Board of Directors

Nigel Thomason joined the British Fluid Power Association as Managing Director in September 2025. Nigel has extensive experience and proven leadership within the fluid power industry.

Martin is one of the longest standing members of the BFPA staff having joined the Association in 2006. As Membership and Training Director he prides himself on having an excellent knowledge of the membership and the kind of industry insight that enables the BFPA to offer member companies real added-value from their membership. This insight is also of great value when undertaking his other responsibilities for both BFPA training and the BFPDA Hose Accreditation Scheme. Before joining BFPA Martin spent 23 years with Linde – a well-known German Hydraulics company and a long standing BFPA member. He started his career as an apprentice for MG cars and has retained his interest in cars ever since although much of his spare time is now spent riding his Harley Davidson – a passion that he shares with his wife who also owns her own ‘Harley’.

Dave Farquharson is Head of Hydraulics at Enermech Limited. He has over 25 years of leadership, profit and loss responsibilities and experience, and is qualified to MBA level with experience in the management of budgets, margin analysis and P&L responsibilities.

He has all round multi-discipline knowledge in many aspects of sales and business development, field service, parts management, manufacturing, engineering facilities, commissioning, maintenance, planning, and management from both a technical and commercial perspective.

Dave has significant knowledge in 6 Sigma and Lean Methodologies in both field operations and manufacturing environments and has worked extensively in abroad running facilities, sales and business development, field service in locations ranging from Europe, Africa, Latin America and North America.

He has extensive experience in all aspects of, Commissioning/Operations and Maintenance of critical mechanical/hydraulic/renewable equipment and manufacturing.

Seb has worked in the fluid power industry since graduating from Aston University in 1986.  The first 15 years were spent in sales at UK hose manufacturers – Griflex Creators, Portman Products and Colex International.  All three companies manufactured PVC, Nylon & Polyurethane hoses, and when he left Colex in 2001 he was Sales and Marketing Manager.  After Colex, Seb spent a short period as Area Sales Manager for Flowtechnology before joining Tom Parker in 2003 as Resale Manager, being promoted to UK Sales Manager around 14 years ago (2011).

Christopher (Chris) Hamlett is General Manager of Alfagomma UK Ltd. He has worked at Alfagomma UK for the past 15 years, starting in October 2008 , having completed a degree in Business Management at Liverpool University. His first position within the organisation was purchasing assistant, however after 3 years, preferring a career path in sales rather than purchasing, he was transferred to AGUK’s internal sales team .

In 2013 having excelled within a sales environment, AGUK promoted Chris to external Sales manager for Southern England where he has been for the past 9 years managing a large customer base which includes several key accounts, in 2022 Chris was promoted to General Manager for Alfagomma UK where he has guided the company to its most successful year in its 30 year history in the UK.

David Scholes is Engineering Manager at Bosch Rexroth Limited. An individual inspired by his forefathers exploits in engineering; who marvels at mans technical ingenuity.

A passionate engineer with a balanced approach, with recognition of value and belief, encouraging and sharing this with others, where collectively we should always aim to be resolute with our achievements.

Offering a wealth of technical knowledge, founded on experience gained at work, in business and through life long hobbies at home; with focus toward electro hydraulic / mechanical solutions. With his career at Bosch Rexroth to date, spanning thirty eight years: serving an apprenticeship embracing industrial electro hydraulics, travelling the world to manage turn key solutions for Heavy Industry in the capacity as an engineer. Roles in management extending to production and design, and affording leadership in the capacity as engineering manager with responsibility extending to legal compliance providing reassurance toward technically sound, safe solutions placed on the market today. Respects others and cultural diversity, whilst bringing humour to those whom he meets adding inspirational influence.

Some remark a little eccentric, engaged with hobbies extending to transport throughout the ages, his collection of cars and interest with trains, boats and planes; (and on occasion his family): culminating with his home workshop, scale models, a passion for Moore and Wright instruments and an ejection seat from a fighter aircraft that resides in his bathroom as an ‘occasional chair’.

