Past Summits | 2011 Europe: UK Speakers

JIGAR SHAH

A renowned visionary committed to renewable energy, Jigar Shah launched SunEdison in 2003 based upon a business plan he developed in 1999 for a university class. That plan became the basis of the SunEdison business model: Simplify solar as a service. This model changed the status quo, allowing organizations to purchase solar energy services under long-term predictably priced contracts and avoid the significant capital costs of ownership and operation of solar energy systems. Under Shah’s guidance, SunEdison pioneered the solar power services agreement (SPSA) model, which has turned solar services into a multi-billion dollar industry. SunEdison now has more solar energy systems and megawatts under management than any other company.

MURAT ARMBRUSTER

Murat is a founding partner of the clean technology hedge fund, Atlas Capital Investments, LP. After graduating from the University of Michigan with high honors, Murat launched GlobaLearn in 1993, the first K-12 eLearning website to help prepare our nation’s children for global citizenship. GlobaLearn was acquired by Houghton Mifflin in 2001 and featured in Don Tapscott’s bestselling Growing Up Digital. Murat represented the education sector as a member of the U.S. delegation led by Vice President Gore to the G-7 Information Society Summit. During the 2004 presidential campaign, he served as Deputy Executive Officer to General Wesley K. Clark during his bid to become the Democratic Party’s nominee. In 2005, he was a founding partner and Chief Operating Officer of Adina for Life, a San Francisco-based beverage company focused on fair trade and sustainable business practices. Murat is a member of the Social Venture Network, has a black belt in karate, and speaks French and Mandarin.

PETER BOYD

Peter Boyd brings to the Carbon War Room over 15 years of experience in strategy, marketing, operations, and business development. Peter serves as COO, joining the War Room as Director of Operations for the Carbon War Room (CWR) in February 2009, following over ten years in the Virgin Group. Peter was integral in starting CWR, he served as the Launch Project Director, when the initial concept was first instigated in Necker Island in 2008.

PETER BYCK

Peter Byck has over 20 years experience as a director and editor. His first documentary "Garbage" won the South by Southwest Film Festival. (It screened in scores of festivals in the U.S. and Europe and played at the Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center).

In addition, he has edited documentaries for Peter Jackson's last two films, "Lord of the Rings" and "King Kong." Peter has also worked as an editor or director for documentaries and promotional shorts for Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox, MTV, Vh1, BBC, Disney and MGM, for shows and movies including "The West Wing," "The Matrix," "Scrubs," "er" and many more.

In 1986, Peter received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts.

Peter has presented Carbon Nation for Boeing, Nike, Google, Microsoft, Walmart.com, SC Johnson, Stonyfield, Carbon War Room, Shell, White House CEQ, CarbonTrade Ex, NetImpact, Social Venture Network. AREDAY, Metcalf Institute @ U of R.I., PEW-BICEP, Prince Charles’ B.E.P. program @ Cambridge University, R.I.S.D., Art Center (Pasadena),Yale University, Conservation International, Louisville Fund for the Arts & many other universities, companies and high schools across the country and internationally.

SCOTT CAIN

Scott is a Founding Partner of The Long Run Venture, which drives faster commercial returns from sustainability. It does this through a combination of investments, campaigns, venture partnerships and consulting.

The Long Run Venture's first campaign has been to bring the world's biggest clean technology competition, the Cleantech Open, to the UK. Their venture partnerships are about enabling technologies to accelerate the impact of their innovations, all of which help drive faster commercial returns, such as Quid Inc (www.quid.com), Polecat (www.polecat.co) and CloudApps (www.cloudapps.com).

Prior to founding The Long Run Venture, Scott held a variety of positions including CEO at Enterprise UK, the business-led campaign to create a more entrepreneurial culture among young people - working to a board comprising the Director Generals of the CBI, IoD, British Chambers of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses. Scott also co-founded and Chaired Global Entrepreneurship Week (www.unleashingideas.org), the rallying-point for a global movement of entrepreneurial young people. Now in over 100 countries, GEW involves over 10m people taking part in over 40,000 events and activities each year. Scott is also an advisor to a number of technology start-ups in the UK and California.

