TEAM

together on OUR JOURNEY

HVS is driven by its team, with each colleague working to a shared vision to revolutionise heavy duty transport and bring zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles to market

The Executive management team

Dr Charles Stone PhD, MBA

 Head of IP & Fuel Cell Technology

Charles is a world-renowned expert in proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology and has been with HVS since its inception in 2017.

  • Charles began his career in 1990 with Ballard Power Systems as a research scientist, advancing to Vice President of R&D by 2002, where he led fuel cell technology development and managed key partnerships with Daimler, Ford, and EBARA Research in Japan. In 2007, Dr. Stone founded Eon Consultants Ltd., advising governments, corporations, and venture capitalists globally on clean energy strategy, technology, and partnerships. He holds a double MBA from UCLA and the National University of Singapore and has published extensively in scientific journals, holding 15 U.S. patents.

Abdul Waheed

Director, Founder and  CEO

Abdul is a seasoned technology entrepreneur with a deep commitment to hydrogen and achieving corporate net-zero goals.

  • Over nearly three decades, he has launched and grown various tech startups, including ‘Techstar’ for PC hardware repair, ‘Property Safety’ for autonomous safety certification, ‘Time Tracker’ for cloud-based employee attendance tracking, and ‘Denzel Advertising’ for dynamic digital display updates.

    These ventures laid the foundation for HVS, which Abdul launched in 2017. Recognising the need for strong intellectual property to secure funding, Abdul became HVS’s Chief Innovation and IP Officer in 2020, creating a cutting-edge IP strategy that led to the development of SEMAS® technologies. Abdul is also listed as an inventor on SEMAS® patent applications currently underway.

Dr. David Telford BSc PhD CEng 

Chief Scientific Officer

David is a nuclear physicist who began his career at the UK Fast Reactor and is a Fellow of the Energy Institute.

  • David has been with HVS since its inception, supporting its mission to transform the Heavy Goods Vehicle market with sustainable, low-carbon solutions.

    David’s expertise spans low-carbon solutions across heat, power, and transport, embodied in his "NetZero3" concept, which integrates renewable energy, smart energy systems, and demand storage as pathways to net zero. David designed and delivered net zero heating and power systems for the £333M Aberdeen Event Complex. At HVS, David has developed proprietary AI-enabled technology called SEMAS™, which optimises fuel savings by up to 20% across diesel, battery, and fuel cell electric trucks.

Jawad Khursheed

Director

As a highly successful entrepreneur and executive professional with +19 years of cumulative experience in strategy and business development, Jawad has showcased unparalleled expertise in leading HVS to remarkable heights. Since assuming leadership in 2020, he has adeptly navigated the company through the challenges posed by the pandemic while spearheading transformative initiatives.

  • Under his direction, HVS has not only secured significant investments but also successfully delivered multiple vehicles and government-funded projects, positioning the company as a trailblazer in its sector. Jawad's strategic vision has been instrumental in propelling HVS towards the manufacturing stage, marking a pivotal milestone in the company's evolution.

    Under Jawad's astute guidance, HVS has thrived, evidenced by the development of cutting-edge vehicle technology programs and the establishment of an impressive intellectual property portfolio. His leadership has enabled the team to achieve notable milestones, including the creation of four ground-breaking vehicle technology demonstrators. Jawad's unwavering commitment to innovation and strategic foresight has been instrumental in shaping HVS into an industry leader, driving the organisation towards a future defined by continued growth, innovation, and success.

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Ian Palmer

Advisor

An internationally experienced Senior Executive with a specialisation in the automotive sector. Known for his exceptional ability to lead and motivate teams, Ian brings a wealth of experience that spans both large and small private equity, global groups, and a UK PLC. Ian's most previous role was Chief Financial Officer at Gordon Murray Group. 

  • Ian has played important roles in the turnaround of several prominent automotive companies, including SEAT, Bentley Motors, and Aston Martin. His financial acumen also extended to managing the profitability of proprietary supercar projects and 3rd party client programs.

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Steve Fletcher

Chief Technical Officer

Steve has over 20 years of international experience in automotive engineering development and delivery, most recent assignments include leading the Sports Cars engineering delivery at Lotus Cars and supporting the delivery of the REE P7-C advanced BEV Light Commercial Vehicle.

  • Steve's career has led between OEM, ESP, and Tier 1 supplier roles, including positions at Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Motors, Penso Consulting, Tata Technologies, Lotus Cars, and REE.

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John McKenna

Chief Programme Officer

John holds over 25 years’ international experience in automotive development from the concept phase, through development and into launch stage. He has led large multi discipline teams located globally, including Low Cost Country support teams.  

  • John has held senior positions in both Program Management & at Chief Engineer level across the Ford Tier 1 supply base and for McLaren. He also has Start Up experience through his time at Arrival Electric Bus where he headed up the Exteriors team.

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Pete Clarke

Head of Design

Pete has over 15-years’ experience as an automotive designer for a diverse range of commercial, OEM, concept & niche vehicle programs in the automotive, military and aerospace sectors - including projects with Marcos, Modec, Mercedes, Fiat and Volkswagen. He has particular expertise in zero emission commercial vehicle design. 

  • Pete is an expert in vehicle design development, from initial pencil sketch through to production. The vehicle design philosophy implemented with HVS is one of function-led design; blending comprehensive understanding of the powertrain technology and customer requirements, resulting in design innovation that redefines the traditional HGV.

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The things we live by

We get things done

  • We cut through hype and speculation with a practical, hands-on approach. We embrace all ideas but set realistic objectives we can tackle together.

We love the work

  • We love what we do, and we put our heart and soul into engineering change. We care about doing the right thing every time, bringing warmth, passion and commitment to all our endeavours.

We bring the best

  • Our strong, experienced and highly diverse team is dedicated to change, and collaborates to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

We push ideas further

  • We’re optimistic and future-facing. We truly believe that people have the capacity to take on life’s biggest challenges and discover the things that drive us forward.

Our Commitment to Diversity

At HVS we are committed to building a highly diverse team by way of backgrounds, gender and age.

01

DIVERSITY

We aim to build a diverse mix of highly-qualified and collaborative individuals whom are dedicated to change and making a meaningful difference.

02

collectively

This enables us to take on the biggest technical challenges and discover the things that collectively drive us forward.

03

inclusivity

Our commitment to inclusivity gives everyone the greatest opportunities to excel in what they do best and drives a high performing workplace.

WE’RE HIRING

Are you a talented engineer or a brilliant sales person? Have you got a head for project management or a love of finance?

We’d love to hear from you.

If you would like to be part of the HVS Family, please feel free to leave your CV with us: