Team insight

Find out more about David’s journey and his new role in this edition of Meet the Team:

Hi David, thanks for your time. Can you please give us an insight into your career journey so far?

After leaving school, I was planning to study electrical engineering at university. However, I was fortunate to apply for and be accepted as a professional engineering trainee at the then nationalised Yorkshire Electricity Board (YEB).

YEB was privatised in the 1990’s becoming Yorkshire Electricity (YE) and in 2001, merged with Northen Electric to become the Distribution Network Operator (DNO), now known as Northern Powergrid. The YEB training programme enabled me to complete a BEng degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Bradford University and to progress to Charted Engineer status during my career. This career choice at the age of 18 resulted in me spending 44 years at one company!

Early in my career, I was also fortunate to become involved in the design and management of Extra High Voltage (EHV) substation construction projects. This is something that I found interesting and rewarding, shaping my entire career and interest in project management as a discipline. This led to me gaining a Master’s degree in Project Management from Lancaster University in 1997-9.

My career developed through a series of roles initially as a Project Manager, and subsequently a Project Engineering Manager, leading a team of Project Engineers and Project Managers. In the later years of my career as Head of Major Projects, I led the delivery of the Northern Powergrid capital investment programme, still with a key focus on EHV asset construction programmes and constructing national infrastructure.

What drew you to your role at Primary Power?

I have worked with Steve and Bruce for over a decade, so I already had a strong sense of the values and expertise at Primary Power. I’ve always admired their professional approach and their reputation as specialists in the design and management of EHV projects.

When the opportunity arose to join the team, I was very pleased to be asked to contribute to the company’s growth and be part of an organisation I respect.

What skills do you look to take from your experience at Northern Powergrid to your new role?

I hope to bring valuable industry experience that can support the team as we look to expand our services and reach new markets. I also look forward to working with the team to create new processes and engage with target markets.

What does your day-to-day look like?

At the moment, I am still in my onboarding and learning phase – it’s interesting being the “new boy” at my age!

What I’ve been doing has been very reactive and interesting. I’m supporting the team across a range of projects, with a particular focus on current tenders and business development and it’s been great to get to know more of the team.

I am also heavily involved in the planning side of things, for example analysing risks, costs, etc. No two days are ever the same, which is something I enjoy.

What do you believe makes Primary Power different?

Primary Power deliver high quality engineering solutions and an impressive level of professionalism. But beyond that, the company truly invests in its people – supporting professional growth and fostering a positive, collaborative environment.

Do you have any objectives or milestones that you would like to achieve in the next few months?

Primarily I am looking forward to helping the team to widen its customer base and support with business development activities. I am also looking forward to our team day in November, which will be a great chance to connect in person with more of the team.

Thanks for your time, David. If you are interested in any potential roles that we may have, feel free to get in touch with a member of our team and we will be happy to provide further information.