Solve what matters

If I had one piece of advice for anyone in Research: don’t fear failure and be prepared to fail first. The only real setback is staying stuck. At Dyson, we learn by doing, and the next breakthrough often starts where the last idea didn’t quite work out.

I joined Dyson in 2018 after spotting a role that felt tailor-made for my background in power converters. It was the perfect gateway into motor drives and battery management systems and a chance to be part of a company built on disruptive innovation.

I was a Lead Power Electronics Engineer and transitioned to a Research Manager role, leading a team of eight engineers across Floorcare and Beauty. It’s been a natural evolution, from leading projects to now guiding the people behind them. My role is less about getting into the technical details myself, and more about ensuring the team delivers exceptional electronics designs and innovative IP. I help set direction, review designs, and ensure they focus on key deliverables first. And just as importantly, I invest time in my team through one-on-one sessions, informal coffee chats, and making sure they have what they need to thrive and grow.

One of the defining moments in my career was leading the electronics for DS60 Piston Animal Submarine™, an accelerated project that pushed us to move fast and think smarter. I coordinated 14 engineers, managed architecture and costing, and helped deliver a smooth handover to the development team. It taught me how to lead under pressure, prioritise based on risk, and adapt without compromising quality.

What I’m most proud of is the culture within my team. We operate like a real team, not just people working on the same project. In research, it’s easy to feel isolated, competitive even. But here, we support each other especially when things get tough.

Over the years, one of the things I’ve valued most is how much you can learn just by working alongside multi-disciplinary teams. You pick up knowledge organically by listening, observing, and collaborating. I’ve also learnt how to stay focused in an environment that constantly shifts. Projects change daily, and success depends on solving the right problems first. That mindset has made all the difference.