IHEEM's new president

He was born in Swansea, South Wales, in July 1953 and was educated at Dynevor Grammer School. He left school at 15 and was an apprentice mechanical fitter with Bernard Hastie, a sheet metal and pipework fabrication engineering workshop. For the next six years he gained practical experience ranging from petrochemical plant construction to marine engineering in a dry dock.

In 1974, Phil Nedin was made redundant and, because work was in short supply, decided to move to London. While there, he continued to work as a fitter on materials handling and hydraulic equipment finally working for Hopkinsons as a site fitter installing and maintaining steam valves in thermal and nuclear power stations, industrial facilities and hospitals.

It was while with Hopkinsons that he became interested in fluid dynamics and decided that he would like to change his career direction and develop some design skills. He attended South Thames College in the evenings and completed his ONC, joining a London borough design group. He continued to study for his HNC and joined the North West Thames Regional Health Authority to gain experience of specialist air conditioning systems and other healthcare-specific systems.

Phil Nedin stayed with the Region for seven years, gained invaluable experience and was given the opportunity to study for an environmental engineering degree at The SouthBank Polytechnic in London on a day release basis.

In 1986 he was made redundant when the NWTRHA design group was disbanded. Phil Nedin joined a private consultancy practice for two years and completed his degree course.

In 1988, he moved back to Wales and joined Ove Arup and Partners in the organisation’s Cardiff office as a senior engineer. In his 18 years with the firm, Phil Nedin has attained the position of its director leading the mechanical, electrical and public health group. He is also responsible for the Arup healthcare business which is a key area for the firm and which has a global portfolio of projects.

Phil Nedin has been lecturing at Cardiff University for the past 12 years, and for the past four years has been involved in a final year multi-disciplinary project which currently involves the design of a 50-bed healthcare facility.

In 2002, he completed a management diploma with the Open University. Phil Nedin is married with two children, and enjoys music, golf and rugby.