A Blackburn Rovers fan who runs marathons, Scott is never sure which of these causes him the most pain.

GREG CAPLAN

Greg Caplan is the Senior Manager, Energy Performance Contracting, Lockheed Martin responsible for the Energy Performance Contracting practice within Lockheed Martin Energy Solutions. As one of the nation’s largest implementers of energy efficiency programs for utility customers, Lockheed Martin has a long history of providing a full range of energy solutions to the government, commercial and industrial sectors, as well as state entities and investor-owned utilities. Lockheed Martin is one of 16 Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) qualified on the DOE Super Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) IDIQ contract, providing innovative, reliable solutions to the United States Air Force, the Department of Energy, and other Federal customers. Under Mr. Caplan’s leadership, Lockheed Martin is now bringing this capability set directly to commercial and industrial asset owners.

Previously, Mr. Caplan represented the Energy Solutions division in Lockheed Martin Washington Operations, gathering policy-driven market intelligence to align and inform the pursuit of the business objectives of the corporation’s Energy & Environment division. In this capacity, he managed relationships with Federal agencies involved in clean energy policies and programs, as well as with relevant stakeholder associations, and supports product line business development efforts to shape and capture opportunities in the Federal energy market. He has also worked in business development and program operations for Lockheed Martin in the homeland security market, managing capture efforts and program start-up on Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security programs.

Before joining Lockheed Martin, he worked in government relations and strategic development for nonprofit organizations, domestically and internationally. Dr. Caplan earned his Ph.D. in European history and his Master of Arts in European Studies from Georgetown University and is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

NEVILLE FARRINGTON

Neville was most recently Head of Sustainability for EDF Energy. He has a deep background in biological sciences, brand strategy, and cultural change. He was on the Steering Committee of Leadership Skills for a Sustainable Economy – and has developed much of EDF Energy’s brand, sustainability and campaigns thinking both before and since.

Neville has worked with and for a wide range of blue chip companies in a dozen business sectors all over the world. He was a Founding Partner and Director of Cognosis Limited and then East Head LLP specialising in overlaps between brand, business and organisational change. For EDF Energy he was responsible for developing fully integrated brand, sustainability and London 2012 strategy leading to the development of Green Britain Day and Team Green Britain. The substance behind this has earned EDF Energy Business in the Community Platinum Plus status, seven big ticks, an Example of Excellence Award and a ‘Highly commended’ at the National Finals.

In the past Neville held senior global strategic roles with Diageo, Guinness, and Prudential. He was a communications planner in three of the UK’s top ten advertising agencies. He has a First Class Honours degree in Biological Sciences from Edinburgh University and studied for a Ph.D on the ‘Evolution of Tree Ferns’ in Kew, PNG and Australia.

He works from an award winning house he built in West Sussex. It is built on a SSSI, a Site of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and open to clients as a business retreat. A site now shared with English field crickets in culmination of a ten year project with Natural England.

ANGELA FERRANTE

Angela was the first member of the Energi’s Alternative Energy team in 2009, spearheading the group’s early efforts to design and implement warranty programs for alternative energy and energy efficiency projects. She leads business development initiatives and strategic relations with financial and non-profit organization. She has been with Energi since November 2008 and previously held several past positions in the financial services industry conducting research studies, financial analysis and due diligence on emerging energy companies. Angela holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

JOSE MARIA FIGUERES

As President of Costa Rica, José Maria Figueres created a comprehensive national sustainable development strategy, combining sound macroeconomic indicators, strategic human development investments, and a strong alliance with nature. In the international arena, President Figueres has pioneered the linkage between sustainable development and technology. He helped create and lead the United Nations ICT Task Force as its first Chairperson.

EMMA HARVEY

Emma Harvey has been Head of Sustainability at Virgin Atlantic since June 2010 – being new to both aviation and renewable fuels, her first year has involved a lot of learning! Emma previously had her own small sustainable business consulting firm, with a range of clients, including the Live Earth global concert series, The Climate Group, Virgin Atlantic, Enterprise Inns, University of Leeds, Divine Chocolate – and most recently up until joining Virgin Atlantic, Wembley Stadium. Prior to her career change into sustainability in early 2005, Emma spent many years working as an academic, specialising in evidence-based practice, with a particular interest in the effectiveness of different behaviour change strategies. Her love of good data (evidence) as the basis for driving change continues to this day. Emma holds a BSc and PhD in Psychology.

