UK Electricity: Resilience and Security

JULIAN LESLIE: HEAD OF ELECTRICITY NETWORK DEVELOPMENT, NATIONAL GRID

Julian Leslie has spent over 20 years working for National Grid, in this time he has gained a wealth of knowledge in planning and operating the GB electricity transmission system. In addition, Julian’s experience includes a four year period creating the first independent transmission company in the US. Julian has just spent the last 6 years being responsible for all generation and demand connections to the UK transmission system, including offshore and interconnectors. Since April this year, Julian has taken on the challenge of ensuring that we have a UK Transmission System that is fit for purpose, can connect and transport the future generation sources and can operate under all operating conditions.

SIMON HARRISON: GROUP STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, MOTT MACDONALD

Simon Harrison is Group Strategic Development Manager at global engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald, and also chairs the IET’s Energy Policy Panel and Power Networks Joint Vision activity. An electrical engineer, Simon has played a key role in developing Mott MacDonald’s renewable, thermal and nuclear power businesses, including opening a number of new geographic and sector markets. He also has an interest in energy policy, and has directed a number of key studies in the UK. During his career Simon has played key roles in the development and financing of numerous privately financed infrastructure projects in sectors including power, water, transport, telecommunications and the built environment. In power, he has taken a leading role in many privately financed generation projects around the world as well as privatisations and acquisitions. Prior to this he undertook planning of major electricity transmission and distribution systems. He is a visiting professor at Southampton University and is a Fellow of the IET and the Institute of Energy.

GARY AMOS: HEAD OF TECHNICAL ASSET OPTIMISATION, RWE GENERATION UK

Gary Amos is currently Head of Technical Asset Optimisation at RWE Generation UK - part of RWE’s European Generation business. He has held a variety of head office roles with RWE focussing on Power Station Performance and Economics in Thermal Generation, operational roles in renewables (wind, hydro and biomass) and within RWE’s former Energy Storage Fuel Cell company “Regenysys”. Prior to joining RWE in 2002 he worked in a variety of technical, engineering and production management positions within a number of industries including speciality chemicals, semiconductor manufacturing, CD manufacturing and non-ferrous metal smelting.

ALISTAIR SMITH: NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, COSTAIN

Alistair Smith is a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE with over 35 years’ experience in the nuclear industry. He is currently the Nuclear Power Director for the engineering company Costain and is the co-chairman of the IMechE Power Industries Division. He is also a past chairman of the Nuclear Committee of the IMechE. During his 35 year career he worked on the construction of Heysham 1, Hartlepool, Torness and Heysham 2 nuclear power stations and has worked on nuclear defence projects at Aldermaston and Barrow. He is currently working on nuclear new build projects at Hinkley C, Wylfa Newydd and Moorside.

STEPHANIE MERRY: DIRECTOR, FOCUS OFFSHORE LTD?

Stephanie Merry is the Director of Focus Offshore Ltd, a technical consultancy specialising in marine renewable energy. Prior to setting up this company, she worked as Principal Engineer in the Submarine Hydrodynamics Group at QinetiQ (formerly the Defence and Evaluation Research Agency), Haslar. From 1990 to 1996 she was employed as a lecturer in Marine Technology at the University of Southampton, where her role was to integrate students and staff from the Engineering Faculty into the world-renowned National Oceanographic Centre. She is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and an MSc in Oceanography, both from Southampton University.

DAVID POWELL: VICE-PRESIDENT - EUROPE, GE HITACHI

David Powell joined GE Hitachi as Vice President for nuclear power plant sales in Europe in January 2011. David has over 30 years of experience in the nuclear industry, initially with British Nuclear Fuels plc and then latterly with the Westinghouse Electric Company. During his career, David has held a number of senior positions involved in developing and running nuclear businesses, including responsibility for Westinghouse’s European fuel business and a period living and working in Tokyo, Japan as President of BNFL/Westinghouse Japan. Before joining GE Hitachi, David was regional vice president for the UK responsible for building customer relations and developing opportunities in new nuclear plants, fuels and services. David holds a Doctor of Philosophy in metallurgy from the University of Manchester and is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Material. David received the 2012 Outstanding Contribution Award from the Young Generation Network (YGN), for his leadership and commitment to the industry and is an active STEM Ambassador.

FRANZ BARILLARO MBA FIMechE CEng BSc(Hons) : DIRECTOR, AS ENERGY LTD

Franz Barillaro has over 34 years experience in the sector, having fulfilled a variety of senior management, commercial, financial and technical roles with utilities, financial institutions, engineering and project development companies; he now operates as a consultant advising clients on project development, transaction advisory and operational matters.  

During his career Franz has been involved in both the fossil fired and renewables sectors and has reached Financial Closure on Independent Power Projects in Europe, Asia and Africa.