Terry Spall CEng FIMechE has assumed office as the 135th President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). Spall, whose career background is in the car industry, has been a member of the institution since 1984, and is a long-standing volunteer, serving as a trustee and also lending his expertise as chief judge at the Formula Student racing car competition over the past five years.
Commenting on his appointment, Spall said: “It’s an exciting and challenging moment to take over the presidency. This last year we have been working on the governance and finance reviews and how they will be implemented, which has been a massive task. The results of these reviews will be rolled out over the next year and we will be consulting members on how they would like the Institution to evolve. It is time for change and I’m looking forward to playing a very active role to make that happen.”
Encouraging more member involvement in the Institution’s activities and raising the profile of engineering to encourage more young people from a diverse background to consider it as a career are also priorities for Spall this year. He has also chosen the future of mobility as the theme of his presidency, and in his presidential address in the autumn he will look ahead to see what the transport industry may look like in the future.
“The automotive industry is going through the greatest change it has ever faced, with the challenges and opportunities that electrification and automated driving bring. A truly exciting time – but how will all this play out over the next decade?”, he said.
Terry Spall received his first degree in mechanical engineering in 1985, followed by a MSc in Engineering Programme Management from Lancaster University in 1990. His career has included working at Leyland Trucks, Nissan and most recently at Horiba MIRA, where he led the establishment of its overseas operations in seven countries including China and India.
Spall was appointed as commercial director for MIRA Technology Park in October 2010, and left in January 2020 to become a consultant. He is a keen mountaineer and fell walker and also enjoys restoring classic cars, with two projects currently underway: a 1989 TVR 3000S and a 1968 Morris Minor.