Trevor Pyke is Group Head of Commercial & Supplier Business Development at Flowtech. He has over 28 years in the industry with companies such as Wirral Hydraulics Ltd, and from there developed his career through a small number of hydraulic businesses including M&R Hydraulics and Primary Fluidpower before joining the Flowtech family 14 years ago. Trevor has gained various management and personal qualifications over the years along with the NFPC level 3 in industrial hydraulic system design. Trevor’s career highlights include the success of year-on-year extreme growth via new product development when heading up the legacy Flowtechnology catalogue and successfully delivering the £5million Thames Tideway sewer project.

Jon Starkey is a Product Director at HUSCO International Partners LLP. HUSCO is a global leader in developing innovative, customized hydraulic solutions that improve the overall efficiency, controllability and safety of automotive and off-highway mobile equipment.  Jon joined HUSCO in 2000 as a design engineer, developing his professional experience and progressing through the Design Engineering team to his current role of Product Director. During his time at HUSCO, Jon has led several key projects that stretch across multiple products, customers, and countries. He is a go-to global expert in machine performance on telehandlers, backhoes, and mini-excavators. He has impacted Husco’s product development of mini-excavator control valve solutions, supporting activity in China, Europe, and North America. Over the last several years Jon has led the revitalisation of key engineering relationships with new business launches on a range of construction machines. Jon holds a B.Eng (Hons) degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Adam Wright is Sales Director for UK&I as well as Inside Sales EMEA for IMI Norgren. Adam is a Chartered Marketer with over 19 years of industrial Sales & Marketing experience. He has held various roles from Sales Analytics, Marketing, Digital, Sales Enablement and Sales Leadership. His experience ranges from country focused, regional and global, allowing him to have a broad understanding of how a business is grown locally and globally.

Jerry Hughes BSc AMIMechE Jerry Hughes is the Director and owner of Jemlyn Ltd, a consulting company specialising in both business development and specialist engineering in the Fluid Power Industry. He has built the business from a start-up company in 2008 to an established business with prestige clients, both major manufacturers and end users. Jerry is Chairman of the BFPA Technical and Standards Policy Committee holding responsibility for all technical committees, and is a BSI Chairman with responsibility for over 500 standards and regularly represents the UK at International standards meetings. He is also a member of the Mechatronics Board of Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Prior to his current role he was European General Manager for a Canadian Hydraulic Piping Company with a global responsibility for the offshore market, established their products in Europe with the appropriate Type Approvals and managed a number of major installations. He has been employed in the fluid Power Industry for 38 years holding management positions with Berendsen Fluid Power and Lucas Fluid Power and has been involved with many hydraulic systems and their components in a wide variety of industries. Jerry is passionate about the fluid power industry, the need to maintain high standards and its future. He has an interest in historic rallying, preparing and driving his own car and is a qualified badminton coach.

John Glover is Senior Manager Product Engineering at Kawasaki Precision Machinery (UK) Limited. The site based in Plymouth employs sround 300 people manufacturing, selling and providing technical support for the Kawasaki hydraulic product range including the Staffa motor.

He has 25 years experience working in the hydraulics industry. During this time he has filled roles such as Design Engineer, Production Supervisor, Application Engineer, Continuous Improvement Engineer, Project Manager and Application Engineering Manager.

John is a professional Engineer with a Mechanical Engineering degree and a Masters in Engineering Management, also having completed hydraulic specific training to Cetop level 3.

John has a developed his knowledge in hydraulic component design having spent time working primarily on mobile and excavator applications. John has worked in the KPM Japan design office and is involved with the future product development strategies for Kawasaki hydraulic components and systems.

John currently leads the team of Application and Product Development Engineers at the Plymouth site.

