Management Team
Jim Bell, Managing Director
Jim’s engineering career started in 1989 with the Wimpey Construction Group, where he gained experience across various heavy civil construction projects before moving to Wimpey's offshore construction division. He then spent three years as a client engineer on London Underground's Jubilee Line Extension Project, after which he was recruited by Oil States Industries as its EMEA Sales Manager. In 2005, Jim was appointed as FoundOcean Managing Director where he has implemented major strategic changes that have resulted in significant business growth. These changes have included international expansion, research and investment in new plant, and a 500% increase in employee numbers; leading to a 10-fold increase in revenue. Jim has been involved in numerous technically challenging projects, including the Woodside North Rankin B jacket installation; Thornton Bank Wind Farm; BP CATS pipeline repair; ConocoPhillips Ekofisk strengthening; Exxon Diana Truss Spar riser system; and, the Umm Shaif Gas Development project. Jim holds a degree in civil engineering from London’s City University.Andy Venn, Sales Director
Andy began his career as a mechanical engineering apprentice with British Rail Engineering Limited in the 1980s. After completing his apprenticeship, he specialised in CNC machining and, later, CNC tooling design. In 2003, Andy relocated to Switzerland to work within a division of one of the world’s largest and most diversified speciality metals producers as European Sales Administration Manager before being promoted to European Marketing Manager. As Sales Director, Andy is responsible for FoundOcean’s business development in both the oil & gas and renewable energy sectors, as well as being responsible for the organisation’s marketing and communications policies. Andy has a degree in engineering design and change management from the Open University.Martin Hardy, Technical Director
After graduating as a civil engineer, from Portsmouth University, Martin joined Wimpey Laboratories Ltd in 1983 as an engineer in their offshore group. When Wimpey sold off their Offshore interests, he moved with the company to FoundOcean. There he gained experience in grouting and cementing services, material development, inspection techniques using radioactive density gauges and structural surveying using flooded member detection (FMD) techniques. He became a Director and Board member in 2004. With 38 years’ experience in the offshore energy construction industries, Martin has been involved in numerous projects as diverse as Hutton TLP installation to the salvaging of the Costa Concordia cruise ship.Hazel Hunter, Finance Director
Hazel joined FoundOcean in mid-2016 and is based at our Livingston site. She has extensive International Oil and Gas industry experience, where she was previously Finance Director at Subsea 7, Forum Energy Technologies and V Group. She is Qualified Chartered Accountant and has an MA (hons) degree from Aberdeen University.Kerr Wright, Director of Operations
After graduating from the University of Glasgow in 2011, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Kerr started his career working in the Telecoms sector as a Site Engineer for May Gurney offering a variety of services to customers including maintenance, installation, and decommissioning of new and existing structures and telecoms structures all around Scotland. In 2012, Kerr moved to FoundOcean Ltd, starting as a Project Engineer, working out of the Marlow office. Management of multiple large-scale projects soon followed as did a move to Livingston to take over the mechanical engineering manager position. Following a three-year period as Projects Manager, Kerr assumed the position of Director of Operations and is responsible for all FoundOcean’s onshore and offshore operations. Kerr has directly managed some of FoundOcean’s largest projects, such as West of Duddon Sands, Solan, Martin Linge, Brent Bravo Lift Points as well as providing technical guidance and oversight on projects such as Hohe See OWF, Beatrice OWF, and East Anglia One OWF.