women in business 37 The rising star in the south


Maria Llorens who moved from Spain to the UK in 2009 to study MSc of Thermal Power at Cranfield University, spoke to Tracy Nicoll of The Business Magazine


Seven years on from that move and Llorens’ achievements have seen her win accolades from both inside and outside the industry, attract invitations to speak at industry events, secure a role with one of the top engineering companies on the south coast and, perhaps most remarkably, her analysis recommendations for jet engine components saved former employer Rolls Royce £8 million in the first year of implementation.


Winner of The Business Magazine’s Women in Business ‘Rising Star’ award in 2015 Llorens is the principal mechanical engineer at Southampton’s Bowman Power Group – a world leader in advanced exhaust energy recovery technologies for reciprocating engines.


At school Llorens excelled in maths, physics and chemistry.


An only child from a farming family in the village of Callosa d’en Sarria, Alicante, it was Llorens’ tutor who suggested she consider mechanical engineering as a career. “I had no idea what I wanted to study but I’d always been fascinated by how things work and when I looked into the course I knew it was for me,” she explained.


After gaining a first-class MSc/BSc in Mechanical/ Industrial engineering in Valencia, Llorens was sponsored by the Spanish Government to study for an MSc in the UK. It wasn’t easy. Moving to the UK was a big step. “My English wasn’t that good, I thought in Catalan, translated into Spanish then into English.” Despite this Llorens again graduated with first-class honours and was immediately offered the position of a reliability engineer with Rolls Royce, Derby. Aged 23 this was Llorens’ first job following university. “It was a massive challenge. The night before I was in tears because I had no experience outside of a university classroom and wasn’t sure I’d be good enough for such a prestigious company.”


Within just three years Llorens was promoted an impressive three times. While working as a system design manager Llorens’ expertise in calculating mechanical failures of critical components of jet engines resulted in the implementation of a new strategy, saving Rolls Royce millions of pounds. Unsurprisingly Llorens attracted attention and in 2014 was headhunted for her current role at Bowman Power Group where she heads-up the mechanical engineering department, is resource manager of a multidisciplinary team and is responsible for many areas in Bowman’s engineering department, including the product development cycle and new product introductions.


At that time Llorens was the only female engineer in a workforce of more than 30 and the youngest on the management team but being so successful in such a male-dominated industry hasn’t fazed her. “It was a challenge in the beginning but I have never allowed it to be an issue. It’s about mentality and attitude. We are all professionals. I’ve chosen engineering as a career – it doesn’t matter if I am male or female.”


Llorens is currently involved in several projects with leading OEMs with the aim of reducing


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – APRIL 2016


Following my career in the UK has meant making some life-changing decisions. Obviously I have doubts and anxieties.”


When Bowman Power Group offered Llorens a permanent position following her probationary period she almost cried with relief. “I felt wow, they like me”. Llorens also can’t quite believe she has been asked to deliver the close-of-term speech later this year to pupils at her old high school. “As soon as they asked I started shaking. It will be a proud moment with all my friends, family and teachers listening to me; I just hope I can inspire the students.”


Llorens’ rise has been impressive but she remains pragmatic about things which haven’t gone her way. “It has been tough and extremely challenging. I have worked 200% and pushed myself to the limits. I have picked myself up when things haven’t gone to plan and grown a huge amount personally and professionally. During the past seven years I have experienced a different language, culture and had to live thousands of miles from my friends and family. Looking back it sounds impressive but not in my mind. I’m just doing my job and I love what I am doing.”


Llorens at work w


IN BUSINESS 2016


omen www.businessmag.co.uk TM


'... I have experienced a different language, culture and had to live thousands of miles from my friends and family. Looking back it sounds impressive but not in my mind. I’m just doing my job and I love what I am doing.'


fuel consumption and hence emissions into the atmosphere. Llorens said: “I am super-proud that the work I do is aimed at creating a better environment that will benefit society.” Llorens is also very ambitious and is currently considering, with the support of the Bowman Power Group, applying for an EMBA at the London Business School with the long-term aim of securing an engineering directorship role.


Despite her ambition and success Llorens is modest and admits she often has low expectations of herself. “I am a strong and independent person but I am human.


Maria Llorens collecting The Business Magazine’s Women in Business ‘Rising Star’ award in 2015


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