Fluid Machinery Group - How we are governed

Head of Engineering, Sulzer Services, EMEA

Pharic graduated from the University of Paisley in 1995 with an Honours Degree in Chemical Engineering. He then joined Weir Pumps Ltd as a graduate engineer, specialising in pumps for the conventional power and nuclear power industry. After Weir Pumps was sold to become Clydeunion Pumps Pharic was promoted to the role of Engineering Manager for the Nuclear Power Business Unit.

After a short spell returning to Weir Engineering Services as a Senior Rotating Equipment Specialist Pharic Join Sulzer in 2015 as Head of Engineering for Sulzer Services, EMEA.

Pharic joined the board of the Fluid Machinery Group in 2011 to help promote fluid machinery among young engineers and to develop and share valuable experiences within the industry. Since then he as assisted with organising and running three Fluid Machinery Conferences along with several technical events.

Pharic’ s main interests are in the practical aspects of engineering and still very much enjoys an active field trip with the overalls on. In 2005 he completed a 5 year project building his own house which he still enjoys upgrading and retrofitting from time to time.

Principal Mechanical Engineer in Thames Water

Simon is responsible for mechanical strategy and standards in Thames Water.  He sits in the Operations Directorate and is also responsible for challenging assumptions in the operation and maintenance of major asset groups like pumping stations, aeration and preliminary treatment. 

Simon also sits on the Pump Centre Council that is a forum for sharing knowledge in equipment used in the water and power industries, as well as preparing the Water Industry Mechanical and Electrical Standards (WIMES), as a common platform for the industry. 

Simon Whatley took over the chair of the Fluid Machinery Group in 2012 and also represents the Group at the IMechE Council meetings.  

  
 

Professor of Energy Engineering at Lancaster University, UK, and Director of Lancaster University Renewable Energy Group & Fluid Machinery Group.

George's previous career includes 25 years' industrial and academic experience, of which nine years were spent abroad.

George started his engineering career with Mather & Platt Ltd, Manchester, UK, followed by appointments both in the UK and abroad. His final position in industry was Director and Engineering Development Manager for the Fluid Machinery, and Hydropower UK company, Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd.

He has over 150 research papers, designs, developments and 12 patent contributions in the field of fluid machinery and renewable energy, developed turbines for hydro power generation projects and has physical research prototypes of fluid machinery operating successfully worldwide.

He has a strong focus on engineering science applied to industry-led requirements in renewable energy and fluid machinery. His main research area is in computational and experimental modelling, control and the economics of novel fluid machinery applied to energy and renewables, including wave, tidal and hydro power.

Kenneth Burns is the Director of Engineering at Twenty20 Energy, a specialist energy operator and consultancy delivering technical solutions across the upstream and midstream sectors. With 20 years of engineering experience, Kenneth brings a wealth of multidisciplinary expertise developed across marine, manufacturing, construction, operations, and consultancy environments.

He began his career in marine engineering, focusing on the operations and maintenance of naval vessels, before transitioning into the manufacturing of oilfield components. His hands-on experience includes work in offshore platform construction yards, followed by consultancy studies for FPSOs and drilling rigs. Kenneth has led detailed design and EPC projects for offshore platforms, served as Mechanical Technical Authority in gas terminal operations, and contributed to petrochemical studies. He has also played a key role in delivering both onshore and offshore upstream and midstream development projects.

Kenneth holds an MSc in Advanced Manufacturing Systems from Brunel University and a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from Northumbria University. He is a European Engineer (EUR ING) and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE).

Known for his pragmatic and delivery-focused approach, Kenneth leads multi-disciplinary engineering teams, ensuring technical assurance and operational performance across all of Twenty20 Energy’s projects. Previously, as Head of Mechanical Discipline at Worley in the UAE, he provided both engineering leadership and discipline management. His international career spans the UK, Norway, and the UAE. Prior to Worley, he held senior positions at Wood, including Mechanical Discipline Manager and Mechanical Technical Authority.

Kenneth is also recognized for his contributions to engineering knowledge-sharing, having delivered learning sessions on topics such as Condition Monitoring for the European Forum for Reciprocating Compressors and IMechE. He is passionate about maintaining high engineering standards and mentoring the next generation of engineering talent.

Dr Wei He is an Associate Professor in Engineering at King’s College London. Before King’s, he conducted his research at the University of Warwick, MIT, and Xi’an Jiaotong University. His current research focuses on energy storage, low-carbon heating, and renewable energy. Dr He is a holder of the prestigious Royal Academy Engineering Research Fellowship, working on novel low-carbon technologies within the energy-food-water nexus. Dr He is also developing novel mechanical and thermal energy storage technologies using state-of-art compressors and turbomachinery technologies.

Outage Management Group Head, EDF Energy for Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station

Mellish is responsible for Managing the Maintenance Outages for Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station. Mellish’s team are responsible for organising the Refuelling and Maintenance of Sizewell B, the only commercial operational PWR in the UK. This cover the completion of 15,000 activities, completed by 3,000 people, typically over a period of 35 days and a budget of £54m

His previous roles have included the role of In-Service Testing Programme Engineer at Sizewell B Power Station and was with Severn Trent Water as the Rotodynamic Standards Manager, responsible for technical advice regarding pumps and blowers across the business, including clean and waste water.

Howden Chair in Engineering Design and Compressor Technology at City, University of London. 

Ahmed's main objective is integration of design excellence in academia and industry which he does through research, teaching and collaborating with industry in numerical modelling, analysis and design of positive displacement screw machines, compressors, expanders and pumps.

Prof Kovacevic chairs the world renown Conference on Compressors and their Systems organised at City, University of London and supported by ImechE. He is the director of the Centre for Compressor Technology at City, University of London, has written six books, hundred and fifty referenced journal and conference papers, holds rights to several patents and has received nine awards for his papers and work.

 

Behshad is IMechE fellow and has more than 23 years of experience in oil, gas and power industries in engineering, engineering management and consultancy roles, with focus on rotating equipment. With expertise in surge, cavitation and dynamic response studies of fluid machinery, he is now technical managing director of PM Process group of companies in Dusseldorf-Germany, providing consultancy and engineering supports to worldwide clients.