Team

Leadership Team

Alireza Abbassi Monjezi

Founder and CEO

Alireza Abbassi Monjezi

Founder and CEO

Waterwhelm Founder, technology inventor, and multiple award-winner, including Scottish EDGE and a Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship. A PhD in desalination, 3 years post-doctoral experience with over 7 years of business and technology development.

Mark Volanthen

Chairman

Mark Volanthen

Chairman

Serial entrepreneur with international career in private equity and VC backed businesses, with extensive business development, technology scaling and board level experience.

Akta Raja

Investment Director

Akta Raja

Investment Director

Serial entrepreneur, qualified solicitor and former investment banker with experience in successfully leading and scaling multiple businesses.

Engineering and Operations Team

Even Hestnes

Head Of Operations

Even Hestnes

Head Of Operations

A Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) with 30 years of experience in project and engineering management. Managing and delivering projects in the oil and gas industry, and now applying this experience to overseeing engineering operations, plant development, project development and equipment installation.

Dr Jamshid Zarkesh

Head of Engineering

Dr Jamshid Zarkesh

Head of Engineering

Significant experience in process engineering and engineering design, specialising in modelling, simulation, prototyping and commercialising thermal separation processes. Previously involved in industrial energy efficiency optimisation projects across a 35-year engineering career in the energy sector.

Fiona Collins

Head of Finance

Fiona Collins

Head of Finance

A chartered accountant since 2007 with over 15 years of experience in supporting management teams at fast-growing companies with a focus on financial management to meet organisational priorities.

Phil English

Operations Manager

Phil English

Operations Manager

Over 30 years of experience in automation, engineering and operations management, in the food & Drink, FMCG, Nuclear and Oil & Gas industries across Europe, North America and Asia.

Kevin Whitelaw

Electrical & Instrumentation Manager

Kevin Whitelaw

Electrical & Instrumentation Manager

Over 40 years of experience in oil and gas, engineering and management, and control systems engineering, including experience in the hydrogen sector and water sector globally.

Dr Richard Wood

R&D Manager

Dr Richard Wood

R&D Manager

Over 6 years R&D project management / operations capacity, business development, bid / proposal writing, contract negotiation, hands-on operational experience, and engineering of technology. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering and postdoc at the University of Oxford.

Dave McLellan

Workshop & Service Manager

Dave McLellan

Workshop & Service Manager

Utilising many years of experience in developing, fabricating and maintaining industrial equipment, machinery and plants. Hands on engineer with considerable experience as a senior mechanical technician.

Charles Hine

Business Development Officer

Charles Hine

Business Development Officer

With an MSc in International Development at the University of St. Andrews - focussed on transboundary water cooperation. Followed by 4 years business communications and development experience.

Leila Zarbafnejad

Control System Engineer

Leila Zarbafnejad

Control System Engineer

An Electrical Engineer with over 20 years of experience in control systems development, plant automation, data monitoring and instrumentation communication.

Farshid Tarzdar

Electrical Engineer

Farshid Tarzdar

Electrical Engineer

Over 30 years of industrial experience in project and plant development as a senior electrical engineer with extensive expertise in engineering control, instrumentation, and automation.

Farzad Foroudi

Project Engineer

Farzad Foroudi

Project Engineer

A mechanical engineer with OOW certification and over 7 years of experience in mechanical maintenance, repair, and regulations within the maritime industry as well as mechanical design.

Mathew Nwafor

Plant Operator

Mathew Nwafor

Plant Operator

Over 7 years of experience in process/plant operation in chemical industries, cement industries, and the wastewater treatment industry. With a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and an MSc in Sustainable Engineering.

Shahzad Ahmad

Plant Operator

Shahzad Ahmad

Plant Operator

Over 20 years of experience as a Plant Operator working in numerous refineries in various countries. Now applying his experience to operation of pilot / commercial plants.

Henry King

Graduate Project Engineer

Henry King

Graduate Project Engineer

A Masters graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Glasgow with a dissertation based on water lifecycle assessment. Working as a Graduate Project Engineer in plant design, equipment selection, commissioning and operations capacity.

Olivia Boni

Intern Process Engineer

Olivia Boni

Intern Process Engineer

Final year Chemical Engineering student at Strathclyde University contributing to process design, simulations and equipment selection.

Grant Murray

Intern Process Engineer

Grant Murray

Intern Process Engineer

Final year Chemical Engineering student at Strathclyde University contributing to the data analysis, commissioning, optimisation and operation of plants.

Poppy Houston

Intern Marketing Assistant

Poppy Houston

Intern Marketing Assistant

A final year Business with Marketing student at the University of Edinburgh. Working part-time and supporting the creation of new marketing materials, branding and conducting market research.

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Team

Leadership Team

Alireza Abbassi Monjezi

Mark Volanthen

Akta Raja

Engineering and Operations Team

Even Hestnes

Dr Jamshid Zarkesh

Fiona Collins

Phil English

Kevin Whitelaw

Dr Richard Wood

Dave McLellan

Charles Hine

Leila Zarbafnejad

Farshid Tarzdar

Farzad Foroudi

Mathew Nwafor

Shahzad Ahmad

Henry King

Olivia Boni

Grant Murray

Poppy Houston

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