Spotlight On…

I was the first person in my family to go to university, and I did a Chemical Engineering degree at Manchester. Towards the end of the course, I applied for a summer placement with BP (by the way, my wife always cringes and gives me the look when I tell this story!). I was 20, had never been to London and never stayed in a hotel – plus, there was a free bar –but I was still very conscious that I needed to perform in the interview, so I was up, ready for the start at 9am. There was a group interview. We were all sitting around the table, and everybody had their bags. I didn’t know I had to check out, so I scrambled like crazy to get sorted and ended up five minutes late for the first interview. At the end of the day, they told me that they weren’t going to take me to the next stage because I’d been late. So many life lessons in a very short space of time! But I guess fate was on my side, because I interviewed for Conoco, got a summer placement, and at the end of that they offered me a job. I’ve always worked for Phillips 66 in lots of different roles. I tend to have this three-year itch. As soon as I run out of things to learn about, I get itchy feet. After working in Houston, we moved back to London so that I could head up the Crude Trading team. I did that for a year and since 2018 I’ve been responsible for the UK Business Strategy, which latterly became the Energy Transition Strategy.

It was 2019, Theresa May was Prime Minister, and she wrote into law that the UK was going to achieve net zero by 2050. For somebody who (at the time) was responsible for UK strategy, it’s like, ‘Well, how on earth do we make an oil refinery compatible with net zero?’

So we knew we had some big questions to find answers for: what is our position? What is our strategy? How can we play a role in that transition and still have a profitable business over the coming decades?

A couple of years later, in 2021, the company set up their emerging energy division, and it was a natural transition for me to move into that new organisation.

Yes, definitely. I mean, it is a massive challenge today, but also immensely satisfying.

It’s difficult because ultimately, people and governments don’t really have much money, and anything new and lower carbon tends to be expensive, so there’s this big question about who’s going to pay for it. Our strategy is built around a proximity to our existing business. We make liquid fuels today, so why not pivot and make lower carbon liquid fuels? It’s been relatively successful, and there’s a lot more to do in that area.

I’m the Manager of Emerging Energy, and I’m responsible for our Energy Transition Strategy (Europe) and our UK Integrated Strategy. Our decarbonisation projects, lower carbon fuels, and our speciality graphite coke are the three main elements of our UK Strategy. Emerging Energy sits at the heart of our UK Business Strategy, which means I’m also responsible for developing those strategic relationships/partnerships and the business that comes with it.

It’s really strong, and most importantly, it’s collaborative. As well as BA, IAG is the parent business of Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling, as well as a cargo business – so their reach into the market is meaningful.

One thing I’ve always made clear about the energy transition is that there is not a single company out there that can do this on their own. It’s just too nuanced and complex. You’re relying on a collection of knowledge, experience, and customer reach to help you expand together, so we’ve focused on developing strategic relationships with companies, and that’s what we have with IAG.

I cycle in every day and it’s a catchup with the team or straight into meetings. I do a lot of advocacy work with government departments, industry associations, and I also meet with project developers. In the last few weeks, I must have spoken to seven or eight different Sustainable Aviation Fuel project teams. At lunchtime, I like to go to the gym, as it gives me energy for the afternoon. Houston then wakes up, so we catch up, and it gives us a chance to let them know where we’re at with various projects and opportunities, and any similar projects we can discuss and help each other with.

Competitivity. The high cost of energy in the UK makes it difficult for us to compete at a global level. CO2 costs will continue to increase in the run up to 2050, and many ‘emitting’ parts of the industry will effectively be taxed out of existence. And yet, as a country, we still need all the products we make as an industry today and more. So, the fundamental and very real challenge is to find the right balance between reducing emissions, the cost of energy, the cost of carbon on the industry, and supplying the products that society needs today and in the future. De-industrialisation is already happening, and it’s a huge problem – now and for our energy future.

I guess the proudest thing is what I’m doing today, and that’s having a say in the future direction of the company.

I’ve always been a disruptor, probably annoying a few people along the way, asking awkward questions. But having influence on the future of the company and the future of the UK business is truly gratifying. I’ve been here 25 years and I care a lot about this business. Everybody always says that the people are the best thing about our company, and that is absolutely true.

I’m also proud of the relationship we have with BA, and being the first producer and seller of SAF in the UK, and our ability to innovate and pivot. We were the first to turn end-of-life tyres into fuel.

Being an engineer, I’m never satisfied – I’m always looking for the next thing to fix and improve.

The thing is, I’m pretty open, so most people know everything about me!

One thing that comes to mind is my 17-year-old Nissan Note, which I love – just because I bought it for £1,200. It’s cheap, it does the job, and I don’t need anything fancier than that.

I definitely won’t mention the two female mud wrestlers in Bratislava on my stag do… suffice to say, I’m mentally and physically scarred!