A PERSONAL PROFILE

After completing his degree at King’s College, Cambridge, in 1966, Martin Tarr joined Standard Telephones and Cables, where he developed a number of key processes for the emerging hybrid microelectronics industry. To his formal training in Physics and Chemistry was added experience in electronics engineering and materials disciplines.

Progressively promoted to Head of Laboratory, Martin was deeply involved in innovative custom applications of thin film, thick film and surface mount technologies from avionics to heart pacemakers, and learnt technical marketing and project management skills. He also led a team responsible for MOD contracts to develop state-of-the-art computer-controlled design, process control and manufacturing equipment.

In 1976, Martin was head-hunted by Waycom Ltd to set up a prototype hybrid microcircuit plant in co-operation with a Belgian partner. In reaching £1M turnover, the business outgrew its original premises, equipment, and technology, and Martin managed the necessary upgrading and executed a move to a green-field site.

In 1981, Martin was promoted to the Board, and became responsible in addition for technical and quality activities throughout the company. He was elected as Hybrid Technology Product Group chairman for the Electronics Components Industry Federation, and served from 1984-6 as a member of the ECIF Council.

Following a period of specialist technical/marketing consultancy in the electronics industry, Martin joined Highland Electronics in 1988 as Managing Director. In 2¼ years he increased turnover by 82% to over £5M, raised the order book 7-fold with 46% new product content, revived the sub contract manufacturing service and converted a Group subsidy into £400+k profit.

When the company was sold to a competitor, Martin went back to consultancy, often working in both strategic and operational roles in co-operation with financial institutions. He has a wide breadth of experience in high-technology areas, which he uses in both consultancy and training, and is associated with Napier University, Edinburgh, where he was a Senior Consultant at the Scottish Advanced Manufacturing Centre at Livingston until its closure in 2006. He is a tutor on the University of Bolton’s AMI distance learning MSc programme, and recent work includes authoring training packages on electronic product manufacture, lead-free implementation and thermal design.

Martin is a Chartered Engineer, and a Corporate Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (formerly the Institution of Electrical Engineers), and the Higher Education Academy. He holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Open University Business School.

Martin is currently chairman of the SMART Group Scotland committee, where he encourages the sharing of expertise within the electronics community, and is often a speaker at SMART Group meetings, most recently on reliability issues.

Martin is also heavily involved in both local music and church life. For these, see his Personal pages.