From placement student to R&D manager: Barrus promotes Jon Bebb

Barrus has promoted former placement student Jon Bebb to research and development manager, succeeding Phil James following his retirement after 28 years with the company.

The promotion reflects the company’s long-standing approach to developing engineering talent from within, with Bebb progressing from a university placement in 2019 to leading the R&D team seven years later. Barrus has previously described its placement and apprenticeship programmes as a route into long-term careers, with many former students progressing into permanent roles.

David Etherington Smith, sales manager, special products, says: “Jon’s progression is a fantastic example of the opportunities available at Barrus. His technical knowledge, leadership and passion for innovation make him the ideal person to lead our R&D team as we continue investing in new technologies and developing solutions that meet the changing needs of our customers.”

Bebb first joined Barrus as a placement student while studying motorsport engineering before returning to complete his master’s degree. He rejoined the company full-time as an R&D engineer in 2022.

Since then, he has worked on projects including hybrid and electric propulsion systems, hydrogen technology research, new Post-Immersion Restart Systems (PIRS) and the integration of Hybrid Marine production into Barrus’ operations. He has also represented the company through the British Marine Propulsion & Equipment Group.

Focus on future technologies

As R&D manager, Bebb will oversee projects from concept through to production while mentoring graduate and placement engineers.

Reflecting on his career progression, Bebb says the experience gained through industry placements played a significant role in his development.

“The practical experience you gain in industry is invaluable. It gives you skills you simply can’t learn in a lecture theatre and helped shape both my career and my development as an engineer. I’m proud to lead an incredible team that continues to develop innovative products for our customers.”

He says innovation will remain central to the department’s work: “Innovation is essential to our future. Customer expectations, technology and legislation are constantly evolving, so we’re always looking at how we can develop products that meet tomorrow’s needs.”

Barrus says recent investment in 3D scanning and additive manufacturing is helping accelerate product development, alongside continued work on hybrid propulsion systems and other emerging technologies.