Meet the team

Sasho Kamburov is an entrepreneur and business leader with a strong track record in building and scaling companies within the infrastructure sector. As the founder and driving force behind multiple successful ventures, he is passionate about innovation, operational excellence, and the sustainable creation of long-term value for clients and stakeholders.

With deep industry experience and a commitment to raising standards in everything he does, Sasho brings both strategic vision and practical insight to his role as Chairman of the Road Surface Treatments Association. He is particularly focused on fostering collaboration, supporting members, and ensuring the association continues to evolve in line with the needs of its members and the wider industry in an increasingly dynamic environment.

Mike Hansford was appointed to the position of Chief Executive and Director of the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) on 1^st September 2024.

Mike previously worked for Dorset Council for 29 years which were predominantly in Highways, where he held a senior Highways Asset Management position. He managed a team that consisted of highways asset management, data /systems, performance and benchmarking, and structural maintenance design.

In Mike’s career he has covered areas of highways in systems and data, streetworks / enforcement, routine maintenance, structural maintenance, and asset management.

Mike was previously Chair of the South West Regional Asset Management Group, and continues to sit on the UKRLG Asset Management Board. He’s also a Fellow member of the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE).

Mike laid the foundations for a data led / risk based, and preventative maintenance strategy at Dorset Council. Mike oversaw trials of surface treatments which are now embedded in their highway maintenance programmes, recognising how they support key Service Plan objectives, and address financial and carbon reduction challenges.

Rory O’Connor was appointed Chief Technical Officer for the RSTA in April 2020.

Rory has held senior business management roles in quarrying and asphalt production, mastic asphalt production, asphalt surfacing, high friction surfacing, road marking, road surface dressing binder production, road surface dressing and other various road surface treatment contracting operations, including tendering, financial, operational risk and performance analysis.

Rory is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, Fellow of the Institute of Highway Engineers, Fellow of the Institute of Asphalt Technology and Fellow of the Institute of Quarrying and a participant in BSI, CEN, UK Pavement Liaison Group (UKPLG), Product Acceptance Scheme (PAS) and RSTA committees and technical groups for many years.

Mobile: 07817 116420

Nigel Haycock was appointed as Head of Assessment & Training for RSTA in 2017. Nigel is based in Staffordshire having previously worked for Kier. He is a fully qualified and highly experienced trainer/assessor and also an IQA. Nigel previously worked for Telford College teaching and assessing apprentices in Construction Operations and Highways Maintenance and prior to that worked for Stafford Borough Council for a number of years as a supervisor dealing with labour, materials, plant and contracts.

Nigel is a Member of the Institute of Asphalt Technology.

Sarah returned to the team in April 2019.  Working in finance and administration in the manufacturing, steel industry, retail, and education sectors, she lead the office team at a charity for alternative education before joining the RSTA team.  Based in the office with Katie, Sarah brings a strong skill set, always striving to put the customer first.

Appointed as our Assessment & Training Centre Co-Ordinator, and Administration Assistant in September 2019 working in the office alongside Sarah.  Bringing her strong skills in customer care to the team, Katie worked most recently as a receptionist at Rybrook BMW based in Wolverhampton.