SUZANNE HUNT

Suzanne Hunt is leading the Carbon War Room’s work in aviation, renewable fuels, and biochar. In 2007 Suzanne founded Hunt Green LLC, which provides strategic advising for decision-makers in business, government and not-for-profit arenas on a range of renewable energy, sustainable mobility, agriculture, and green design challenges.

DENNIS HUNTER

Dennis Hunter has over 40 years of diverse entrepreneurial business, banking and real estate development experience. He was co-founder of highly ranked Sonoma National Bank, headquartered in Santa Rosa, CA, and served as Chairman of its holding company board. His real estate development activities include more than 35 projects, ranging from 100,000 square foot commercial shopping centers to 450 unit mixed- use residential developments. Mr. Hunter has proven to be a savvy investor, trustee and investment strategist, has started and funded a number of successful businesses, and serves on the board of a $100M waste management enterprise in Sonoma County. In 2008, Mr. Hunter established his Global Legacy Foundation, dedicated to addressing challenges related to climate change. His creative financial expertise is at the heart of Ygrene’s innovative private PACE funding solutions and unique program design and implementation.

BENJAMIN KOTT

Benjamin Kott is the Clean Energy Advocacy Manager for Google in Europe. In this role, he is working with key stakeholders to help advance the roll-out of clean energy solutions.

Previously, Benjamin was Google's Green Business Operations Manager, also for Europe, covering a broad range of activities from building efficiency and employee engagement to major external initiatives like Google's Copenhagen Project (www.google.com/cop15). He has also been leading the company’s foray into renewable energy investments in Europe, resulting in a USD 5M investment in a solar power plant near Berlin, Germany.

Before Google, Benjamin worked for several years as a management consultant with Booz&Co in Italy on projects covering the Media, Aerospace and Energy industries.

Benjamin holds a degree in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering from Munich Technical University, and an MBA from Insead in France. He speaks four European languages and has made feeble, yet so far unsuccessful efforts to learn a fifth.

DR. VLADAS LASAS

Vladas Laaas studied, lectured and did research on Computer Vision at Kaunas University of Technology. He holds doctorate in Computer Science. He presented results of his research at conferences in Japan, USA, Germany, Russia and other countries. He is co-founder and/or co-owner of several companies in Lithuania, including: UPS Authorised Service Contractor in LT - Skubios siuntos UAB, Elinta UAB - Industrial and Power Plant Automation, Elinvision UAB - Computer Vision R&D, and Globaltus UAB - Global e-Commerce.

Vladas is a TED Conference member and one of the 32 TED Patron's worldwide. He is an investor in sustainable & renewable energy projects in Europe through GRE Holding. His area of interest includes innovation in technology, education and society. He actively take part in projects run by AmCham, The British Council, Save The Children, Rotary Club, universities and other organisations. He likes jogging, trekking, bicycling and adventure.

RICHARD MILLER

Richard is Head of Sustainability at the Technology Strategy Board. He has overall responsibility for developing and implementing a sustainability strategy across all of the Technology Strategy Board activities. He also has direct responsibility for programmes in Low-Impact Buildings, Sustainable Agriculture and Food and Resource Efficiency.

Previously he developed and led the Low-Impact Buildings Innovation Platform; creating a programme to enable UK industry to meet the challenge of delivering buildings with a dramatically reduced environmental footprint over the next 10 years.

Richard graduated in Chemistry from Imperial College London, and later completed a PhD in bioinorganic chemistry at the University of Manchester. After a short stint as a post-doctoral fellow he became a lecturer in the Department of Instrumentation and Analytical Science at Manchester, researching intelligent instruments and new forms of spectroscopic analysis.

In 1986 he joined Unilever’s central research group to create a measurement science team at their Port Sunlight Laboratory. He then managed the research programme for the Unilever Speciality Chemicals Group, leading to the creation of a new research focus in molecular modelling and knowledge management.

