Alumni Matters - Example Career Progressions

It may be of interest to existing students and prospective students to see several examples of career progressions after leaving the Department courtesy of the Alumni Committee members.

Contributions from other alumni are welcome! In reality there is a much wider diversity of career progressions than shown below.

Purnell

CHARLES PURNELL

1962-1966 BA (Honours) Metallurgy, Oxford University
1966-1980 BNFMRA Research officer
1980-1987 BNFMRA Research services superintendent
1987-1992 Brico Engineering - Powder Metal Development manager
1992-1995 Brico Engineering - Materials Engineering manager
1995-1996 Brico Engineering - Technical Director
1996-1997 T&N Powder Metal Product Group R&D Director
1997-2000 Federal Mogul sintered products group R&D Director

Doherty

ROGER DOHERTY

1957-1961. B.A. (Science of Metals), Balliol College, Oxford University
1961-1964. D.Phil., (Metallurgy), Dept of Metallurgy, Oxford University
1963-1965. Research Scientist, Tube Investments Research Lab., Cambridge, U.K. 
1965-1982. Lecturer in Materials Science, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Sussex University U.K. 
1975-1976. Technical Assistance Expert, Dept. of Materials, Brazilian Aerospace Center, Sao Paulo Brazil.
1978-1979. Professor of Applied Metallurgy, Dept of Metallurgy, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Holland.
1981-1982. Head of Department of Materials Science, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Sussex University U.K.
1982- Present. Professor of Materials Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia PA.
1995 Sabbatical Leave: Dept of Metallurgy, Trondheim Technical University, Norway.
1998-2000. Interim Department Head, Department of Materials Engineering, Drexel University.
2002-2003. Sabbatical Leave (a) Riso National Lab. Denmark (b) Ecole des Mines St.Etienne France. Awarded CRNS (Centre Nationale de Recherche Scientifique) Research Scholarship.

McLachlan

DAVID MCLACHLAN

1982-1986 BA Metallurgy and Science of Materials. Oxford University
1986-1989 Price Waterhouse - trainee accountant
1989-1997 Price Waterhouse - accountant
1997-2004 Pricewaterhouse Coopers - partner
2004-current Trainee Baptist Minister - Batchelor of Divinity course at Spurgeons College in South Norwood

Within PwC, David began in audit, but after 18 months began to specialise in taxation. For the past few years David’s work has been split between (i) advising companies and private equity funds on the tax issues surrounding company acquisitions and management buy-outs; and (ii) advising either bidders or government departments on the tax structuring of PPPs (public-private partnerships) and PFI (the private finance initiative). This latter work had involved projects such as the London Underground PPP, privatisation of DERA by the MoD and the creation of NHS Foundation Trusts.

Archer

MICHAEL ARCHER

1965-72. Industrial Engineer with Potterton (Heating boiler manufacturer) and Formica (Laminates), then Chief Industrial Engineer and Production Manager at Potterton. 
During time at Potterton/Formica (De La Rue Group) attended Executive Development Programme at London Business School.
Also passed institute exams for Diploma in Accounting and Finance. 
Director and then Managing Director of Kee Klamps Ltd (System tubular construction sold internationally)
1980-1991 Managing Director of Barry Controls. Subsidiary of Trafalgar House and then of Barry Wright Corporation (USA). Manufacturer of vibration and shock control devices and equipment for Aerospace and Defence.
1991-1994 Divisional Director Pechiney UK Ld. Responsible for sales of a diverse range of "non core" products including Titanium, printed foil, plastics, SCARTs, etc.
1995 - Present Commercial Director BWE Ltd (private company) Manufacture of continuous extrusion machines for aluminium and copper sold internationally.

Dickinson

HENRY DICKINSON

1986-1990 Dynacast Singapore. Zinc pressure diecaster. Contracts Manager; Production Manager.
1990-1992 Dynacast Taiwan. Zinc pressure diecaster. General Manager.
1992-1994 Dyncast Korea. Zinc pressure diecaster. General Manager.
1994-1996 Dyncast UK. Zinc and magnesium pressure diecaster. General Manager.
1997-Present STB Engineering Ltd. Pneumatic conveying engineers & fabricators. Chairman & owner.
1999-Present Landmark Components Ltd. Decorative high pressure zinc diecaster. Part owner & non-exec. director.
2000-Present Norton Aluminium Products Ltd. Aluminium foundry alloy and sand casting mfr. MD and owner

President of the Aluminium Alloy Manufacturing and Recycling
Association, and an active Council Member of the Aluminium Federation.

Geddes

ANDREW GEDDES

1965-1969 BA (Hons) Metallurgy, St Catherines College, Oxford 
1969-1971 Rio Tinto Group/Imperial Smelting, Avonmouth. Coordination of Research and Market Development for new Zn applications
1971-1974 Rio Tinto Group/RTZ Aluminium, London. Commercial Manager. Supply of Rio Tinto share of alumina, and marketing of Al from Anglesey Aluminium.
1974-1992 Gerald Metals, (London 3yrs, Switzerland 15yrs). Vice Pres. International Trading of Al, Alumina, Mg, Si, (PrimaryAl ~80% of the business)
1992-1996 Sural Group. Head of International Division based in London. Production & Marketing of Al rod
1996-1998 Trafigura, Switzerland. Al Trading
1999-Present Viohalco Group (semis in Steel, Al, Cu, & cables). MD of UK Marketing company 5 yrs, Board member Bridgnorth Al, now primary metals advisor to HQ.
1978-Present Expert Witness activities in Litigations, Arbitrations, & Dispute Resolution in raw materials disputes on commercial matters

Additional Qualifications, Activities, Memberships since leaving Oxford:
MA, Various courses at Inst of Marketing London, IMD Business School Lausanne, IOM3, Cardiff Uni Law School Diploma for Expert Witnesses, Member Expert Witness Inst., Inst of Directors.
During about 35 years in the business he has had extensive dealings and hedging on the London Metal Exchange, with banks dealing in Trade Finance, with shipping & chartering, and travelled widely.