Net-Zero Energy Conference & Dinner 2023 Speakers

David Boyland

Senior Commercial Policy Manager, SSEN Transmission

David is SSEN Transmission’s Senior Commercial Policy Manager leading on future energy market reform including energy codes, TNUoS and REMA. With over 10 years of experience within the energy industry in a broad range of roles, David’s expertise spans across the electricity markets, code governance, whole system optimization and grid charging reform.

In his role, David’s primary objective is to ensure that the voice of stakeholders in the north of Scotland is heard, ensuring that policy decisions enable strategic infrastructure development to support renewable generation and achieve the UKs legally binding strategic commitment to reach Net Zero.

James Brabben

Senior Manager Regulatory Affairs, RWE

James has 10 years’ experience in the renewable energy sector. Working in energy consulting for 8 years, before moving into his current role in regulatory affairs at RWE Renewables. James leads RWE’s regulation and policy work for offshore wind, renewables support mechanisms and market design. James is also an active member of working groups in Scottish Renewables, Renewable UK and Energy UK on policy and market issues.

Lynne Bryceland

Head of Transmission Regulation and Policy, SP Energy Networks

As Head of Transmission Regulation and Policy for SP Energy Networks, Lynne is responsible for shaping and delivering a range of strategic initiatives across the current and future regulatory policy framework, for SP Energy Networks’ licensed transmission area - SP Transmission. She works closely with a range of external stakeholders including the Scottish and UK and Governments, Ofgem as well as industry players. Lynne has worked within the ScottishPower Group since 2012. She has also held posts working on renewables, innovation and environmental activities.
Before joining the ScottishPower group, Lynne worked for the Scottish Government. She headed up the Scottish Government’s Offshore Renewables policy team for several years where she led on the development and implementation of Scotland’s Offshore Wind and Marine Energy Road Maps.
Lynne also has extensive European policy experience having worked for both the UK Government’s Permanent Representation to the EU (UKRep), representing the UK in the EU from 2003-2006, including during the UK Government’s Presidency of the EU as well as working for the European Commission, (DG Competition).

Sophie Hartfield Lewis

Head of Project Development Support and Consenting, bp

Sophie Hartfield Lewis is head of project development support and consents for offshore wind UK at bp. Sophie's scope includes delivering the consents, commercial, land and project control functions for bp's current and future offshore wind portfolio leading a high performing team of experts with a variety of backgrounds to drive bp's energy transition towards net zero. Sophie has worked globally in offshore wind, including the establishment of the largest permitting and marine affairs function in offshore wind in the US, leading project development functions across Europe and delivering best practice worldwide.

In the UK, Sophie delivered the consent for the world's current largest operating offshore windfarm, Hornsea Project Two. She has a strong background in the energy industry having worked in onshore wind across the value chain, prior to that working on conventional power stations managing sustainable transitions to biomass co firing and starting her career in energy trading.

Ross Laird

Head of Scotland, Grayling

Ross Laird has over 20 years’ experience as a political and public policy campaigner. Ross advises clients on strategic repositioning, political and public affairs campaigns and wider communications.

A former Council Group Leader, parliamentary candidate and Researcher, Ross can draw on a wealth of experience. His work has included dealing with some of Scotland’s and the UK’s most ambitious energy projects and has delivered a number of award-winning campaigns across the UK, including integrated communications for some of the largest rail and energy engineering projects in the UK.

Richard Lochhead MSP

Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work

Richard Lochhead MSP was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and 2003 via the North East regional list. During the second session of Parliament he stood down from his regional seat and was elected as constituency MSP for Moray in the by-election in April 2006.

Mr Lochhead lives with his wife Fiona and sons Angus and Fraser. In his spare time he is a keen cyclist.

He was previously the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment and Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science.

Ragne Low

Deputy Director Onshore Electricity Policy, Strategic Coordination and Energy Consents, Directorate for Energy and Climate Change | The Scottish Government

Ragne works on heat planning as part of the Heat Strategy team in the Scottish Government, where she covers Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies, decarbonising heat in public sector buildings and aspects of wider heat policy. Before joining the Scottish Government, Ragne worked on energy policy issues in academia and consultancy.

