Founder and CEO, Clem Rowe presents Francis Ford and Howard Kenworthy with 20 year service awards.
“IPI had been in business for six years when Francis joined, followed by Howard two weeks later. At the time, Dave Knell, who now leads our European operations, had already established our Perth workshops. I was based in Europe, where most of our business was concentrated in those days. Including a couple of other workshop team members, there were just six of us in total.
Francis was the first of many apprentices we have had over the years. He is now our Australian Director and Group Engineering Director, overseeing approximately 70% of our global team. Several of his managers and staff have also completed apprenticeships with us. During his career, Francis undertook roles which involved extensive site work and travel and spent considerable time as our R&D Manager.
Howard joined as our Commercial Manager, focusing on business development and finance. He has played a key role in the organization’s growth, particularly outside Australia, where we conduct about 80% of our business. His succession planning has been highly effective, with our business development teams now comprising 20 members across eight locations. He is now our Commercial Director and for the past decade, Howard has been based in South East Asia and most recently establishing our UAE operation.
Both Francis and Howard have made immense contributions to our mission of becoming the world’s first-choice inflatable packer company, and I sincerely thank them for their dedication and hard work.” – Clem Rowe, Founder & CEO
Discover why IPI is the partner of choice for blue-chip oil & gas service providers, top-tier mining firms, consulting engineers, world-renowned research centers, and precision-driven OEMs.
Stuart recently joined IPI as the Director of Oil and Gas, bringing with him 15 years of diverse experience in the industry, with a strong focus on inflatable packers. His extensive background encompasses a variety of roles, including field engineering, operations management, sales, and business development. This breadth of expertise, coupled with his international experience in markets across North America, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, positions Stuart to effectively lead and expand IPI’s oil and gas operations on a global scale. Stuart holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Aberdeen and a Master’s degree in Finance from City University of London. His robust technical foundation and financial acumen uniquely empower him to drive strategic initiatives and foster growth within the company.
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Inflatable Packers across a variety of industries.
