Meet The Team

Built by People Who Care

Behind every Series 5 is a team of people who bring very different skills to the table, united by the same standards and the same purpose. Engineering, design, procurement, marketing, distribution and lived experience all work together in one collective team.

We challenge each other, refine each other’s ideas, and hold a high bar for everything that leaves that leaves the business, beyond just powerchairs. The result is a team with depth of knowledge, practical expertise, and genuine passion for what we create, combining technical precision with real-world understanding to deliver something we are proud to stand behind.

Management Team

Alex Papanikolaou

Founder

Alex has been a powerchair user for more than 20 years. After years of unreliable equipment, repeated breakdowns, and chairs that simply were not built for real life, he decided to stop complaining about the problem and start fixing it.

Freedom One Life was born from lived experience, a refusal to accept that “good enough” was the standard, and one very stubborn powerchair user.

Alex has visited over 70 countries and taken more than 1,000 flights as a powered wheelchair user. He understands accessibility in the real world, not in theory. From aircraft holds to damaged chairs and airline policy negotiations, he has seen it all.

He is the best person to have with you in an airport to advocate you with his inside-out knowledge of powerchair flying regulations.

Stuart Macdonald

CEO

Stuart is a commercially driven business leader with a strong digital background and a sharp focus on sustainable growth.

Having recognised early on the ambition behind Alex and the potential within Freedom One Life, Stuart initially came on board in an advisory capacity to support long-term growth. What began as strategic guidance quickly evolved into an ongoing leadership role.

Since then, he has played a key part in shaping the company’s direction, strengthening its commercial foundations, and helping turn a bold idea into a rapidly growing, design-led mobility brand.

Engineering Team

Every Series 5 powerchair is designed and built in our Glasgow office by our in-house engineering team. They handle everything from developing new accessories to making bespoke adjustments, right through to building each Series 5 from the ground up.

Scott Savage

Technical Director

As Technical Director, Scott leads the engineering team and oversees every stage of development, from concept through to final build. He ensures the technical standards are high, the details are right, and the product performs exactly as intended.

His passion for medical devices and the automotive world collided to create the Series 5 design you see today. Having worked at Freedom One Life for eight years now, his dedication and deep understanding of powerchair users has helped him develop a product he is proud of.

With his bi-weekly haircuts, he’s kept looking as slick as the Series 5.

Gregor Aitken

Design Engineer

Gregor plays a central role in developing new accessories and refining features for the Series 5, constantly pushing to improve functionality, durability, and the overall user experience.

Affectionately known as “Bracket Boy,” he’s responsible for designing what feels like an endless stream of accessory brackets, making him the go-to problem solver for anything that needs mounting, securing, or rethinking.

He was also instrumental in shaping the Porsche-inspired body panel design, helping define the chair’s distinctive look – translating automotive design into medical devices and ensuring they weren’t just visually striking, but robust and practical, protecting the chair’s internal components.

Around the office, his friendly smile and positive attitude make the office a happy place to be!

Christopher Papanikolaou

Production & Procurement Engineer

Christopher has an in-depth knowledge of every aspect of a Series 5 build, having assembled countless chairs from the ground up and understanding each component inside out.

These days, his focus is on overseeing procurement and stock control, running the workshop like the navy. Every part is tracked, every build scheduled, every detail accounted for. He works with exacting precision and a methodical approach that keeps standards consistently high.

And if you catch him at the right moment, you might even get a rare smile.

James McGhee

Production Engineer

With years of hands-on experience in fabrication and assembly, James brings precision and discipline to every build.

He meticulously assembles each Series 5, ensuring tolerances are correct, components are aligned, and nothing leaves the workshop unless it meets the standard. A lifelong car enthusiast who has developed a reputation for solving the awkward jobs others can’t do. If James can’t do it, nobody can.

Despite his expertise, he’s currently facing his greatest technical challenge to date: successfully logging into his own email account.

Marketing Team

Marketing in the powerchair space is often stale, overly medical, and uninspiring. Freedom One Life takes a different approach. Beyond the Series 5’s distinctive design, the marketing team creates engaging content that speaks to real powerchair users and reflects life as it’s actually lived – showing what’s possible with the right equipment.

Louise Smets

Marketing Manager

Louise brings years of experience marketing products for disabled people, with a strong understanding of how to communicate features without losing sight of the person using them.

With a cup of tea rarely far from reach, she leads and coordinates all marketing activity across the business, from campaign planning to events and advertising.

When she’s not in the office, you’ll find her unboxing the latest kitchen gadget to add to her growing collection.

Honor Gibson

Creative Producer

Honor plays a central role in elevating the company’s visual identity.

Her view is straightforward: disabled consumers deserve excellence across the board. That applies not only to the performance of their essential equipment, but also to the quality of the design, branding, and marketing that surrounds it.

She is also responsible for keeping the office well supplied with home baking, a contribution that is arguably as important as the design work.

Productivity, it turns out, increases noticeably when the team is well stocked with cake.

Sales Team

No powerchair is a one size fits all. Our sales team is honest, upfront, and focused on giving you the information you need to make an informed decision. We offer test drives at your home, workplace, or another location of your choosing, because the best way to assess a medical device is in the environment where you’ll actually use it.

Matt Wilson

UK Sales Manager

You will usually find Matt on the road delivering test drives, meeting customers face to face, and ensuring each setup is right in real-world conditions.

He understands that seeing and driving the Series 5 in your own environment matters. He will go the extra mile, literally and figuratively, to make sure you are happy with your chair and confident in your decision.

Like every good salesman, he’s fuelled by energy drinks, and with all those miles on the road, he’s an expert in all the best service stations – if you’re ever on a road trip through the UK, he is the man to ask for advice.

What our community says

Case Study 03

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Case Study 02

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Katharina’s Case Study

Katharina has been a powerchair user for over 20 years. Energetic, determined and fiercely independent, she’s always looked for equipment that supports her lifestyle rather than limits it.

Travel & Terrain

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Video Guides

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FAQ

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Owner Info

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Common questions, simple answers.

Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions. If you can’t find an answer, please get in touch

What are the advantages of choosing a powerchair over a mobility scooter?

Powerchairs and mobility scooters are very different products and it’s important that you choose the right option for your needs. A powerchair gives you much more comfort and support, particularly if you have complex postural needs, and is the better choice if you need a product for frequent use. Powerchairs also have a much smaller turning circle which means they can be used indoors and outdoors as they have far better manoeuvrability.

Can I travel on holiday with a powerchair?

Yes, you can definitely travel with a powerchair! Our founder, Alex has travelled to over 70 countries with his Series 5, which has influenced a lot of the features and design of the chair. There are extra steps you need to take when travelling with a powerchair, like providing information to the airline. Check out Alex’s ultimate guide to travelling by air with a powered wheelchair here (link to air travel guide).

Why choose a Series 5?

The Series 5 powered wheelchair has been created with just one thing in mind – freedom. Because unlike most other powerchairs on the market, the Series 5 design team is led by a powerchair user who understands your frustrations.

Where are you located?

Our head office is based in Glasgow, Scotland but if you would like to try the Series 5 then we offer nationwide test drives. We believe that these are best done in the environments which are most important to you, so we’ll come to you! Whether that’s at your home, local park or workplace, we’re happy to visit you anywhere that is convenient to you.