Selecting the Brightest of a Generation

Image: Christopher Jansen of WorleyParsons

Richard Drake, Head of Business Development, has an extensive background in the engineering industry. Having joined OSL in 2014, his dedication to identifying opportunities and expanding the company brand to new circles, both across the UK and abroad, has significantly helped to raise our profile as the leading authority in the design and optimisation of gas compression systems.

It is this experience and skill set that led to Richard being selected as a judge for the recent IChemE Awards, which are committed to celebrating excellence, innovation and achievement in the chemical and process industries. Established in 1994, this year’s Awards attracted 500 entries from 40 countries and five continents, breaking all previous records. The evening was held in Birmingham shortly after ceremonies in Singapore and Malaysia, making it the final instalment in a three-part series of international events.

Hosting the awards was the BBC Breakfast team’s Steph McGovern, who covers business developments daily and often co-hosts the show. She was joined by eighteen judges, each deciding the winners of prestigious awards that included four new categories: Oil and Gas, Best Start-up, Industry Leader, and Research Project. Richard and fellow judge Rebecca Ferris, from EDF Energy, were allocated the exciting category of Young Industrialist of the Year, sponsored by GSK, and had to choose the best out of eight strikingly intelligent individuals from around the world. After difficult deliberation, Christopher Jansen of WorleyParsons in Australia received the coveted accolade in recognition of his impressive achievements, which included winning seed funding from the WorleyParsons Innovation Council to develop an idea that could revolutionise confined space safety during unit turnarounds.

Richard said: “The competition was fierce and presented chemical, biochemical and process engineering knowledge that could match that of many specialists twice their age. Christopher won because I believe that his dedication, attitude and capacity for ingenuity were of an exceptionally high standard. Put simply, he was the embodiment of OSL’s philosophy of Clever Thinking.”

OSL maintains a strong relationship with the IChemE and regularly collaborates on a variety of activity, including the on-going Accredited Company Training Scheme (ACTS), which helps personnel to achieve their goals and beyond.

Richard added: “It was a pleasure to serve as a judge at the awards. The entire event was expertly organised and it was truly inspiring to meet so many bright young professionals.”

To keep up to speed with OSL’s developments, we invite you to connect with Richard on LinkedIn and follow our company page.