Dr Mandar Thakare is Industry (Associate) Director for bp’s International Centre for Advanced Materials (ICAM). He is responsible for a multidisciplinary innovation portfolio, ensuring alignment with bp’s technology strategy and delivering measurable business value from research investments. He joined bp in 2019 as Materials Science Programme Manager and was appointed Associate Director in 2021.
Prior to bp, Mandar was an Innovation Programme Lead at Element Six Ltd., where he led multi-site, global teams in the development and commercialisation of advanced polycrystalline diamond technologies for oil and gas applications.
Earlier in his career, he held a postdoctoral research position at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Rolls-Royce plc, focusing on gas turbine materials and sealing systems. He began his industry career at Schlumberger plc, developing wear- and corrosion-resistant materials solutions for globally deployed downhole drilling systems.
Dr Mandar Thakare has over 18 years of experience in materials engineering, innovation strategy, and new product development, with a strong track record of translating advanced science into scalable, commercially differentiated solutions. His work focuses on bridging research, business priorities, and technology adoption—enabling organisations to deliver innovation with clear purpose and measurable impact. He brings deep expertise in materials performance, manufacturing, and industrial applications, consistently aligning R&D investments with strategic objectives to drive competitive advantage and long-term value.
His technical foundation includes postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford, where he generated fundamental insights into degradation mechanisms in advanced seal and material systems under engine-representative conditions, supporting Rolls-Royce Trent engine programmes. He led advanced characterisation and modelling of failure mechanisms, contributing to performance prediction and design improvement.
In industry, he has led high-impact innovation programmes across the full development lifecycle. At Element Six, he directed the development and commercialisation of next-generation polycrystalline diamond and tungsten carbide technologies, delivering step-change performance improvements and successful scale-up into manufacturing through close collaboration with customers and operations. Earlier at Schlumberger, he identified and qualified advanced coatings and materials solutions for globally deployed drilling tools, working with new suppliers and technologies to enhance performance and reliability.
Dr Mandar Thakare is an active contributor to the wider materials science and engineering community. He has published extensively on tribo-corrosion through journal papers, book chapters, and conference proceedings, and serves as a reviewer for leading journals including Wear, Tribology International, and the ASME Journal of Tribology. He is a member of the IMechE Tribology Committee.
In recognition of his professional contributions, he was elected Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IoM3) in 2020 and is part of the IoM3 Energy Transition Group leadership team. He also serves on multiple industrial advisory boards, supporting Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) programmes and broader research initiatives. In March 2026, he was also appointed as a Non-Executive Director for The Welding Institute, as an industrial member of their governing council, providing oversight and support to their strategic direction and governance.
