Rory McDonald

Experience

Rory studied Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial College London before starting work in an engineering consultancy, focusing on aerothermal analysis. His significant project experience from this time includes developing whole-engine thermal models for gas turbines and aerodynamic development for Formula 1 and other motorsport series.

In 2011, he joined Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace in the Performance department. During his tenure, he led teams supporting the global network of engine test facilities. He served as the performance lead for the Trent 900, 700, and 500 engines, managed the departmental methods, and led the team of in-house specialists.

Rory returned to consultancy in 2020, first as a Principal Engineer with Norton Straw (now Element Digital Engineering), and then as the UK Director for Mechanical and Physical Engineering with Capgemini Engineering.

Rory is based in our Derby office.

Career Highlights

• Optimization of a single-seat race car's aerodynamic package, resulting in a 22% increase in downforce without any drag penalty.
• Development of methods for whole engine thermal modeling.
• Team leadership experience; significant work in developing numerous teams of talented engineers across multiple organizations.
• Leadership in organizational change; successful in developing organizational models in several companies to enhance operational efficiency and capability development.
• Customer negotiation expertise; led multiple negotiations for fuel burn guarantees with large airframe OEMs and airline customers, impacting business in the £50M-£100M range.

Specialisms

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis
• Thermal Analysis
• Gas Turbine Performance
• Systems Engineering
• Leadership in the development of complex offers
• Building and leading large teams

Professional Qualifications

• MEng Aeronautics, Imperial College London
• Chartered Engineer (CEng)
• Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (MIMechE)

Sector Expertise

• Aerospace
• Defence
• Motorsport

Connect with Rory on LinkedIn.