Simplifying Complexity. Delivering Safety.

Expo Technologies Global Leadership Team

Expo Technologies has an experienced and highly focused leadership team. Read more about the team here.

John Paul de Beer , Managing Director

His primary roles are to provide clarity of direction through the implementation of the company strategy, support the management team in creating an environment that enables success, and ensure Expo provides a balance of outcomes for all our stakeholders, in line with our values and vision.

JP joined Expo Technologies in 2005 as R&D Engineer, moving through various positions in the engineering function before becoming the Technical Director in 2009, after completing an MBA in technology management. In 2015 he was appointed to role of Managing Director where he oversaw the opening of our factory in Qingdao China and supported the start of the Pharma Engineering business in Cork, Ireland.

Having grown up in South Africa he completed his degree in mechanical engineering before relocating to the UK. He enjoys an outdoor lifestyle, such that the English weather will allow, and spends his weekends running on trails or patiently making his way around a local golf course.

Maria Bowes, Finance Director

Maria joined Expo Technologies as Finance Director in 2018, after a long career in finance, including the serviced office industry. During a spell at Reuters, she learned about the value of mentoring - something she has embraced with a passion at Expo, building a strong mentoring and development culture into the Finance team. Maria is a member of CIMA.

Since becoming FD, she has led the Finance function in implementing new automation tools, allowing them to work much more effectively, including the introduction of a global financial reporting system across the whole Expo Group.

When not working, Maria enjoys meeting friends & family for long walks with her dog, pottering around her garden, and attending live music events.

Anthony Darragh, Group Technical Director

Anthony joined Expo in 2022 as Technical Director. He has a career spanning several different industries including automotive, precision industrial, LED lighting and consumer goods. His process driven background has allowed him to help shape and grow organisations as well as develop and introduce new technologies.

He is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. In his spare time Anthony enjoys activities with his two children which often involves cycling and always looks forward to an annual winter sports holiday for some snowboarding.

PJ Wilson, Global Operations Director

PJ joined Expo Technologies for the first time in 2012 as Operations Manager and stayed a little over 2 years before returning in 2022 as the Global Operations Director. PJ’s experience has covered Chemical Manufacturing, Electronic Defense, Aerospace, and Life Safety Products.

As Global Operations Director, PJ oversees Expo’s operational functions globally, and is responsible for ensuring synergies, efficiency and best practice are driven throughout the organization.

Born in South Africa, PJ studied Mechanical Engineering and Production Management before moving to the UK, where he has completed an MBA and is currently studying for an MSc. in International Corporate Finance.

PJ enjoys the outdoor lifestyle, including hiking, preferably in good weather.

Matt Dudones, Global Sales Director

Matt joined the Expo team in June of 1998 as an administrator tasked with organizing and developing the processes for the USA facility. From there he held positions from Office Manager to Vice President of Sales and Marketing before his current position of Global Sales Director. Matt oversaw the opening of our Twinsburg, Ohio manufacturing facility in 2008 where he works from today.

In his current role he oversees global sales and service teams. Matt has a degree in Business Marketing and as well as a technical degree in broadcasting. Matt is passionate about understanding the marketplace and creating value for the customers.

A lifelong resident of Ohio, Matt grew up in the Rubber Capital of the world Akron OH. When he is not at work Matt enjoys spending time with his family doing outdoors activities and enjoying the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Fergus Collins, Global Marketing Manager

Fergus joined Expo in 2021 as the Territory Sales Manager for Asia Pacific and has since progressed to become the Global Marketing Manager. In this role, he leads the development and implementation of the company's global marketing strategy. With over 15 years' experience in the field of hazardous area protection, Fergus brings a deep understanding of the market and a proven ability to translate that knowledge into effective marketing strategy and initiatives.

His valuable global perspective is underpinned by international experience in product management and sales development while living and working in Germany, Singapore and his home country of the UK. Fergus holds a degree in Business and Marketing from Leeds Metropolitan University.

