NZIIC - Unlocking Net Zero Potential Through Collaboration

Gari has relevant and extensive experience in both industry and academia, holding a Professorial role at Dundee University in nanomaterials and most recently heading-up British Steel’s Research and Development effort Worldwide. Gari was responsible for a diverse strategic portfolio which relevantly included: decarbonisation strategy and policy, net-zero road mapping, waste utilisation and the circular economy, supply-chain integration, Industry 4.0 and IPR portfolio management.

Dave Robson is Hydrogen External Relations Lead at Kellas Midstream. He has 27 years’ experience in the steel industry, gained in a wide variety of energy-related roles covering health & safety, energy & utilities, procurement & distribution, EU emissions trading systems, power station operations management, and latterly technical development roles where he was involved in the Teesside Collective Industrial CCS project.

Dave has worked through the highs and lows of the UK manufacturing industry and is passionate about promoting this vital sector, particularly in the North East of England.

Yaying is a senior Chartered Process Engineer whose work encompasses plant designs for sustainable processes and traditional chemical industries, from conceptual and feasibility studies through to front end engineering design (FEED), engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), technical evaluation and onsite support. Since completing her PhD, Yaying has been employed by world leading technology and service providers. In her current role for Protium, Yaying’s main responsibility is to oversee plant design, modelling and optimisation of green hydrogen production facilities. She particularly focuses on ensuring that plant is designed with adequate safety systems and protection layers, enabling safe delivery of decarbonisation solutions for both the environment and the company’s clients.

Jason has over 20 years experience in Further Education, following a career in the Army spanning 14 years and serving in countries around the world. The portfolio of experience encompasses 9 and a half years’ senior leadership experience, including 4 1/2 years as Redcar and Cleveland College Principal, part of the Education Training Collective.

A passion for building lasting partnerships and putting the local College at the heart of its communities. Jason has led the transformation of Redcar and Cleveland College, engaging industry to support the skills needs. The Clean Energy Education Hub will provide the foundations of future skills to support the ambitions of Net Zero.

Andrew Stacey is the Founder and CEO of Avgo Biotech Ltd. A company set up to exploit the valuable waste materials in eggshell waste. He has 40 year’s experience in the BioScience market, previously having worked for Boehringer Mannheim, Kodak and ICN in Sales and Marketing role. Over the past 20 years he has been in SEM sector. Having set up spin outs and worked with technology companies in DNA analysis, VOC detection and supplement manufacture.

Matt is responsible for driving hydrogen growth and business development for bp in the UK. He is passionate about bp’s purpose to reimagine energy for people and our planet. He leads a nationwide team developing clean hydrogen projects.

Matt joined bp in 1996 as after graduating as a chemical engineer. His first role was as an environmental engineer and following a succession of business development roles across the gas and upstream businesses he is delighted to be at the forefront of reducing carbon emissions. He has worked across a number of geographies including US, UK, Europe, Middle East, Australia and Vietnam and is based in London.

​Jon is the Chief Asset & Engineering Officer at Protium, responsible for leading asset management and technology teams. He has over 20 years of experience in manufacturing operations and seven years working at the executive level. Prior to joining Protium Jon was Managing Director for TPG Maritime providing atmosphere systems into the submarine market. He grew business revenues by 60% and secured long term multi-million pound contracts, in the UK and EU, for equipment and services.

​​Jon’s hydrogen experience includes leading TPgroup’s green hydrogen diversification strategy, supplying fuel cells for Hydroflex leading to an EIC prize, and overseeing the manufacturing of electrolysers for oxygen production. Recently Jon has been responsible for the installation of Protium’s first hydrogen production facility.

David is Chairman of Catalsys, a startup in the green power space. Prior to this, he had nearly 40 years of experience in the global petrochemicals industry, having started with ICI after studying maths at university. He lived and worked in the Middle East for eight years, holding a number of General Manager and Vice President posts with SABIC.

Additionally, David serves as the CEO of New Normal Consulting and is a trusted independent advisor to companies in the petrochemical industry and the global investment community. As well as, he holds the position of Chairman at EnAcumen, a specialist hydrogen and green energy consultancy

Ian’s work on the commercialisation of technologies in the metal, glass, chemistry, steel and energy markets focusses on the decarbonisation of industry and industrial processes using hydrogen and industrial gases. He has more than 20 years’ experience working for BOC.

Ian is on the JET ZERO infrastructure working group and has been a member of the BEIS Sector development working group, BEIS HAC research and innovation working group, Hydrogen UK Industry and Jobs and Skills working groups, BLA Hydrogen project steering group and the HFCA combustion working group. He has also been a member of a number of EPSRC supervisory boards largely related to carbon capture through post combustion capture and oxyfuel technologies.

He is also a consultant to Linde engineering and Reliance industries for the world’s largest gasification complex in India.

John O’Brien is General Manager at TWI Certification and leads global personnel and company certification schemes. He als also works on Strategy and Technology across the energy sector. In addition to a wide arrray of oil and gas experience he has worked on technology development in CCUS, Geothermal, Bio Fuels, Hydrogen and Wind Energy including 15 yaers with the Gorgon CCS project in Australia. He is a board advisor at Subsea Institute in Houston as well as Advisor Board Positions at American Society of NDT on Artificial Intelligence and Advocacy. Key current work is in developing and supporting strategies for non-metallic materials, robotics and data management from a ‘value creation’ and growth perspective along with required skills development. He advises a range of investors, financial institutions, government agencies as well as entrepreneurs and start up entities in these fields of expertise.