Helix appoints Graham Belgum as Chief Executive Officer

Helix (a trading name of Integral Powertrain Ltd), the UK manufacturer of electric motors and inverters, has appointed Graham Belgum as CEO to lead the business as it enters the next phase of its global expansion. 

He joins the company after three years at Fortescue Zero (formerly Williams Advanced Engineering), where he served as General Manager for Heavy Industry, responsible for the creation of a new capability to develop and industrialise modular battery power systems for off-road applications, including mining.

Prior to this, Belgum was President and then CEO of Optare, where he led their electrification program and laid the foundation for its rebrand to Switch Mobility. Preceding this, he served in senior leadership roles at Condor Ferries and First Group UK.

Before entering the private sector, Belgum served in the British Army, where he was overall engineering manager for the Challenger Main Battle Tank fleet.

Outgoing CEO and company co-founder, Darren Cairns, is stepping down 27 years after co-founding the business. He will remain an active part of Helix, working in an advisory role alongside Belgum. 

Graham Belgum, Chief Executive Officer at Helix, said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Helix at this truly exciting time. With its exceptional offering of innovative electric propulsion and control solutions across a wide range of sectors – including automotive, aerospace, marine and defence – the company is perfectly placed as we accelerate our growth across the globe. I also want to pay tribute to Darren, whose hard work and dedication over the past three decades has helped cement Helix’s status as a pioneer and market leader.” 

Darren Cairns, Outgoing Chief Executive Officer at Helix, added: “As one of Helix’s founders, this company has been an integral part of my professional life, and I’m incredibly proud of the success we’ve achieved together. However, I’m certain Graham is the right person to lead this business and know that Helix will continue to thrive under his leadership. This is an exciting new era for Helix and I am extremely positive about what lies ahead.” 

Helix’s global headquarters and state-of-the-art production facility are based in Milton Keynes, UK. The company is a leading supplier of high-performance electric powertrains, including fully scalable high-power-density electric motors, inverters, and electric drive units, engineered and manufactured in-house.