Former energy and clean growth minister joins board of green investment consultancy
Just weeks after confirming her role as the new managing director for climate and energy at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Claire O'Neill has joined the board at green investment consultancy Ikigai Capital Limited.
The former Minister for Energy and Clean Growth has joined the London-based consultancy as non-executive director, alongside Leigh Hudson, head of sustainable fuels at IAG/British Airways.
O'Neill and Hudson are set to guide Ikigai Capital's co-founders Roberto Castiglioni and Helena Anderson in their mission to "bridge the divide between investors, technology companies, large energy users and the public sector and thereby address 'stranded asset' risk for industry and infrastructure".
"The UK's commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 has focused minds on how to translate talk into action and I have long been impressed with the Ikigai team's ability to turn theoretical commitments into the practical steps needed to help companies structure and source secure funding for technology-neutral, integrated energy and transport decarbonisation solutions," O'Neill said. "In less than two years, thanks to their commitment and passionate approach, they have positioned themselves at the heart of the energy transition by delivering practical and investable solutions, linking key public and private stakeholders and the funding community. I look forward to helping them move the business to the next stage."
Ikigai Capital specialises in advising investors, asset operators, and public authorities on how to diversify into new energy-related revenue streams and mitigate unforeseen or premature write-downs, asset devaluation, illiquidity, and refinancing risks.
As such, Castiglioni said the company was well placed to help investors navigate an increasingly complex transition that rapidly expanding beyond the energy sector.
"As the home of the Industrial Revolution and energy-led industrial clusters, Britain is now leading the Energy Revolution, decarbonising its economy to make it fit for the 21st century and delivering data-led Infrastructure 2.0," he said. "Huge steps have been taken to reduce stranded asset risk on the electricity supply side through solar and wind generation, but the next big challenge is decarbonising industrial and transport demand for heat/cool and fuel and balancing the system through behind-the-meter solutions. From these challenges we see a massive opportunity for investors to increase the profitability and competitiveness of their core assets by acting now with bankable, holistic solutions."