Inside the Secretariat
Get to know more about the people who work at IMCA and their roles within the organisation.
Nick Hough, Technical Adviser – HSSE and Offshore Survey
- Name? Nick Hough
- When did you join IMCA? I joined the secretariat in January 2005. I became IMCA’s second technical adviser, joining a secretariat of just seven full time staff. Two managers, two technical advisers, and three support staff. I saw the job advertised in an actual paper newspaper.
- What do you do within IMCA? At one time or another have I’ve handled nearly every topic of technical importance currently dealt with by IMCA except possibly lifting and diving, and even those topics, I do know a little about. I’ve represented IMCA at the IMO and I’ve dealt with regulatory affairs; for years I looked after the Competence & training committee, handled maritime security, and also the Remote systems and ROV committee. I’ve looked after renewables, decommissioning, and environmental sustainability. I’ve been involved extensively with all four regional committees including travelling to section meetings in the regions, although most recently I have concentrated on Asia-Pacific. Today I am primarily an expert in maritime safety: my main task is delivery of Safety Flashes and managing all aspects of the work of the HSSE Core Committee (including the maritime security sub-committee). A second important thread of my job is looking after the work of the Offshore Survey Committee. Alongside that, I still keep a friendly eye on the Asia-Pacific regional committee, and work closely with my colleague Andre Rose to keep up with changing developments in the uncrewed vehicle/autonomy/digitisation space. There is one other relatively unsung aspect of my work, and that is, I am one of IMCA’s ISO 9001/27001 internal auditors, and also have become an authority in the MANGO software tool used to manage IMCA’s quality management system.
- What are you most excited for IMCA in the future? I think the whole area of uncrewed vehicles, autonomy, remote operations – this area seems crucial. To me, being able to educate and inform our members on technical developments, should be a primary purpose of IMCA.
- What’s the best thing about working for IMCA? Variety: I have been able to work with the widest range of professionals and senior managers, on a wide range of technical issues, and to travel widely to facilitate IMCA’s work in different places across the world.
- What’s the biggest change you have seen in IMCA since you joined? I’ve seen much change: colleagues have come and gone; the office workplace has changed, management practice has developed. For me the biggest change would be that we take for granted today the availability of robust technology that enables us to efficiently deliver what our members require, from anywhere in the world. From the cloud-based IT systems that enabled me some years ago to fly to Aberdeen to take two technical committee meetings without a laptop, through to the changes forced by COVID-19 that resulted in everyone working from home.
- What did you want to be when you were growing up? I wanted to be a “scientist” – someone who wore a white lab coat – and then, for quite a while, I wanted to be a train driver. In the end I studied geology and electronics and spent 17 years roaming the seven seas fixing the equipment used for marine seismic survey.
- Who’s your hero? One would be the late Clive James, as a great writer and humane commentator who came from nothing, from a common background, to achieve greatness. Others would be anyone who has achieved against outstanding odds: the grandmother of the yachtswoman Ellen McArthur, did a degree in French in her seventies. Edwyn Collins, the rock musician, following a stroke, practiced drawing every day for two years, and as a result became a useful professional artist. The lesson is, ANYONE can do ANYTHING.
IMCA Contact
Nicholas Hough
Consultant – Safety and Security
Contact
Editorial
Feedback and suggestions for future articles are welcome: [email protected]
Subscribe
Online signup coming soon - in the meantime, please email [email protected]