Managing Director of Ingenuity US Shares his Future Vision
Despite an unexpected year, Ingenuity has not stopped growing. This year, the company opened its first international office, setting down roots in Denver, USA. Heading this new branch is the highly experienced design engineer, Brent Baskin.
To introduce Brent to the Ingenuity community, we decided to chat to him about the exciting plans for Ingenuity Denver and his role within this.
So, how long have you been working in the product design industry?
I have been working for 18 years in the design industry. Initially I was involved in the mining and defence industries, before moving to commercial and medical devices. Most recently I’ve been engaged in the EV automotive space.
What is it that draws you to this industry and keeps you going?
I love solving problems with innovative solutions. With such varied applications there are unique issues and a lot of learning involved in each.
The industry also gives me the opportunity to work with smart people and their ideas. It is exciting to collaborate with them and bring their designs into reality. At the end of it all, I love seeing the designs I worked on in a store or in use in the real world.
What is the most exciting product you have worked on to date?
I’ve worked on a range of 135 to 250kW motor controllers that provide the main drive for Electric commercial vans, trucks, and buses. This product line is a big player in a fast-growing market, being a strong alternative to Internal Combustion Engines and providing a very real benefit to our environment.
High power electronics such as these incorporate many innovative technologies and need significant team collaboration across all engineering disciplines. They require careful analysis to meet the high standards of automotive functional safety and product reliability, and smart design to balance the unit cost, size and weight.
Interesting! What kind of products would you like to work on in the future?
I’m excited to continue working on products that make people’s lives better. In particular, I plan to work on more medical devices, for use within the home or in medical settings, that provide people with an improved quality of life.
Now, you’re an Australian living in the US. What brought you to the US and how long have you been there for?
I met my wife Sara in Sydney when she came to do her masters in Australia. After spending over 11 years in Australia, we decided to move to the US with our young family in 2016 so that we could spend some time with her parents and family.
All my life I never thought I would leave home to live elsewhere, and leaving family and friends was an incredibly hard thing to do. Trading the ocean for the mountains has been just another adventure. Every time it snows, I still feel like a kid who’s seen it for the first time. I even enjoy shovelling the driveway on a cold, snowy day.
Brent Baskin and his family in the foothills of Denver
Sounds beautiful! Now let’s get down to business – can you talk about Ingenuity’s plan for the US office and how you fit into that?
Ingenuity has established a regional office to serve the local economy. With the incredible platform, processes and a talented team, Ingenuity is uniquely positioned in this market, which will help us standout against competitors. While many others only offer one engineering discipline, our offering as a one-stop-shop for Industrial, Electronics and Software design is unique here. Couple that with the accolades of an award-winning product portfolio and a well-established quality processes, I believe we have a real competitive advantage.
As managing director of Ingenuity Design Group LLC , I am looking to grow and lead a talented new design team here in Denver. I love working with designers and creators, and aim to bring Ingenuity’s engaging, collaborative and rewarding company culture to Denver.
Within this, I believe it is important to work with companies who understand our values, and who love to design better products that improve peoples’ lives.
We’ve seen some strange developments in the world this year with the pandemic. With that in mind, what challenges will you be tackling this year?
We are continually improving our systems and approach to ensure a safe work environment while we still maintaining a personal interaction with each other and our clients. With new branding, a new website and better conferencing tools at our disposal, we can interact with clients not only in Denver, but all across the country.
Even though the current economic outlook is still very uncertain, we are growing. Keeping projects moving and new customers engaged will be essential for our success this year.
Considering your growth mindset, what have you achieved so far in this regard?
We are incredibly excited to have already secured three key customers this year, in just first three months of operation. Their project goals are a great fit for our capabilities and company vision. The designs are challenging and engaging, and we have already met several major project milestones, with one product already out for prototyping.
I’m really looking forward to continuing to develop key partnerships with companies that share our values and provide them with the service and support that they need to succeed in these challenging times. Their success will help us create a better world together.
Brent Baskin has become an important party of the Ingenuity family. He has won a number of exciting projects this year and is working hard to make this world a better place through design.