23 April 2025
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Lizzie Dunlop says one of the best things about her current role is that it allows her to stay technical without being restricted to the office
Lizzie Dunlop is Key Account Manager at Danfoss Climate Solutions and Vice Chair of IOR Scotland.
What was your first job? I worked as a counter assistant in a local chip shop at 14 before leaving for a whole £1 more an hour (plus tips) to work as a waitress and later a shift manager at Pizza Hut, where I worked until I finished both school and university.
What does your current role involve? It’s a mixture of overseeing relationships with end users, contractors and our key wholesalers within the UK and Ireland. I advise on new products and legislation changes within the industry.
Lizzie is Key Account Manager at Danfoss Climate Solutions
What attracted you to the industry? Like many others I fell into the industry. I studied mechanical engineering at university in the hopes of later maybe doing a post grad in tech teaching, as I had an incredible female tech teacher who inspired me. However, I swiftly realised after completing Camp America that teenagers are a bit more hard work than I thought and that might not be the correct path for me! After my degree I was looking for graduate positions and stumbled across a Trainee Sales Engineer position on Indeed and interviewed for the job the following week at HRP in Glasgow. That was almost nine years ago. I loved the look of the job as I still got to be technical but also wasn’t chained to a desk and could be out and about meeting new people! I have since been very fortunate to be involved in the STEMazing programme which allows me to go into schools and be a STEM ambassador, along with working closely with the colleges to provide them access to the Danfoss eLearning platforms, which covers that need to be a role model in the industry.
Lizzie, centre, with colleagues from the IOR Scotland Committee
What excites/interests you about the industry? It’s always evolving! Since I joined the industry the refrigerant changes and legislation changes we have had and are now seeing again is really interesting. The new technologies and the road to Net Zero is amazing. I also love being involved with the IOR Scotland committee and am incredibly honoured and proud to be supporting Jason Fraser in his role as Chair by becoming his Vice Chair. I’ve been on the committee for the past seven years and have loved seeing it flourish, the committee is dedicated to running Cooltalks, manufacturer visits and subsidised training events for engineers in Scotland. Not forgetting our incredible dinner that helps fund all our initiatives. A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes to organise each event, but the team really do pull together.
How would you like to see your career developing? I’d love a more European role in the future, maybe with a team overseeing more wholesalers, as I think that would be a great new challenge.
What is the best piece of advice you were ever given? To believe in myself and that I deserve to be in the room and heard.
What do you see as the challenges facing the industry? Finding enough engineers. It’s a hidden industry that needs more people out there speaking to schools/ colleges and showing young people this is a rewarding and ever growing profession.
What would you say to other women who are considering coming into the ACR industry? Do it, you won’t regret it. There are so many allies in this industry ready to champion you and help you!
Is there a little-known fact about yourself that might surprise other people? I enjoy circuit training, lifting weights and anything outdoors from paddleboarding to hillwalking.
Lizzie is a lover of the great outdoors
