Decarbonising the UK

Eric Adams leads the strategic development of the Carlton Power hydrogen development platform, overseeing three schemes that have secured contracts under HAR1. He plays a pivotal role in fostering relationships with stakeholders to pinpoint early opportunities for deploying green hydrogen schemes for industry in the UK, aimed at delivering early hydrogen solutions in key areas. Eric also spearheads efforts to engage delivery partners across the entire hydrogen production chain.

Rich Adams has a background in industry, running his own company and now over a decade in research and development within higher education. As Head of Enterprise and Commercialisation at the University of Plymouth, Rich supports the development of new industry collaborations to enable businesses to access state-of-the-art facilities and forge research partnerships with academics. Rich also heads up the Intellectual Property team and The Cube, a University service that supports over 150 student start-up companies.

Gareth Bradford is Director of Strategic Business Development at The Crown Estate where he is responsible for business development across the organisation including ensuring the ambitious strategy and purpose of The Crown Estate is delivered in an integrated impactful way through its work in places, on delivering landmark projects and developing new and strengthening existing partnerships.

Prior to joining The Crown Estate, Gareth was Executive Director of Housing, Property and Regeneration at the West Midlands Combined Authority managing a £1 billion programme of brownfield regeneration and housing delivery and investment projects, negotiating with government for new funding and powers under devolution and leading on key strategic partnerships.

Jane started with RenewableUK as Executive Director of Offshore Wind in September 2022. In this role, Jane leads the team delivering the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, and providing strategic oversight and advice to the Offshore Wind Industry Council Board (OWIC). Having worked at Orsted for ten years, Jane has a proven track record in the industry with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the sector to meet its targets for 2030 and beyond. Jane is Chair of Aura CDT Strategic Advisory Board, co-Chair of Tackling Inclusivity and Diversity in Energy (TIDE) and holds an MSc from City University. She is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer. 

Professor John Curnow is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at the University of Plymouth, having joined the institution in July 2022 from the University of Birmingham where he was Director of Education for the College of Medical and Dental Sciences as well as being a leading researcher in immunology.

His ambitions are to ensure that all students are inspired to realise their potential and equip them with the skills, knowledge and values required by employers and society. John is passionate about the opportunities in the South West, working with a network of partners FE Colleges to support access to HE, and with employers to ensure that graduates have the skills required for the future workforce. Since his arrival, the University has achieved TEF 2023 Gold in both student experience and outcomes.

Kevin Forshaw is Director of Industrial and Strategic Partnerships at the University of Plymouth and has been working with shipping operators, ship builders and equipment manufacturers to build reliance against maritime cyber-attacks using world-leading thinking from the University. Being at the interface between industry and academia, Kevin has secured millions of pounds of UK and European R&D funding for collaborative research for the maritime sector in areas including maritime cyber, green shipping and marine autonomous systems.

Laurence joined South Devon College as Vice Principal Corporate Services in February 2010, bringing a strong background of strategic leadership and management in the private sector and education across multiple phases. Beginning his career in banking and finance, he gained significant experience during 17 years in that sector, including as an underwriter of lending to a range of large SMEs and mid-corporates. As an Area Retail Manager, he left the world of banking in 2002 to begin his new career in education.

He successfully led professional services at South Devon College at executive level, including Business Development, Employer Engagement, Estates & Facilities, Sustainability and Carbon Management, Finance, Human Resources, IT, Data and Systems, Commercial Services, and Catering and Retail.

Laurence was appointed Principal and CEO at South Devon College in September 2019 and also holds positions as a governor, director or member of other boards including South West Business Council, Torbay Place Leadership Board, Riviera Education Trust, together with a number of national Association of Colleges Policy Groups.

Steve is CEO at Celtic Sea Power, an arm’s length Cornwall Council company whose mission is to lead industrial development of Cornwall’s floating offshore wind sector. In his first career, his naval experience included ships diving, fishery protection, offshore aviation, underwater operations, sea training, command of four ships and senior appointments in the MoD policy departments and Afghanistan. In his second career, he worked for Mojo Maritime Ltd and James Fisher Group plc, on floating offshore wind, wave and tidal energy projects, before leading the conversion to floating offshore wind, and then the international sale, of the Wave Hub project in Cornwall. Steve is a Chartered Marine Technologist, a Fellow of the Nautical Institute and Institute of Marine Engineers, Scientists and Technologists, and Chair of the Celtic Sea Cluster.