Abby Qu, General Manager of Qingdao Expo M&E Technologies Co., Ltd.

Abby joined Qingdao Expo in 2017 as Assistant General Manager and moved into her new role as General Manager in 2020. Prior to joining Expo Technologies, Abby has over ten years’ working experience in multi-national companies including Alstom power division.

Abby is responsible for the overall management of Expo China factory established in Qingdao, China in 2015. Her main focus is to continuously improve the performance of Expo China Operations and deliver excellent quality product for the protection of equipment used in hazardous areas and industrial applications in APAC regions.

What she likes and try to be is summarized in three Chinese phrases:

君子不器，运行不息，随遇而安

Alex Rush, Production Manager

Alex joined Expo in 2012 as a mechanical fitter after completing a 3 year marine engineering cadetship in the oil & gas sector. In 2013 he joined the Service Team, and spent 4 years commisioning, troubleshooting, and repairing Expo equipment in the field across our global customer base.

Between 2017 and 2021 he moved through a variety of technical and production engineering roles, before being appointed as Production Manager.

When not spending time with his growing family, Alex is a social / fair weather cyclist, but has been known to take part in the London to Brighton charity ride.

Martha Carrillo, Global Certification Manager

Martha started at Expo Technologies in 2005 in an office administrator role. She moved into the Certification department a year later and since then has taken on several roles, including Quality Manager, before becoming Expo's Global Certification Manager in 2014, building and leading a team of certification specialists.

The most rewarding part of her team's work is seeing the contribution to making our systems and clients' equipment safe for use, and helping Expo to build a safer world.

Martha gained her Electronics Engineering degree from university in Bogota, Colombia in 1995. When she is not at Expo she enjoys spending time with her family, and has been a major contributor to Expo photography challenges over the years.

Rae Clark-Raee, People Manager

Rae joined Expo Technologies in 2011 as a temporary contractor to review and design the internal training program, before joining permanently to grow the HR function.

This led to their current role of People Manager, which Rae started in 2020.

As People Manager, they oversee the people strategy, using Expo’s values to create a world-class culture and workplace, and build strong teams.

Rae studied History at the University of Winchester and later earned an MSc in International Human Resource Management from Kingston University.

Outside of work, they enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy and attending live music events.

Alan Wang, System Engineering Manager

Prior to joining Expo Technologies, Alan had many years of experience in the automotive, military, and industrial sectors. He joined Expo in 2015 as a senior electronics engineer within the R&D team. Between 2016 and 2022, he moved through a variety of technical and leadership roles before becoming Systems Engineering Manager.

He has broad experience in designing, testing and integrating electrical, mechanical, pneumatic and software systems. He is passionate about bringing system architecture, design, verification together to work as a cohesive unit.

He has a degree in Electronics Engineering from The University of Surrey, and is a member of BSI standards committee on Measurement and Control (GEL65) and also a member of Kingston University's Industrial Advisory Board. In his spare time, he enjoys activities with his two children, as well as golf, badminton and table tennis

Tom Houlihan, Engineering Manager

Tom joined Expo Technologies in 2023 as Engineering Manager, bringing with him a rich background in automotive engineering, motorcycle design, and electric vehicle start-ups. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Surrey, Tom has a strong technical foundation that he has applied to a variety of innovative projects throughout his career. His passion for elegant design enables him create solutions that are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.

At Expo Technologies, Tom is dedicated to fostering a dynamic and collaborative team environment. He believes that the key to successful engineering lies in empowering each team member to contribute their unique strengths, which in turn drives innovation and excellence. His leadership style is hands-on and inclusive, ensuring that all voices are heard and that the team works cohesively towards shared goals.

Outside of work, Tom continues to pursue his passion for motorcycles, often spending his spare time working on custom build, keeping him closely connected to the industry trends and technologies. Tom’s extensive experience in bringing complex designs from concept to production, coupled with his enthusiasm for cutting-edge design, makes him a valuable asset to the Expo Technologies team.