Company - IPEC

Company Overview

IPEC is based in Manchester in the UK. Our company offers turnkey solutions for asset monitoring and testing. Our products range from simple-to-use instruments for routine spot testing, to sophisticated permanently installed systems that give detailed information on the condition of insulation in key assets across transmission and distribution networks.

ACCREDITATIONS

History

IPEC Limited was founded in 1994 with the objective of transferring cutting-edge technology to the power industry by generating a dialogue between academic research, industry, and commerce. This has enabled the power industry not only to fully exploit the research and innovation of scientists at the forefront of power engineering but to make an active contribution to the direction of future research and development. In turn, our company has been able to respond efficiently to market demands and develop commercially viable products which bring real monitoring and control solutions to the power industry.

Our People

Meet the IPEC team, with a wealth of experience in partial discharge theory and practical applications for testing, diagnosis, investigation and support.

Dr David North

Chairman

Dr David North holds both a PhD and BSc in Physics from Sheffield University and AERE Harwell. David serves as Chairman of the IPEC Board, a role he has held for over a decade. Following a very successful and distinguished career in Industry, including the role of President of LEM Instruments, and Executive Vice President of LEM, David joined the IPEC Board to bring industry expertise and strategic guidance to the Directors. Current and previous appointments also include a number of Director, Governor and Member roles in standards committees, educational institutes and sports clubs.

Dr Colin Smith

Managing Director

Colin Smith, BEng PhD, graduated from The University of Manchester with a Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1990. Colin joined the University’s Energy Systems Group to study for a PhD in high voltage engineering, followed by a year as a Research Associate. In 1994, he was a founding member of IPEC Ltd, a company providing a range of monitoring systems to the electricity supply industry. With 30 years’ experience, Colin is an acknowledged expert in the field of Partial Discharge detection and monitoring on HV cables and switchgear. During this period, Colin served as an associate lecturer at The University of Manchester, in addition to conducting lectures and seminar tours around the world.

Steve Brookfield

Director

Steve Brookfield is an experienced company director, having previously and currently managed businesses in a variety of industries. This includes managing Shermaynes Engineering Ltd for over 22 years and working closely with numerous football clubs in the UK including Premier League teams. Steve is Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) and brings financial management and strategic planning to the IPEC board.

Carl Eastham

Business Development Director

Carl Eastham, BEng, MIET, born in Manchester, graduated from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Since joining IPEC in 2007, he has worked closely with operational and product development teams to become an expert in both the theory and application of Partial Discharge technology. Carl has travelled extensively, lecturing and demonstrating Partial Discharge testing in around the world.

Sai J Mynampati

Director of Commerical Operations and Projects

Sai Mynampati holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, a Master’s in Power Systems, and an MBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management. With over 15 years of global experience, Sai has led technical and commercial projects across the UK, Middle East, India, and North America. He joined IPEC in 2020 and was appointed to the Board in 2024 to lead the company’s U.S. expansion. Sai now oversees IPEC US Inc. as Director, focusing on delivering predictive maintenance and partial discharge solutions for the rapidly growing data center and utility markets in the region. Sai brings strong combination of technical depth, commercial insight, and operational leadership—driving IPEC’s global growth and positioning the company at the forefront of predictive maintenance for critical electrical infrastructure.

Dr Koen Tavernier

Senior Software Engineer

Dr Koen Tavernier was born in Ghent, Belgium, he graduated from the University of Ghent in 1991 with a BSc in Electrical Engineering (Communication and Electronics). He continued his studies at UMIST, Manchester, the UK where he was awarded an MSc in Communications Engineering and Digital Electronics in 1992. He then went on to study for a PhD in HV engineering at Manchester University (co-sponsored by IPEC Ltd), graduating with a PhD in 1997 entitled “Modelling and Applications of Non-Linear Dielectrics”. Koen has been with IPEC since its humble beginnings and brings his high level of technical expertise with him to the IT software department.

Dr Jing Zhao

Senior Electronics Engineer

Dr Jing Zhao was born in China, he studied at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics between 1978 and 1985, graduating with a B.Eng in Electronic Engineering in 1982 and an M.Sc. in Mechanical Manufacture Engineering in 1985. He then worked as a development engineer in the field of Optical Information Storage Systems in a joint US-China project between 1985 and 1992. After a spell as an academic visitor at Manchester University he enrolled as a PhD student, graduating in 1996 with a PhD entitled ‘Detection of Acoustic Emission In High Voltage Insulation’. Jing brings to IPEC the electronic knowledge that drives the company forwards through its innovative products.

Research & Development

The IPEC Development and Engineering team create our innovative, market leading, products and solutions for the power industry. Specialising in the detection and automated analysis of partial discharge in high voltage distribution networks, we are a team of multi-disciplinary, highly motivated problem solvers with a combined experience of over 150 years developing electronic, firmware and software products.

IT & Software

IPEC’s IT department is responsible for managing the technology infrastructure, including hardware, software, networking, and data management. The role of the IT department is to ensure that the company's technology systems are working efficiently, securely, in compliance with industry standards and regulations, and provides IT support to IPEC’s customers worldwide.

Sales & Marketing

The Sales and Marketing department work alongside our global partners to deliver customer solutions to their networks. Ensuring the right products are deployed to meet customer needs and challenges.

Services & Support

IPEC Services provide a comprehensive range of Partial Discharge services customised to meet the specific needs of our customers. Our services include PD Investigations, Data Analysis and SLA delivery, Maintenance and Healthchecks and accredited Level 1 and Level 2 PD Training Courses.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing department plan and deliver both our standardised and bespoke solutions for clients. Ensuring acquisition of key components, high standard suppliers and top quality manufactured systems. The team have a wealth of experience in critical manufacture and can react to urgent demand at a moments notice.

Finance, HR, & Business Support

The finance department are responsible for ensuring the efficient financial management and financial controls necessary to support all business activities. Coordinating with customers and suppliers to ensure a smooth delivery of our projects for our clients

IPEC KSA

IPEC KSA was established in 2021 to support increased business in the Kingdom. The team of 6 engineers and technicians support the delivery and ongoing management of the worlds largest single deployment of PD monitoring systems.