professional profile
As Operations Director at NDE Andrew Campbell brings an unusual blend of engineering training, entrepreneurial thinking and real-world project experience to the stainless steel sector. Having started his career in renewable energy, project finance and infrastructure development, he entered the metals industry during one of its most turbulent periods, navigating market volatility, Covid-19 disruption and rapidly shifting global demand conditions. Today, Campbell plays a central role in helping NDE support customers across the stainless steel value chain, while offering thoughtful insight into material innovation, industry collaboration and the long- term future of South African manufacturing… Please share a bit about your background, including where you grew up, your schooling and tertiary education and how you first entered the stainless steel industry. I went to school in Johannesburg and then attended university in Cape Town, where I studied Mechanical Engineering. During my third year at UCT, I realised I might need to pivot towards something more orientated toward the business and project management side of engineering. Once I completed my undergraduate engineering degree, I therefore pursued a postgraduate degree in Entrepreneurship. I started as an intern at a venture capital fund, which placed me within its online pharmacy startup. I then spent five years in the solar industry working in project finance, mergers and acquisitions, and contract management before eventually joining NDE. It has certainly been an unusual path! Engineering Perspective Meets Industry Agility
Looking back on your career so far, what are some of the key projects, roles or experiences that challenged you the most, while also helping to shape your technical skills, leadership approach and career growth? During my time at Sonnedix, the solar IPP, we had to submit incredibly complicated bids to the Department of Energy as part of the REIPPPP programme. During these periods, we often had extremely intense weeks of negotiations with banks, developers, EPCs and other stakeholders. Sixteen- hour days leading up to bid submissions or financial close were common. I was also involved in mergers and acquisitions deals, which were always challenging because of the need to balance expectations across all parties to get transactions
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Issue 2 – 2026
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