When I was little, I dreamt of being a historian.

When I was little, I dreamt of becoming a historian. I was fascinated by ancient history, especially the story of the Siege of Syracuse and how Archimedes used machines and mirrors to defend the city. That fascination gradually led me towards engineering, and to many experiments with machines, liquids, and powders — much to the excitement of my parents. 

Over time, I channelled that curiosity into a career as a Welding Engineer, with a background in research and development across Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. My journey began with a degree in Mechanical and Welding Engineering from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in Ukraine, followed by a PhD from Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg in Germany.

At HERA, I wear a couple of hats. As General Manager of Fab 4.0 and the Welding Centre, I lead an expert team delivering technical consulting, training, audits, and a range of R&D projects and grant initiatives for our members. In addition, as General Manager of HERA Certifications Ltd, I oversee certification services delivered in accordance with the Steel Fabrication Certification Scheme (SFC), including the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 3834 and AS/NZS 5131, as well as accreditation activities aligned with the International Institute of Welding (IIW).

My work includes contributing to the development and evolution of industry standards across New Zealand and Australia, particularly in welding fabrication and quality assurance. This includes involvement with Standards Australia committees WD-003, WD-002, and ME-001, contributing to revisions of AS/NZS 1554, AS/NZS ISO 3834, AS/NZS 2980, AS/NZS ISO 9606, AS/NZS 5131, and other standards important to our industry.

I was fortunate to play a role in developing the New Zealand Steel Fabrication Certification Scheme (SFC). Together with SCNZ and industry partners, we developed and implemented a world-class certification scheme grounded in international best practice. Today, more than 90% of the country’s structural steel output is SFC certified. The significance of this work was recognised through the SCNZ Chairman’s Award in 2022. In 2025, I was honoured to receive the International Institute of Welding (IIW) Chris Smallbone Award in recognition of my leadership in establishing the IIW MCS ISO 3834 certification framework for welding fabrication in New Zealand. Today, New Zealand has one of the highest per-capita adoption rates of ISO 3834 certification globally for structural steel fabrication.

My research interests span a broad range of topics, including welding technology, automation, fracture mechanics, fatigue, and seismic performance. I also focus on automation, robotics, and the application of AI and machine learning in fabrication and quality control. I have authored and co-authored more than 80 journal articles and conference papers.

Over the years, I have been grateful for many opportunities to share knowledge with the industry. Thousands of professionals have attended our seminars and courses, many delivered in collaboration with international experts. I am particularly proud to have contributed to the development of the Australian and New Zealand qualification framework for Welding Supervisors and Inspectors.

My role at HERA has strengthened my passion for a holistic engineering approach — one that begins with identifying industry bottlenecks through certification and consulting activities, addressing them through R&D and standards development, and ultimately building future capability through industry training and education.

I believe engineers have a key role in shaping and improving the world.

Expertise and interests

• Design of Welded Joints: Specialising in seismic and high cyclic fatigue applications.
• Smart Manufacturing 4.0: Integrating advanced technologies to enhance manufacturing efficiency including robotics.
• TOC: Applications of the Theory of Constraints in fabrication.
• AI-Based Quality Monitoring Systems: Leveraging artificial intelligence to improve quality assurance and compliance.
• Circular design 4.0: design optimisation for sustainability in steel construction. AI-based design optimisation.
• Fracture mechanics: development recommendations for the use of steel for low-temperature service
• Weldability and Corrosion Performance: Focusing on the durability and longevity of materials.
• Robotics: design optimisation for robotic applications.
• Low and high-cycle fatigue: weld design and analysis for fatigue applications.