Dr. John R. Thomas is able to offer an unique combination of Business and Academic experience, having been at various times                                 a  Manager, a Problem-solver and Lecturer.

(Fought it, Thought it and Taught it!).

Business Experience

For well over 40  years, he has been instrumental in introducing state-of-the-art skills and techniques in diverse industries working for and with some of the best companies in the world.

For the first 20 years of his career he gained much operational management experience in both small and large companies working for and with firms such as 3M, Rexam, D.S. Smith, Ford, Nissan and Toyota.  (One plant for which he was responsible, achieved the Toyota Supplier of the Year Award whilst another was considered a world-leader in the Medical Supplies Industry).

This work was undertaken throughout Europe, North America and Japan.

For the past 22 years Dr. Thomas has run his own management consultancy, specialising in the development and implementation of World Class techniques aimed at creating sustainable step changes in business performance and profitability.

He has advised hundreds of organisations, both big and small, in a myriad of diverse industries in many countries.

 In 2021 Dr. Thomas joined the  SMART Digital Accelerator team at University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD).

This is a team of industry expert advisers who work with manufacturers in Wales to help them identify the right technology to boost their bottom line.

Here is an article he recently wrote for Business Insider magazine about the benefits that Digital Technologies can bring to companies ‘Onshoring’ their operations.

Dr. Thomas is also an active participant in the Welsh Government’s Business Mentor Programme, where experienced professionals voluntarily partner with start-up businesses to provide advice and support.

Academic Experience

Dr.Thomas was for 10 years a member of the ECS  (Education and Consultancy Services) team at the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge University responsible for developing innovative services to support small and medium-sized companies.

Dr. Thomas led the IfM portfolio in Wales and the West Midlands and simultaneously worked closely with the Welsh Government to provide diagnostic and consultancy services to a range of companies in Wales.

In doing this work, Dr.Thomas operated as an Industrial Fellow of the University of Cambridge.

From a teaching perspective:

• He was for 15 years a part-time Lecturer on Masters degree courses in Manufacturing, Quality and Project management with the Open University, (much of it as a consultant author of Technology Implementation, Project Management. Quality management and Manufacturing-based courses).
• Currently lectures in Operations Management and General Management at Swansea University and teaches Organic Chemistry for the Biosciences Foundation course.

• Taught Project Management on the LBA programme at Cardiff Business School.
• Ran a course on Value-Stream Mapping for the Engineering faculty  at University of Wales Trinity St. Davids.
• He was also a workforce development Fellow at University of Wales Trinity St. Davids. In this role he worked with businesses in West Wales to develop and implement robust business plans to ensure sustainability of these enterprises.

Qualifications

For a full C.V. please click on this link: CV Dr. J.R. Thomas 2023