commission and private sector clients across a range of industries, but particularly small and medium-sized companies in the electronics sector. My experience with PRQ: more details

2000–present

Latterly in my time with PRQ, I undertook a significant amount of vendor surveillance work on behalf of a major American defence contractor. I enjoyed the work, and that, coupled with the fact that I wanted to develop business in another field that was not a natural fit with PRQ’s services, led me to leave the company I had set up several years earlier. PRQ continues to operate under the direction of my former business partner, but in January 2000, I began to work independently. My recent experience as an independent contractor

Not forgetting…

A few points that may be useful for business:

  • I am single, I am free to travel, and I have undertaken extended residential assignments in Sweden and Germany.
  • I speak French in addition to my native English.
  • I have excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • I hold a full, valid and clean UK driving licence.
  • I am highly computer literate, and I am proficient with a range of common business and other software applications.

Sound useful?

If you think I might have the kind of experience you need to help with one of your projects, please contact me and we can discuss matters further.

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