Team

Josh Kerley

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Josh is our Senior Mechanical Design Engineer with experience working on projects in several sectors including industrial, medical devices and life sciences.

He joined Round Peg in April 2019 as a Junior Design Engineer, after graduating from the University of Portsmouth with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering. He is adept at breaking down technical problems, identifying constraints and developing effective solutions. His hobbies include badminton, climbing and cycling.

Sophie Ward

HR Manager

Sophie is our HR Manager, She brings more than 15 years of diverse HR experience to the team, having worked in HR roles across various technical, industrial and scientific sectors. She is always on hand to support the team and dedicated to the success of the business.

When not in the office she is mum to two energetic boys and can be regularly found out walking or, in the summer, pitching up in a campervan.

Andrew Bailey

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Andrew joined Round Peg as a Junior Mechanical Design Engineer in April 2021 after graduating from the University of Sheffield with an MEng in Aerospace Engineering and has recently become a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer.

In previous roles, his projects have included the design of bespoke tooling for jet engine balancing, and automatic control systems for natural ventilation.

In his spare time, Andrew enjoys sailing and windsurfing, amateur astronomy and playing musical instruments. He regularly sets himself personal projects, and is currently building his own electric guitar from scratch and renovating his boat.

Nick Harrison

Managing Director & Founder

For over thirty years, Nick has been one of the most highly respected figures in Cambridge technology circles. Founder of Round Peg Cambridge, Nick has led the company to design a vast range of award-winning products across pharmaceutical, industrial, telecommunications, medical and consumer products.

Round Peg Cambridge has recently celebrated 25 years in business, which Nick and the team are extremely proud of and we’re looking forward to the next stage of growth in 2021.

Nick’s experience

• Over thirty years’ experience in design and manufacturing
• Manufacturing sectors include medical, drug delivery, agriculture, ink-jet printers, radar, microfluidics, consumer goods and railway
• Ability to deal with companies manufacturing in small volumes of single figures, to high volumes of anything up to 30 million units a year
• Direct experience of providing consultancy support to the major Cambridge-based consultancies.
• Ability to capture ‘cross pollination’ from other market sectors in product design approach

Always willing to pass on his wealth of knowledge and experience, he is the reason why most of us wanted to join Round Peg in the first place!

Outside the office, Nick is always building or repairing something, from vintage motorcycles to building a full scale replica 1909 monoplane.

Nick’s famous saying ..

“Let’s try to turn a negative into a positive.”

Rob Udale

Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Rob joined Round Peg Cambridge in 2023 as our Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, he has experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver complex, multidisciplinary projects in the field of medical devices. 

He is skilled in producing simple, robust solutions for difficult technical problems, and has led multidisciplinary teams to develop cryoablation surgical tools, soft-mist inhalers, implantable devices and parenteral drug delivery devices. He has been the named inventor on multiple patents and is a Chartered Engineer.  

He read Engineering at Cambridge University where he developed his background in both fluids and mechanics at the prestigious Whittle Laboratory. In developing devices, he seeks to balance technical, user and commercial requirements to produce simple and robust solutions.

Jacob Smithies

Junior Mechanical Design Engineer

After graduating from Aston University with a first-class MEng in Biomedical Engineering in 2024, Jacob joined the team as a Junior Mechanical Design Engineer.

During his time at university, he developed a broad range of skills and experience across mechanical, design, software, and electrical engineering. His projects included the design and fabrication of an electro-mechanical model of the human cervical spine to investigate degenerative disc diseases, as well as the creation and programming of a self-levelling spoon to assist individuals suffering from hand tremors.

In his free time, Jacob enjoys staying active and creative. He is an avid gym-goer and passionate about climbing. He also enjoys designing 3D prints that blend engineering and artistry. When he’s not tinkering with designs or climbing walls, he loves to travel and explore new destinations whenever possible.

Ondrej Betak

Year in Industry Student

Ondrej is a MEng Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Bath, currently doing a year in industry at Round Peg.
His interest in device development grew through being a member of the mechanical testing team in Team Bath Heart, a competition team that works to develop an artificial heart, as well as working in the hospital over the summer as an HCA.
In his free time, he enjoys playing the violin and composing music, as well as running and bouldering.