Interview with Nick Ward

After graduating in Mechanical Engineering Nick Ward (46) worked as a scientist before switching to IT. In London he received a tip about a vacancy at Yokogawa Marex in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. Nick’s dream was to exchange the bustle of the city for the peace of an island, so he decided to apply for the job. His dream was fulfilled – and he was able to continue his career.

“My first impression of Yokogawa was that of a lean company where everyone works hard and everything is run efficiently. Most of the offices have a simple design and fittings; the Tokyo Head Offices, for example, are not equipped with air-conditioning.

However, the work climate is okay, certainly here at Marex. The communications are good, the colleagues are helpful and supportive, and there is good-humored banter in the office.

“The ethos of all Yokogawa offices is the deeply-rooted wish to please the customers, and it’s integrated throughout the corporate culture. I had previously worked for a number of service providers, so I didn’t find it difficult to become accustomed to the culture.

My main role here is to design and develop computer systems. My tasks are not prescriptive. I can and do use my initiative at every opportunity. Sometimes my work frustrates me, but when it is good it can be very satisfying.

Take, for example, the project I’m working on at the moment. The objective is to implement an Oil Movement system that uses Mass Balance and Data Reconciliation to provide refineries with more information than they ever had before. They will obtain data about the volumes of oil that are moving around, and about changes in tank levels that suggest undocumented movements are taking place. Yes, in a way I feel needed – but not indispensable. The most interesting part of my work is being able to utilize mathematics and statistics in solutions to problems. For example, I am involved in Yokogawa’s initiative to offer Process Analytical Techniques (PAT) to the pharmaceutical industry.

Am I proud to work for Yokogawa? Well, I certainly appreciate that I am able to work on projects that no affiliate office can bid for without the reputation of Yokogawa to back us up. Being part of a multinational means that I am taken seriously by customers: it’s as though the entire organization is supporting me.

My aspirations for the future? To design and develop a great application or tool customers will flock to purchase. Who knows, one day!”

Nick Ward