Meet the Management Team

Head of Laboratories and Sampling

Overview of current role: Responsible for the management of all laboratory activities across Northumbrian Water. Also responsible for the maintenance of key quality standards including ISO 17025, DWTS and MCERTS.

Past experience / career in brief: Ian has over 20 years experience in the environmental testing industry. Following completion of his Doctorate in environmental organic analysis, he worked as an analytical chemist in both clean water and environmental labs focusing on the analysis of trace organics before moving into various operational and management roles within Northumbrian Water.

Outside Northumbrian Water, Ian has many years of experience participating in various groups including SCA, CEN and ISO committees, where he is the chairman of the BSI committee for Physical and Chemical analysis in the area of Water Quality. A Chartered Chemist, Scientist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, he also has a keen interest promoting Water Science to a wider audience and is Vice Secretary of the RSC’s Water Science Forum.

Technical Manager

Overview of current role: Responsible for the technical management of Howdon laboratory, working with the Howdon Laboratory Manager to ensure that the maintenance of key quality standards including ISO 17025, DWTS, MACS and MCERTS. Also providing support to other areas across Northumbrian Water on chemistry and sampling aspects.

Past experience / career in brief: Following completion of his Degree in environmental chemistry, he worked as an analytical chemist in both inorganic and organic laboratories before moving into the internal auditing team. Recently Rick has started a new role as Technical Manager of Howdon laboratories, bringing with him 5 years laboratory experience and 8 years in the Accreditation team.  

Rick has recently joined the Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) starting with his involvement with the publication of a new book on the stability of determinands in waters. Outside Northumbrian Water, he is keen on promoting Water Science to a wider audience through STEM activities and is an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) as well as a Chartered Chemist and Scientist.

Laboratory Manager Howdon Inorganics

Overview of current role: Responsible for the management and motivation of a team of specialist inorganic staff in an ISO / UKAS / MCERTS accredited analysis laboratory.

Past experience / career in brief:             

Educational Qualifications:

HNC Chemistry

Professional Affiliations:

Royal Society of Chemistry, CSci, CChem MRSC

• Supervisory and Human Resource management - 12 years
• Purchasing: supplies, instruments and laboratory services - 15 years
• Problem solving, client and laboratory - 15 years
• External audits (customers, regulators and accreditation bodies) - 15 years
• Inorganic analysis and method development - 25 years
• Involvement with CEN/ISO/SCA committees - 2 years

Technical Manager Laboratory Informatics

Overview of current role: Responsible for the management of the Laboratory informatics Team, the support of laboratory software and integrated applications on a day-to-day basis. Responsible for ensuring consistency of system availability and configuration and integrity of  dynamic and static data. 

Past experience / career in brief:            

Educational Qualifications: 

HND Computer Studies 

• Over 30 years’ experience is an IT application delivery and support role. 
• 26 years’ experience of managing SampleManager LIMS application  
• Extensive experience with NWL supporting/developing Applications, Infrastructure and Service Delivery 
• 5 years management experience gained in IS Service Delivery and Lab Customer teams. 

• ITIL, SDM, ILM qualified  

Laboratory Manager Horsley/Hanningfield

Overview of current role: 

Responsible for the management and motivation of a team of specialist microbiological staff in our ISO/UKAS/DWTS accredited laboratories in the North East and Essex and our Horsley based commercial team.

Past experience / career in brief:

• Over 15 years of experience in the in vitro diagnostics medical devices industry (Helena Biosciences Europe).
• 4 years in various roles within Quality Control and Technical Production.
• 8 years developing Haemostasis Assays as a Senior Applications Specialist.
• 3 years as the New Product Development Manager developing novel assays and working with stakeholders worldwide to deliver Haemostasis solutions into target markets.
• 15 years auditing experience to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.
• Over 10 years providing international technical support and training.
  

Educational Qualifications:

BSc (Hons) Genetics

Professional Affiliations:
Charted Biologist

Accreditation Manager

Overview of current role: Overall responsibility for the maintenance of ISO17025, DWTS and MCERTS accreditations for sampling and analysis and for the management of a small group of internal auditors. Direct liaison with other Scientific Services managers and supervisors to gain continuous quality system improvement.

Past experience / career in brief:             

Educational Qualifications:

BSC (Hons) Chemistry.

Professional Affiliations:

CQP MCQI.

An experienced, professional with 26 years in scientific services, 19 years in a quality discipline including 11 years managing an effective accreditation team. With a proven track record for the design, implementation and maintenance of quality systems and effective management of the audit programme. With a primary aim to ensure compliance within the regulatory framework and provide assurance to the business and external stakeholders.

Laboratory Team Manager – Howdon

Overview of current role: Responsible for the management and motivation of a team of specialist chemical analysis staff in out ISO/ UKAS/ DWTS/ MCERTS accredited laboratory.

Past experience/ career in brief:

• 20 years experience of leading teams technical and non-technical teams
• Over 20 years experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing including API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients), solid dose, respiratory, dermatologicals and steriles
• 9 years experience of Quality Control analytical testing
• 5 years validation experience
• Over 20 years experience of using six sigma, lean manufacturing tools and technical knowledge to improve processes and systems

Educational qualifications: BSc (Hons) Chemistry PhD thesis title “The stability of ascorbic acid in parenteral nutrition mixtures”.