Responsible for a global team of engineers spanning over four countries and three distinct disciplines: motor drives, software and verification. I develop and deliver motivational strategies based on business objectives using a range of techniques including mission setting, resourcing and budgeting. I coach 3 engineering managers across different disciplines and mentor individuals in the team driving a high-performance culture across the group. I work with the team to continuously improve and generate new ideas in order to get the best outcome for the team and individuals. Level 3 project planning, integrating and aligning with cross teams, and resourcing projects up to 5 years in the future is a part of the role to ensure early project definition is carried out effectively and active projects are delivered on time, on cost and on specification. Milestones and governance methodologies are applied within projects for both technology and electronics groups giving me a unique view on how to apply them. Verification tools and simulation model projects are also run to improve team efficiency. I collaborate with engineering, operations, category, quality, and other business functions from early concepts through to production and beyond to bring the correct people together and ensure we achieve business goals. Through this approach I have established a strong credibility within Dysons community and use this to good effect to improve efficiency within the business. Other responsibilities include sitting on the Dyson systems steering committee; shaping the syllabus, mentoring and performing interviews for incoming Dyson Institute of Technology (DIET) undergraduates; hosting duties of DDM laboratory tours for the media; and performing the role of investigation manager in business grievance cases.

Growing a team from 8 engineers to a team of over 30, this role involved extensive recruitment, new ways of working, role definition and relationship building. The “DDM systems team” covered core motor drives, electromagnetic technical depth whilst also liaising with DDM software, test, acoustics, aerodynamics, mechanical, design and electronics engineering groups, bringing the teams together to spot gaps and develop solutions and improve performance together. My main tasks were day to day management of the engineering team, communicating complex problems and solutions to senior stakeholders on behalf of DDM and representing the team in milestone reviews. The role also included leading the motor drives and advanced control technical team on the Dyson SuperSonic™ integrating the V9 DDM into the product enabling the new form. I also led a team developing the V10 DDM into the Dyson V10 cordless range utilising new technology and world class motor performance. Key successes in the role include designing a heater control algorithm that led to a key Dyson hair care marketing claim of “no heat damage”; developing a new way of working called“KanSprint”; DDM engineering representative at the Dyson SuperSonic™ launch in Tokyo; pioneering a new control scheme (with patent) in order to drive a $1 saving on a variant of DDM, whilst also removing a complex manufacturing process; development of a “Motor drives development framework”.

I led a small team of 4 engineers to carry out an evolution project which would enable the V4 motor to work in all territories around the world. Within the role I was working directly with approvals teams to ensure the motor was compliant in various different countries by making sure regulations and standards were passed. Another key part of the project was ensuring the risk taken during development was balanced with the business needs. I adopted an FMEA approach which I have carried on since to help identify where risk is within a project. During this project, I enhanced my skills in project management, team motivations and helped tutor some of the new engineers that had started in the team. I took line management responsibilities and started to work with my colleagues in Singapore on a more regular basis. To finish the development, I transferred the project to the team in Singapore and carried about the engineering builds in tandem with them to ensure knowledge was transferred effectively.

My first role at Dyson was being the sole engineer working on the electromagnetic design of a new motor. For this I was mainly using finite element analysis (FEA) specifically Infolytica MagNet. Some very stringent design for manufacture constraints were put in place and hence there were many issues with tight restrictions to overcome to meet the specification. This was a 6 month placement which was made permeant at the end of the contract.On coming back to Dyson, I was assigned to work as part of the team working on the V4 motor which powers the Dyson Airblade hand drier and a small Japanese cylinder vacuum cleaner. This time my role was to look at the manufacturing tolerance effects on the electromagnetic design as well as the control system which the motor was run from. Innovation was key to the success of the design which led me onto looking at different types of control for the motor with a key metric of reducing acoustics. I helped design a novel control system which was granted a patent in 2012. I was also able to use my electromagnetics knowledge to help design the input filter for the motor by honing my skills in simulation, test and re-optimisation. Important lab skills were also learnt on this project such as using an oscilloscope and setting up testing rigs safely. V4 was the first motor to be made at Dysons motor manufacturing plant West Park in Singapore. I was part of the team that helped commission the production line that manufacturers the V4 motor; seeing the first V4 motors produced in Singapore and previously in Japan where the integrators were based. West Park now produces well over 6 million motors per year.