Steering Committee

Mechanical Engineer, actually R&D Manager of Neway Valve Europe.

From more than two decades operates in design & qualification of isolation valves for Oil & Gas and other industrial applications.

Started his carrier as designer of industrial vibrating machines and plants for transport, sorting and conditioning of bulk materials.

In 1996 started his collaboration with major valve manufacturers in Italy and then Russia with following positions: Valve Design Eng., R&D Manager, Application Eng., Engineering Manager and Technical Director.

From 2016 with Neway Valve Suzhou (China), based in Milan (Italian branch) collaborating with HQ technical departments and R&D for valve design and qualification including support to IPO for strategic supply chain (materials & special process, sealing systems and actuation).

Author of two patent application publications relevant to design of DIB critical isolation features for MtoM TMBVs qualified Vs operational requirements (“Flex Seat” and “Reverse Piston Effect”).

Collaboration with IOGP from 2016 in review and development of S-562 specification (API-6D TMBVs).

A time-served hydro-mechanical & controls engineer, Tony first worked in automation and heavy mobile plant equipment. He subsequently designed primary flight control systems in aviation, before joining GE Oil & Gas in 2008, where he worked as Subsea Controls Product Director, covering subsea production systems, intervention and life-of-field applications.

He joined Rotork in 2020, as Head of Product Management, and continues to manage a global team of product managers across the full Rotork portfolio of products.

Tony has a degree in Mechanical and Materials Engineering, post-graduate qualifications in Engineering Business Management, plus leadership & advanced management training from both GE and Rotork.

Tony’s professional passions are truly understanding customer value and working with differentiated technology.

He also enjoys literature and is a keen runner and fly-angler.

Ayo Kilani is currently an ‘Independent Consultant’ on Valves & Mechanical Static Equipment for the Oil & Gas industry in Nigeria and recently retired from Nigeria LNG Limited as the Corporate Engineering Manager. 

He has over 35 years industry experience and occupied other safety critical positions of Head Mechanical Static discipline, Area Maintenance Superintendent (LNG Trains), Senior Engineer, Design Office (Mechanical / Civil) and Mechanical Engineer NLNG Plus Project at Nigeria LNG Limited.

He was the Mechanical Static SME / Site Technical Authority at NLNG, where he led his team to develop the first risk based Valve Maintenance Strategy that resulted in cost savings and plant reliability improvement. Ayo has been a steering committee member since 2018 and had the privilege of being the Steering Committee chairman for the 2022 Valve World Conference.