About Tom…

Tom has a long association with the marine industry, having been an active sailor and student of boatbuilding in Southampton. His career has encompassed a wide range of market sectors and he has gathered experience of business development, marketing and distribution in an international business environment. Recent career experience included distributor management for a marine equipment company before he joined SMI in February 2017, as the Business Development Director and Secretary to the Commercial Marine Group and Marine Science & Technology Group. Tom was appointed Chief Executive of the SMI in August 2020.

How is SMI adapting to the challenges of these uncertain times?

The initial work of the pandemic was all around helping to find out information and feeding in industry views to a variety of government panels. These were pretty much weekly at the start but that’s now receded to a fortnightly or monthly routine. Currently, we’re looking at how to operate in this hybrid world, with physical attendees joined by ones via Teams/Zoom. Providing insight and value to members is both easier and more difficult in the virtual world. We can’t completely recreate the spontaneity of physical meetings and yet we can provide insight more easily as no one has to travel.

Please tell us more about how you are supporting your teams and/or local communities?

The SMI team has been having almost daily catch ups via Teams since I took over in August last year. We’re up to about 60 meetings now just for this year. These have been essential in sharing updates on all the work we get involved in. At the same time they are a valuable team building/shared pain exercise!

How do you think the industry will change? Are there potential opportunities?

The digital world has certainly been fast-forwarded, combined with a need to remove humans from environments due to covid and cost. That really plays into the MST sector and its strengths. There are always opportunities out there!

What do you think are the main challenges ahead?

Private and company investment will have taken a hit, which reduce order books for some but as some areas – like oil and gas – shrink the opportunities in renewables grow so companies have to be agile and responsive to the markets.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I’m privileged to be connected across the industry at the highest levels and really enjoy being able to connect people with opportunities.

And the most challenging?

Probably the sheer diversity of the sector and how it expands beyond MST into the rest of the SMI membership and sectors – but that makes it fascinating so I’m not complaining.

Who or what inspires you to be even better?

I do my best to surround myself with positive engaging people and there is no shortage of them within SMI’s membership.  I hope I’m never heard saying “..but we’ve always done it like that”, as I’m keen to try new ideas. One day I’ll do some more work with something like the Open University, which keeps the grey cells developing.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself that most people don’t know.

I worked on a luxury yacht for the best part of 2 years and sailed the Atlantic twice – once the “wrong way” from the Azores direct to Bermuda.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

A recent advice, which I’ve used a lot is “faster, better, cheaper”. To sell more you need one of those 3 things.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?

Jump in – join professional societies, keep learning and get involved beyond the day job.

Why is innovation so vital to the ocean technology sector?

The challenges out there are immense in climate change and environmental damage, all whilst reducing human involvement. There is an immense amount of work to be done and innovation creates more ways to solve these huge issues.

How important is Ocean Business to the ocean technology sector? Why would you recommend a visit?

You won’t find another exhibition like it – smaller approachable exhibition stands, live demos and the best networking, all while being in the heart of the UK industry at the NOC.