Global reach, single focus
The Smardt team shares more than 25 years' experience working with power electronics, magnetic bearings and oil-free centrifugal chillers.
Pioneer and world leader in high-efficiency oil-free chillers
Smardt’s founder Roger Richmond-Smith and his technical partner Ron Conry started Turbocor oil-free compressor development in 1993 in Melbourne, Australia. Their team moved to Montreal, Canada, in 2000 to complete this breakthrough technology’s development and its 2003 commercial launch. Turbocor partnered with Danfoss in 2004 when Roger retired to academia in Paris. In 2005, he partnered with the U.K.’s Direct Energy to start Smardt as the world’s first chiller company dedicated solely to high-efficiency lowest-lifetime-cost oil-free centrifugals.
Today, Smardt’s pioneering commitment since 2005 has already dramatically cut global chiller energy consumption and owner operating costs with over 10,000 Smardt chillers now operating. This decarbonization and innovation campaign continues into the long term.
Company History

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2020
Global Management Team

Ashraf Abdala
President & Chief Executive Officer
Ashraf joined the Smardt Group in 2020 as Chief Operating Officer, COO and oversees the company’s global business operations across all functions & regions, as well as ensures the company has effective operational procedures and strategic vision.
Ash has over 30 years of experience in the HVAC & R industry in global leadership positions having worked and lived in Europe, North America, and Asia, including leadership positions in operations, commercial, product management, technology, and manufacturing at Johnson Controls, York International, Sauter Automation and Hussmann Refrigeration.

Philippe Rousset
Chief Financial Officer

Jean Turquois
Vice President, Business Optimization, Global Strategy and Planning

Megan Schoonberg
Vice President, Global Risk Management and Legal Affairs

Ray Mutch
Manager, Global Controls Team

Feng Kong
Vice President, Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Martin Dubois
Global Information Technology Director

Dr. Guy Phuong
Director of Global Research & Development Programs
Guy joined the TICA Group in March 2020, having over 20 years of experience in turbo-machinery, HVAC, CFD, FEA, and expertise in centrifugal compressors, aerodynamics, simulations, and design optimization. Over the last 20 years, Guy served in leadership roles with Daikin and Trane in the United States. He was Daikin’s engineering manager, and was Daikin’s project manager and lead engineer for all Daikin centrifugal compressor design and development projects.
Guy holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from RMIT University, specializing in jet propulsion. Guy also holds a PhD in aerospace engineering from Michigan State University, specializing in turbo-machinery. Among his accomplishments, Guy received an award for the design of the world’s most efficient centrifugal compressor and was also the technical chair of the ASME Process Industries Division Compressor Committee.

Joe D’Antonio
Global Technical Support Director

Caleb Jones
General Manager, Kiltech and Energy Management Consultancy (KEMC)

Roger Richmond-Smith
Chairman Emeritus
Roger founded Smardt in 2005 and quickly grew the business into the world leader in high-efficiency oil-free chillers. Roger founded Turbocor, Inc. in 1993 with technical partner Ron Conry and as CEO, moved the business from Melbourne, Australia to Montreal in 2000. After the technology’s launch in 2003 and the business’s joint venture with Danfoss in 2004, Roger retired to academia in Paris.
Roger was founding CEO of the Multistack International business from 1988 to 1997, after serving as founding CEO of the global Disctronics optical media group (1984-1988) and a long career in market research, marketing and new product development in major advertising agency groups (Ogilvy, Masius, Saatchi).
Roger’s MIT master’s thesis is on mathematical modelling. His work at Harvard Law was specialist international. His Ph.D. is incomplete.
Americas

David Donges
Commercial General Manager

Laurence Raza
CFO, Americas

Asim Ahmed
Service Manager, Americas

Joseph Bissi
Engineering Manager

Scott Johnson
Manufacturing General Manager
Asia Pacific

Anish Ahuja
CFO, AUS/NZ

Nicholas Young
Manufacturing General Manager

Amir Modirzareh
Engineering Manager

Simon Peisley
Commercial General Manager, AUS/NZ
China

Anna He
Manufacturing General Manager

Winston Chow
Commercial General Manager
Hong Kong

Kenneth Lee
Commercial General Manager
Greater Asia

Ken Lim
Commercial General Manager

Ayu Sarahasri
Finance Director

Eugene Leong
Regional Tech Support Team Manager

Anson Kok
Service Team Manager

Derek Chan
APAC Data Centre Director
UK

Peter England
General Manager

Andrew Chapman
Engineering Manager

Oliver Miles
Sales and Procurement Manager
EMEA

Kay Wyrwich
Commercial General Manager

Iris Lutz
Chief Financial Officer

Christian Richter
Product Manager Data Center Cooling EMEA

Bruno Welter
Engineering Manager

Sebastien Abel
Service Manager