Ives is new IMechE President

An Institution of Mechanical Engineers product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 30, 2005

Gloucestershire industrialist Andrew Ives has been elected the 120th President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the world's leading global voice for the profession.

Gloucestershire industrialist Andrew Ives has been elected the 120th President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the world's leading global voice for the profession.

Ives, who is 61 and hails from Cirencester, was officially inaugurated during the IMechE's AGM on Wednesday 25th May at its Westminster, London, headquarters.

He vowed, during his year in office, to convince the public and industry of the importance of engineering and how engineers hold the key to solving world problems.

Agreeing he has set himself a tough agenda for his presidential year, he said: "This institution has a duty to get the message across that you've got to be involved in engineering to make the world habitable".

"The main issues facing the world are to do with pollution, emissions and the consumption of irreplaceable resources such as fossil fuels".

"Only engineers can provide solutions to these problems".

"In the 1960s, we thought that science and technology could be the keys to changing things for the better, but that hasn't happened".

"The solutions are not going to be found by politicians or by scientists".

"They're going to be found by engineers using technology, and that takes time".

"You can't make changes that impact the way the world is going in less than 25 years, and we don't have 25 years", he added.

Ives currently runs his own technology and business consultancy firm, Ives Associates in the Cotswold village of Ampney Crucis.

He is a Fellow of both the IMechE and the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and takes over from the presiding president, William Edgar, CBE.

The IMechE is a staunch supporter of engineering education across all ages, from schools to universities - a strong belief echoed by the married, father-of-two.

He said: "We have to capture the enthusiasm of young people, and we don't do that by thrusting science and technology down their throats".

"We have to expose youngsters to the excitement of engineering and the benefits to humanity".

Ives' extensive career history includes over 35 years' experience in the management of research, design and development, business development with electronic, electrical and mechanical engineering products.

Of that, he amassed 30 years' experience with Lucas Industries where he held a number of senior engineering management positions, including Head of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Congratulating him on his appointment, Edgar, said: "Andrew is a passionate believer in the importance of engineering and engineers to our quality of life and to society in general".

"I hand over the presidency to a most worthy successor whose vast experience stands him in good stead for the challenges of the year ahead".