Who we are | WD Hydrotech

Leadership Team

We are a multidisciplinary team of engineers, operators and commercial leaders working at the intersection of clean energy, industrial systems and real-world deployment.

Our shared focus is simple: make green hydrogen practical, scalable and economically viable — not just in theory, but in operation.

We combine deep technical expertise with hands-on delivery experience, building solutions that work for industry, infrastructure and communities alike.

Founder & Technical Advisor

Dr Nigel Williamson

Nigel is a prolific inventor and systems engineer with over 210 patents spanning advanced manufacturing, fluid systems and energy technologies. His work has consistently focused on improving efficiency, reducing cost, and minimising environmental impact across complex industrial applications.

He has collaborated with global organisations including NASA, Rolls-Royce and General Motors, bringing breakthrough technologies from concept through to commercial application.

In hydrogen, Nigel has played a pivotal role in advancing electrolyser design, including leading engineering at ITM Power and co-founding Clean Power Hydrogen.

Now acting as a Technical Advisor to WD HydroTech, Nigel provides strategic guidance on system architecture and innovation, supporting the ongoing development of the company’s technology as it moves towards commercial deployment.

Founder & Managing Director

Keith Downes

Keith brings extensive experience in scaling technology businesses from early-stage development through to commercial growth, investment and exit.

His career spans leadership roles across global organisations including GSK and Philips, as well as high-growth ventures such as LINE Communications and Learning Technologies Group.

In the hydrogen sector, he has been instrumental in building and commercialising emerging technologies, including his work in the early development of what became Clean Power Hydrogen.

At WD HydroTech, Keith leads strategy, partnerships and commercial development — ensuring the company’s technology is positioned not just to innovate, but to deploy at scale in real-world energy systems.

Operations Director

Heidi Tomlin

Heidi leads operations, delivery and organisational development at WD HydroTech, ensuring the business translates technical innovation into real-world outcomes.

With over 25 years’ experience across operations, communications and programme delivery, she has a strong track record of securing funding, navigating certification pathways, and taking new technologies from concept through to manufacturing readiness.

Her work is grounded in a systems-thinking approach — aligning people, processes and partnerships to deliver resilient, scalable solutions.

Passionate about sustainability and inclusive leadership, Heidi brings a human-centred perspective to the energy transition, ensuring that innovation is not only technically effective, but practical, responsible and accessible.

Engineering Director

Ian Pillay

Ian leads engineering and systems development at WD HydroTech, bringing over 30 years’ experience across energy, industrial systems and high-performance engineering environments.

His expertise spans the full hydrogen value chain — from generation and compression to storage — with a strong focus on safety, reliability and real-world performance.

Having worked alongside Nigel at both ITM Power and Clean Power Hydrogen, Ian combines deep technical knowledge with hands-on experience of taking hydrogen technologies from development through to testing and deployment.

At WD HydroTech, he is responsible for delivering the company’s electrolyser and compression systems — leading engineering design, integration and validation as the technology progresses towards commercial readiness.