Darren Meakin is UK & Ireland Technical Sales & Operations Manager and has over 15 years’ experience in the fluid power industry with Manuli Hydraulics UK. His role as Head of Operations involves a diverse range of responsibilities, including technical product support and he plays a crucial role in ensuring efficient hydraulic systems and quality control.

Darren’s responsibilities at the company include managing: operations related to mining and drilling, export markets (for the USA, Australia and Europe), the company’s UK & Ireland distribution network, and production and quality control.

Christopher Curr (Chris) is the General Manager of Moog’s Industrial Group based in Tewkesbury Gloucestershire. Chris will be celebrating 38 years with Moog in 2023. Over this period Chris has held positions in Production, Sales and Business Development, Operations, Supply Chain and Engineering. Chris has been in his current General Manager position for just over 10 years. In this position Chris also serves as a Director on the Board of Moog Controls Limited.

Chris holds a Masters Degree (MSc) from Cardiff University in Lean Operations, a HNC in Mechanical Engineering and a Diploma in Management Studies. During Chris’s 38 years with Moog he has gained experience and insight into the British Fluid Power Industry. Moog UK Industrials Business being predominately Hydraulic Controls Systems has helped Chris build relationships with Customers and Suppliers in the Fluid Power Industry and an understanding of the value of this Industry to the UK. Chris has also been involved with the BFPA in years gone by and sat as a member on the Systems Committee in the early 2000’s.

(Co-opted) John R Savage is the Director of the National Fluid Power Centre for the UK. Trained as a Mining Mechanical Engineer, he spent the early years of his career working underground at various Collieries within the South Yorkshire Area of the National Coal Board. This period of his career stemming from 1962 to 1974 provided him with extensive knowledge and skills associated with the maintenance and management of complex fluid power systems working in very harsh environments. In 1974 he joined the Mining Engineering Department at North Nottinghamshire College as a Senior Lecturer in Mining Mechanical Engineering and Thermodynamics. In 1992 he was appointed Programme Manager heading up the Mining and Engineering Departments within the College which also encompassed Fluid Power. He joined the newly formed Education and Training Committee for AHEM (Association of Hydraulic Equipment Manufacturers) in 1988 and was appointed Chairman of the current BFPA Education and Training Committee in 1992, a position that he holds to date. During this period he was also appointed as Vice President for Education for CETOP for a period of 4 years fronting the CETOP Education Recommendations throughout Europe. A current member of the BFPA Board, he continues to play an active role in establishing UK Standards and Recommendations relating to education involving Integrated Systems Engineering. He was appointed as Director of the National Fluid Power Centre in 2000 a position that he holds to date. In April 2016 he received Motion Control Industry Award for his lifetime contribution to education within the Fluid Power Industry and in February 2017 he will receive the Brahma Medal from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, once more for his is services and contribution to UK Fluid Power Education and Training over the last 45 years.

Graham Wood’s lifelong passion for engineering and collaborative management skills led to him becoming Managing Director of Savery Hydraulics in Coventry, where he proudly leads a highly experienced and dedicated team of Engineers. Growing up as a farmers son, he soon realised he was more interested in the machinery than the agriculture.

Graham’s early experience of hydraulics came with a short period of employment at BAe systems involving structural testing. He has since led major projects such as:-

* Aerospace Test rigs and fixture.
*Flood Barrier Hydraulic Systems
*Hydraulic Systems for three Berths at Dover.
*Wind Turbine Blade test facilities.
*Aerospace Full scale fatigue test rigs

He has also been a senior project member for further projects such as:-
*3000 lpm Automotive test Ring Mains
*Bridge Hydraulic Systems
*Military Jet support and service Ring mains for RAF and overseas Air-Forces.

This lifelong experience in the Hydraulic Industry has allowed him to develop a strong applications based structure and to foster long standing partnerships with customers to solve any Hydraulics Control problem and to design, manufacture, install and support these products for years to come.

He now finds his agricultural roots coming back with a love of gardening and walking in the countryside or coast. Having learnt the piano and trumpet he has a love of all music, especially Jazz.