In 1993 Richard was appointed Vice President R&D for Unichema International, a Unilever company. After the sale of Unichema International to ICI he held a joint appointment as Director for Knowledge and Sustainability in Uniqema, an ICI subsidiary, and as ICI Senior Research Fellow. At Uniqema he was responsible for all knowledge initiatives, development of an e-business portfolio, and for integrating sustainability into the corporate strategy. As Senior Research Fellow he was a member of the ICI Technology Board responsible for the development and implementation of ICI’s corporate research and technology strategy. Richard took particular responsibility for sustainability, modelling and knowledge programmes.

In 2001 Richard left to found Miller-Klein Associates, a consultancy focused on innovation and sustainability, and Vigorat, a specialist intranet consultancy. With both he has worked with a range of public and private organisations.

LILA PRESTON

Lila is a Partner at Generation Investment Management where she works on their Climate Solutions Fund which targets growth equity investments in low-carbon business models. She covers Generation's public and private equity investments in forestry, water, waste, and other natural resources. Lila joined Generation in 2004 to lead their thematic research into sustainability issues such as climate change, pandemics, poverty and demographic shifts.

Before joining Generation she worked with American Express and Bridges Community Ventures while studying for her MBA. Prior to 2003, she worked as a consultant to social enterprise in business development for clients such as Save the Children (YouthNoise). Lila also worked as a Director of Finance and Development at Volunteer Match in San Francisco.

From 1998-2000, Lila served as a Fulbright Fellow in Southern Chile where she worked on sustainable forestry issues. Lila graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. (Honors) in English and Latin American Studies. She holds an MBA from London Business School. She is currently on the Board of Directors of Net Impact.

MARK PRESTON

Mark is a Principal at the WHEB Group, a multi-disciplinary fund manager and investor in clean technologies covering public and private equities as well as infrastructure and project finance. Mark works in WHEB’s private equity team, WHEB Partners, focussed on growth capital investments and buyouts of fast growing businesses in the areas of industrial efficiency, energy efficiency, water, waste and renewable energy generation.

Mark joined WHEB at the start of 2007 and has since been involved in raising WHEB’s second private equity fund and in the twelve new investments made since then. He is a non-executive director on the board of two WHEB portfolio companies and observes on three others, covering a range of different sectors.

Prior to joining WHEB, Mark worked for Ernst & Young in their London office, starting out auditing private equity firms and hedge funds, and latterly in their Corporate Finance team. Prior to a degree in Geographical Sciences at Bristol University, Mark spent 8 months in Zimbabwe, working with the youth-led development agency Restless Development (formerly SPW), on establishing environmental protection projects.

DAME VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

Vivienne Westwood was born in 1941 and moved to London 17 years later. She began designing in 1971 along with her partner Malcolm McLaren when London was at the forefront of cultural trends. In 1984 she launched her own fashion line and was the first designer to be honoured at the Moët & Chandon Fashion Tribute, held in conjunction with the Victoria & Albert Museum, awarded to a leader from the fashion world whose creativity and vision has had a profound influence on lifestyle.

In 2006, Vivienne Westwood was appointed Dame of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 2007, she was awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Fashion at the British Fashion Awards in London. This was also the year in which she received recognition for her continued hard work: an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Heriot Watt University, an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Dundee University, a Fellowship at Kings College, London, as well as a distinction from the Royal College of Art for her services to fashion.

Vivienne has worked tirelessly for social and environmental causes. Her proudest moment was being named a Trustee of Liberty and, more recently, Patron of Reprieve. She actively supports the environmental charity, Cool Earth, in their efforts to save the rainforest and stop climate change, as well as working with the UN Environmental Protection Agency to re-establish the fragmented forests of Europe. Vivienne has also joined forces with the UN’s ITC to create the Ethical Africa project - an ongoing venture to provide people in Africa with the resources to be able to work and build a trade.

Vivienne has written her ideas in a Manifesto called “Active Resistance to Propaganda”. The AR Manifesto evolved through her fashion shows which she uses as a platform for her cultural and environmental concerns. It is a call to all to become more cultivated and in doing so gain the strength and wisdom needed to live life well now and to save the planet for the future.

The AR Manifesto and more information on Vivienne’s concerns and campaigns can be found on her website www.activeresistance.co.uk/getalife.