Claire Mack

Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Renewables

Claire has been Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, the representative voice of Scotland’s renewable energy industry, since October 2017. She is responsible for leading the organisation’s work to grow Scotland’s renewables sector and sustain its position at the forefront of the global clean energy industry.

Claire is a member of the First Minister’s Energy Advisory Board and is co-chair of the Renewable Energy Strategic Leadership Group. She is also co-chair of the Scottish Government Marine Energy Industry Group.

Claire is a member of SSEN’s Network for Net Zero Stakeholder Group and a member of the Centre for Work-Based Learning in Scotland Advisory Group. She was recently awarded a STELAR award for executive leadership from the University of Strathclyde.

Before joining Scottish Renewables, Claire was Director of Policy and Place at the Scottish Council for Development and Industry. She has previously worked in various roles at Ofcom in Scotland, focusing on economic regulation of telecoms, radio spectrum and the mail market while also looking at developing digital participation of individuals and businesses.

Sarah Merrick

Founder and CEO, Ripple Energy

Sarah is Founder and CEO of Ripple Energy. She set up Ripple in 2017 to enable household consumers to own large scale onshore wind farms, the UK’s cheapest source of power. Sarah has worked in the wind industry since 2000, including as Head of Public Affairs (UK + Ireland) at Vestas, a Market Economist at RES and as Head of Renewable Energy at AEP (now EnergyUK). Alongside her role at Vestas she was also vice Chair of RenewableUK and chaired its Markets and Economics Strategy Group.

Adam Morrison

Country Manager U.K., Ocean Winds

As Moray West Project Director Adam is driving to realise the opportunities for clean affordable power and local enterprise that the 860MW project offers. He is also a full board member of Scottish Renewables and a member of the Renewable UK Grid and Systems working group. Adam has over 15 years of experience in the renewables sector, having started his career in wave and tidal energy before moving into wind energy.

Kate Mulvany

Senior Consultant, Cornwall Insight

A policy specialist, Kate has 17 years experience across the energy value chain. Past roles include supporting supplier and network operations, electricity and gas strategic programmes, process transformation, and engagement with regulatory and policy workstreams. Kate is currently working with a range of stakeholders involved in the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA).

Chelsea Nickles

Head of Market Development for UK and Ireland, Ørsted

Chelsea Nickles is Head of Market Development for the UK & Ireland. Chelsea has over 10 years' experience working in the offshore wind industry and has previously held senior roles in Ørsted’s legal and commercial teams, most recently heading up the team focused on Ørsted’s strategic joint ventures in all regions. Chelsea started her career in Canada as a lawyer and prior to joining Ørsted was a member of the project finance team in Allen & Overy's London office.

Niall Stuart

Director, Hutcheson Associates

Niall is an experienced communications professional, bringing 20 years’ experience of engagement with Scottish and UK politicians, policy makers, regulators and media.

He leads Hutcheson Associates’ work to advise clients in the low carbon energy sector on strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and policy and regulatory change.

Niall has a detailed knowledge of the industry and energy policy, having previously served as Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, leading the organisation through major reforms such as EMR and Project TransmiT - both of which have many parallels to the ongoing Review of Electricity Market Arrangements.

Mark Timmons

Director of Buds UK & Ireland, SSE Renewables

Mark is Director of Bids UK & Ireland at SSE Renewables where he has led significant bid campaigns securing new seabed for offshore development and offtake arrangements to enable projects. Prior to SSE Renewables, Mark worked for a global utility company on international offshore wind bids, investment opportunities and supply chain strategy. He is a Chartered Accountant.

Morag Watson

Director of Policy, Scottish Renewables

Morag is Scottish Renewables’ Director of Policy. Her work involves overseeing Scottish Renewables’ policy function and key projects within Scotland’s leading renewables trade body, working on behalf of 260+ organisations to grow Scotland’s renewable energy sector and sustain its position at the forefront of the global clean energy industry.

Morag has worked in policy for over 17 years and was previously a Senior Policy Officer with WWF Scotland, specialising in climate change, sustainable development and behaviour change.