Media releases

President of the Energy Institute Steve Holliday FREng FEI today told members that the chartered professional body is in good shape and evolving fast to support the needs of energy professionals in their endeavours to respond to pressing global challenges.

Speaking at today’s AGM, he said:

“The critical debate is no longer about whether we need to act to tackle climate change – but how quickly can we do it. The EI is working to meet the needs of professionals in this endeavour today and the needs they’ll have tomorrow.”

Welcoming former UK Energy Minister Rt Hon Prof Charles Hendry CBE HonFEI and Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson FEI as newly appointed Vice Presidents of the EI’s governing Council, he said:

“Charles is a highly respected figure right across the international energy field, and brings with him unrivalled insight into the public policy levers needed as the energy transition gathers pace. Greg is a serial tech entrepreneur, and I’m confident he’ll bring his reputation as the industry’s great disruptor to our deliberations about the future role of the EI.”

Steve also confirmed that the EI’s longstanding annual conference IP Week will become International Energy Week from 2022.

“International Energy Week will build on the renowned legacy and strengths of IP Week – the highest calibre speakers from across oil, gas and the wider world of energy, thought leadership on the defining issues, and dynamic networking opportunities. The change acknowledges the breadth of the agenda in this new energy era and, I believe, International Energy Week will provide a unique platform for critical debates among industry leaders and influencers.”

Reflecting more generally on the challenges of the past year, he concluded:

“The EI emerges from this unimaginable year more agile and more digital, with our finances in sound shape, publishing record amounts of good practice, reaching more people with our events than ever before and with membership numbers increasing – in particular among young people, women and internationally.”

Notes for editors

1. Media enquiries contact Nick Turton - nturton@energyinst.org or 07776 135296
2. An unimaginable year: 12 months in 12 moment video can be viewed here.
3. Access Steve Holliday's speech in full here.
4. Rt Hon Prof Charles Hendry CBE HonFEI was Minister of State for Energy from 2010-12. He was previously the Conservative Party’s spokesman on energy issues, from 2005-2010, holding the portfolio for longer than any other spokesman.

On leaving Ministerial office, Prime Minister David Cameron appointed him as his Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, a role he continued until leaving Parliament in 2015.  He was awarded the CBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s 2019 Birthday Honours for his work in supporting British Trade in Russia and Central Asia.

On leaving Ministerial office, he was appointed as an Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh Business School and Visiting Professor at the Mining University of St Petersburg.  He is President of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce; President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan; President of the British Institute of Energy Economics; Vice-President of The Energy Institute and Patron of the Nuclear Institute.

He works extensively across the energy sector.

Charles was educated at the University of Edinburgh, where he received an Honours Degree in Business Studies. He is a University Regent and also an Honorary Fellow of the Energy Institute.

4. Greg Jackson FEI is the founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group, the green energy tech pioneer and certified B Corp based in the UK. Launched in 2016, the company’s mission is to bring cheaper, greener power to all. In 2021, Octopus also entered the renewable energy generation market.

   Greg's vision of using technology to disrupt the energy market has enabled Octopus Energy to create tariffs which unlock the power of the green grid - offering cheaper electricity when the sun is shining and wind is blowing. With its smart tariffs proving customer appetite for flexibility, Octopus is pioneering a global system change to enable a cheaper, faster transition to renewables.

   Greg is an experienced digital entrepreneur, passionate about using technology to make positive change. He’s founded a number of successful businesses, including e-commerce company C360, and is an angel investor in a wide range of tech start-ups. He also served as Director of several innovative businesses, including Zopa, the world’s first peer-to-peer lender, which has now lent almost £2bn fairly and responsibly. He is a Fellow and Vice President of the Energy Institute.

5. The full EI Council of Trustees as of 23 June 2021 is:
   • President Steve Holliday FREng FEI, former CEO, National Grid
   • Vice President Juliet Davenport OBE HonFEI, founder, Good Energy
   • Vice President Rt Hon Prof Charles Hendry CBE HonFEI, former UK Energy Minister
   • Vice President Greg Jackson FEI, CEO, Octopus Energy
   • Vice President and Hon Secretary Dr Vivienne Cox CBE FEI, Chair, Vallourec
   • Hon Treasurer Simardeep Soor FEI, Assistant Director, UK Government Investments
   • Young Professionals Chair Sinead Obeng AMEI, Regulatory Affairs Adviser, Gazprom
   • Emily Spearman CEng MEI, Head of PMO, Orsted
   • Aleida Rios FEI, Senior VP Engineering, bp
   • Prof Robert Gross FEI, Director, UK Energy Research Centre
   • Andy Hadland AMEI, Chief Development Officer, Arenko Group
   • Dr Joanne Wade OBE FEI, Chief Strategic Adviser, Association for Decentralised Energy
   • Prof John Currie CEng FEI, Director Scottish Energy Centre, Edinburgh Napier

   Thanks were given at the AGM to those trustees reaching the end of their terms on Council after a combined total of fifty years of valued service: Malcolm Brinded CBE FREng FEI, Dr Bernie Bulkin OBE FEI, Mike Parker CBE FEI, Dr Waddah Ghanem FEI, Prof Simon O’Leary CEng FEI, Alastair Robertson CEng FEI, Dr Ibilola Amao FEI and Paul Smith FEI.

6. International Energy Week will take place 22-24 February 2022. Registration will open formally in July, in the meantime register your interest here.