About us
Who we are and what we stand for
Background
nuron was formed by Mike Ainger (former Geo) and Mark Rutherford (Financial Strategy Expert) and commenced trading in 2015, bringing together their considerable experience of the utilities and telecommunication industries. The company was set up to address the need for a step change in monitoring technology for the wastewater industry, and to lead a team of bright entrepreneurs, innovators and engineering experts.
After 10 years in business, nuron is continuing to diversify and grow stronger each year. In 2020, the nuron management team headed up by Claire Fenwick, Managing Director and Paul Dickenson, Technical Director, founded the Infratech Services division. This new division was formed in response to a growing customer need for Infratech to solve the technical challenges in Infrastructure businesses from across the globe.
Like our services, our team continues to grow. nuron now consists of almost 30 highly qualified PhD engineers, scientists, project managers and field crews. Their backgrounds range from scientific and technical fundamentals through to field deployment. We are backed by a board and management team with decades of infrastructure experience across utilities, energy, communications, built environment and high value manufacturing.
The depth of skills and experience within the team ensure that we have the capability to take a customer problem and design a bespoke smart solution from theory all the way through to field implementation.
To find about more about how we can help you to address your challenges and realise your smart infrastructure goals please get in touch.
Book a free discovery workshop with our experts
Management Team
Claire Fenwick
Managing Director
Claire holds a Bachelors degree in Special Engineering from Brunel University and has a successful 15 year track record in the telecommunications industry working at COLT, BSkyB and Telewest. More recently she brings business strategy and leadership experience from her time at FibreSpeed and has infrastructure procurement, build and management experience ranging from conventional telco networks to man-entry and non-man entry sewer networks and subsea cable installation at Geo Networks. Her versatility, leadership skills and love of challenging convention have fast tracked her from grass root delivery to senior management. Claire is a conscientious and diplomatic leader with a hands-on delivery style.
Dr. Paul Dickenson
Technical Director
Paul has a background delivering fluid mechanics and flow monitoring for the oil and gas industry. He spent 13 years with Schlumberger, the largest oil and gas service company, in a range of UK and global technical roles. Most recently, he lead the development of flow monitoring applications of distributed fibre optic measurements, targeting well surveillance, pipeline monitoring and leak detection. Paul holds Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees in engineering from the University of Cambridge. He has a methodical approach to problem solving and natural ability to communicate complex solutions in a simple way.
Dr Tom Garwood
Operations Manager
As the nuron Operations Manager, Tom uses his 15 years of experience to manage our project delivery team. He supports the team in solving novel and unique engineering challenges, from developing nuron’s own technology to creating the bespoke solutions for our customers.
Tom has a PhD in the field of building energy use and simulation. He has also worked in nuclear, rail, renewables, moveable structures and O&G prior to joining nuron, providing him with a diverse knowledge of the infrastructure industry
Dr Samuel Shelly
Lead Scientist
Sam is responsible for supporting the nuron team with various activities across the business . On the R&D side he is responsible for expanding the range of nuron’s detection algorithms for their wastewater monitoring technology and developing new product opportunities. Sam also leads a number of our Infratech Services projects for customers, spanning a diverse topic range such as communication, leak detection and monitoring software. Sam has a background in Physics, completing a PhD in fluid mechanics at the University of Exeter and has held a subsequent Postdoctoral role focussing on acoustics.
Our Non-Executive Directors
Mike Ainger
Mike is the Founding Director of nuron, and has 30 years’ experience in the transport, communications and engineering industries. Mike was Chief Operating Officer of Geo Networks, the UK’s leading dedicated optical fibre business. He was also responsible for the development of the UK’s only optical fibre business to successfully use the sewers, Geo metro (formerly Urband). Mike is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.
Chris Smedley
Chris is an experienced leader and a qualified solicitor who has developed and led several technology businesses. He founded and ran Geo Networks, the UK’s leading dedicated optical fibre business, sold in 2014. As well as sitting on nuron’s board, Chris also established Landways, which provides long-term communications infrastructure solutions for high-density buildings and venues.
Mark Rutherford
Mark is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years experience in telecommunications and technology business, specialising in commercial and business development and strategic planning on start-up businesses. As well as sitting on nuron’s board, Mark runs a business specialising in supporting the creation of new start up and further development of telecom businesses.
Our technical advisors
Prof. Kirill Horoshenkov
MEng, PhD, FREng
Professor of Acoustics
Kirill Horoshenkov is Professor of Acoustics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sheffield. He is an expert on novel sensing technologies for the inspection of underground assets and instrumentation. He has been principal investigator or co-investigator on 19 projects related to urban water sensing. He has over 160 publications in refereed journals and conference proceedings. He has a strong track record in research leading to non-academic impact. In 2009 he was awarded a prestigious Brian Mercer Award from the Royal Society, ultimately leading to the establishment of his spin-off, Acoustic Sensing Technology Ltd, which markets SewerBattTM technology for buried pipes inspection in the UK and overseas.
Prof. Simon Tait
Bsc (Eng), PhD
Professor of Water Engineering
Simon Tait is Professor of Water Engineering in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering at Sheffield University. He is an expert in the processes associated with sedimentation in river and urban drainage systems and the hydrodynamics associated with flows over rough, water worked sediment deposits. His secondary interests are in applying and developing improved measurement and management methodologies to allow urban water infrastructure systems to cope better with pressures caused by climate change, changing patterns of use and physical deterioration and more recently the study of energy use and recovery in urban water systems. Simon has over 70 publications in refereed journals. He sits on CIWEM’s Urban Drainage Group and is current Editor of the ICE’s Water Management journal.