Stuart Thomas

Background

About Stuart Thomas

As the General Manager of Sales and Projects at Nepean Longwall, I have extensive experience in managing all phases of longwall projects, from scoping/conception and tendering through to production and delivery. I am responsible for tendering major contracts and in establishing customer relationships and contractual agreements. My experience as a former draftsperson and my previous role as manager of Nepean’s Technical Department has equipped me with the skills and knowledge required to manage supplier selection, testing, and validation and design phases of projects. One of the main responsibilities of my role, however, is managing product supply chains and overseeing product testing and manufacture. I have excellent supplier-management skills and am able to form supplier agreements and effectively manage product manufacture, ensuring compliance with contract specifications and Australian technical and safety standards. I have sourced products from providers across the world, including China, England, Germany, Poland and the USA, and as such am highly skilled in cross-cultural relations and in global procurement and supply chain management. Furthermore, my background in fitting/machining and fabrication also allows me to understand both the technical and practical implications of product manufacture and to effectively problem-solve design and manufacturing issues. I am also responsible for managing the installation and commissioning of longwall systems and providing after-sales service and advice to customers. In addition to my technical skills and knowledge, my roles have also required me to develop strong people and communication skills, not only with customers and suppliers but also as a manager of people and departments. As a result, I am highly adept at motivating, training, mentoring, and effectively managing people of all backgrounds and knowledge levels.