Professor Lars Johanning is the Associate Head of School (Research) at the University of Plymouth and has been involved in research on hydrodynamic related topics for marine structures since 1997. He is a leading researcher with international recognition in the field of ocean energy and technology with a focus towards hydrodynamics and station keeping systems. His extensive international experience includes over four years working on ORE technologies in China.

Professor Johanning’s research has included loading and dynamic response of mono-towers in steep and breaking waves, hydrodynamic and reliability studies on station keeping systems for offshore renewable energy devices, and hydrodynamic analysis supporting the development of aquaculture systems. He has leading roles on the Industrial Doctoral Centre for Offshore Renewable and the Horizon 2020 project OPERA and has led the development of the Falmouth Bay marine energy test site, which has seen the successful deployment of the Fred Olsen and Polygen wave energy device.

Professor Kevin Jones is currently Professor of Computing Science and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation at the University of Plymouth. As DVC R&I, Kevin provides institution-wide strategic leadership, driving and supporting research excellence, innovation and impact whilst promoting interdisciplinary research, as well as driving and overseeing business ventures and collaboration, and international research partnerships.

Preceding his move to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Kevin was the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Plymouth, responsible for the Schools of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics; Biological and Marine Sciences; and Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

John Laramy is Principal and Chief Executive of Exeter College, a position he has held since April 2016. Prior to this, John had been Vice Principal at the college since 2009. His background in quality improvement has supported the college’s drive for excellence – this was recognised in 2014 and 2022 by Outstanding grades in full Ofsted inspections. John has extensive experience of the full academic and vocational curriculum for 16 to 19 year olds, including A levels, International Baccalaureate, BTEC qualifications, Apprenticeships and foundation learning. Exeter College also offers a wide range of adult and community learning, higher education programmes and customised courses for businesses.

Pete is Director of Coastal, Infrastructure and Minerals at The Crown Estate where he is responsible for over half of the coastal and estuary foreshore of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the infrastructure that sits on and crosses it and activities that take place on, in and around it, including but not limited to: regenerative marine aquaculture, ports and harbours, cables and pipelines and minerals, both seabed and sub surface.

Pete is tasked with unlocking the potential of our seabed and coastline to support the nation’s transition to a resilient, sustainable and decarbonised future while driving thriving communities and nature positive outcomes. The collective ambition is to become the most attractive and sustainable marine economy in the world, while maintaining the rich biodiversity of our seas. As a qualified surf lifeguard, inshore rescue boat coxswain and having chaired Surf Life Saving GB for over ten years, Pete is active in building resilient communities of lifesavers who save lives, prevent drowning and carry out search and rescue on UK beaches and inland waters.

Cat Mills leads on construction capability and skills at EDF Energy, supporting delivery of the the UK's first nuclear new build projects in a generation, and looking across industry to plan skills needed to deliver UK-wide clean energy solutions. With over 20 years of experience in business strategy and transformation, Cat enjoys working with high performing teams to tackle the biggest challenges facing industry.

Dr Sian Rees is Associate Head of School (Research) for the School of Biological and Marine Sciences and is a marine scientist working in marine conservation, marine management, and policy. She has a strong record of achievement in social and economic research methods to define the marine social-ecological system at a variety of scales. To extend the impact of her research, Dr Rees works closely with statutory nature conservation agencies, NGOs, government departments and international organisations.

Dr Rees leads the Marine Social Science Research Unit and is an Advisory Group Member for DEFRA’s Marine Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment.

Dr Antony Robotham is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and the Project Lead for the new Babbage Building facilities, overseeing the development of the specialist laboratories and managing an £11 million budget for the procurement of new equipment on behalf of the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics.

Emily Taylor is National Grid Electricity Distribution's Strategic Engagement Officer for the South West licence area. As part of her role, she provides bespoke support and guidance to local and regional stakeholders in the development of Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs) and other decarbonisation planning. By doing so, stakeholders will better understand the electricity network, and National Grid Electricity Distribution can invest proactively in the distribution network to support net-zero ambitions on a local level and meet future needs.