Management Team

The founding directors of LowC are Richard Griffin, Willem Smit and Andrew Horsley - with the core management team consists of the following members:

• Willem Smit - Chairman
• Richard Griffin - Chief Executive
• Dr. Andrew Horsley - Managing Director
• Andrew West - Projects Director
• Doug Chaplin - Commercial Director
• Bob Stamp - Engineering Director
• Martin Cook - Operation and Maintenance Director

Projects are resourced from this team and a broad range of professional associates.

Willem Smit - Chairman

A Dutch national with a breadth of experience and know-how spanning 40 years, Willem has established himself as a renowned business leader and visionary in the world of energy with the main focus on strategy and business development. Willem has lived in 7 countries and done business in over 50, possesses superb communication and interpersonal skills and is fluent in six languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.

• Non-executive Director (nominated Customer Champion), Thames Water, Reading, UK;
• Director, Barking Power, Dagenham, UK;
• Chairman, Stadtwerke Kiel, Kiel, Germany;
• Vice-Chairman, Braunschweig Versorgung, Brunswick, Germany;
• Vice-Chairman, Nordic Energy Oy, Helsinki, Finland;
• Director, Hidroelectrico del Cantabrico, Oviedo, Spain;
• Managing Director, Continental Europe, TXU Europe, London, UK;
• Commercial Director, Eon Benelux, The Hague, The Netherlands;
• CEO and President, Gulf Oil International, Vienna, Austria/ Gulf Oil Trading Corporation, Houston, USA.
  

Before joining Gulf Oil, he worked for more than 20 years with Shell International in a number of senior management in various locations around the world.

Willem holds a MSc in Theoretical Physics from Groningen University (The Netherlands).

Back to top

Richard Griffin - Chief Executive

Richard Griffin is a specialist in power generation and the integration and operation of local energy systems. He has nearly 30 years experience in the European and International Energy sector. Particular experience includes: original equipment manufacture, turnkey project development, and the integration, business operation and management of both large grid connected facilities and local distributed energy systems.

Previous positions include: Associate Partner Ecofys UK (a leading European sustainable energy consultancy); Director of European Business Development for Solomon Associates (US) providing strategic, operational, and management consultancy at board level to international majors; Chief Operating Officer for the Nedalo Group (a distributed CHP provider formerly part of TXU Energy); Director, Pharos Energy UK & Ireland Holding B.V. (100% owned subsidiaries of E.ON); New Business Development and Acquisition Manager and member of the Dutch Board of Generation for the ABB Group (based in the NL); International Consortium Leader, India (based at the ABB technical lead centre in Germany).

Richard holds a post-graduate Diploma in Management Sciences from Nottingham University, gained distinctions in Business, Negotiation and Strategy from the GEC Management college Dunchurch, and in Techniques du Commerce International, from the GEC-Alsthom Business School-Versailles.

Back to top

Dr. Andrew Horsley - Managing Director

Andrew Horsley is an energy specialist within the field of the built environment. He has over 10 years experience in the energy performance of buildings, integrated energy efficiency and renewable energy design, and in the project development process in both private and PFI sectors. He also has extensive experience of renewable energy project development processes and technologies.

Andrew was previously working as the head of the Energy in the Built Environment department of Ecofys UK, where he was responsible for the development and delivery of a wide range of energy and renewable energy services to new build projects, major refurbishments and investment portfolios. Previously he spent over 6 years working with Carillion plc, initially on the integration of energy performance optimisation processes into PFI projects, and latterly as Sustainability Manager for the Carillion Building business. Andrew holds an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Environmental Technology from the University of Surrey, and a BSc in Geography from the University of Durham.

Back to top

Andrew West - Projects Director

Andrew has over 30 years experience in the Construction Industry, the last 15 years at director level in both PLC and private organisations. He has experience in all disciplines within the industry and as such has an excellent overview of the built environment. Recently Andrew has been concentrating on low energy construction processes through the Code for Sustainable Homes using off site manufacturing methods of construction.

Previous positions include:

• Construction Director Magnus Homes
• Construction Director Allison Homes
• Construction Director Allison Homes Eastern
• Commercial & Technical Director Allison Homes Eastern
• Production & Technical Director Larkfleet Homes

Back to top

Doug Chaplin - Commercial Director

Doug has a background in the agricultural and chemicals industries and has worked for major corporations and SME’s during his 30 years in business. He has travelled in Europe, CIS, Middle East and Japan and has a wealth of international business experience. Latterly Doug has been involved in the renewable energy industry especially working in the area of liquid biofuel CHP and liquid biofuel combustion in diesel engines.

His agricultural and wastewater treatment chemical trading experience has cross-linked to the waste oils and biomass supply industries giving him a wide perspective on international biomass supply.

As well as his international business experience, Doug built and project managed construction of a Top Tier COMAH chemical factory and a COMAH warehouse in his role as MD of Lansdowne Chemicals.

Latterly he was involved on the scoping and initial design of the country’s first tallow fuelled CHP plant which successfully achieved WID compliance.
In joining LowC, Doug will draw together the various strands of past experience to develop a biomass supply strategy for the business and develop further the commercial CHP portfolio.

In future, as LowC introduces novel new waste-to-energy technology, Doug will take a lead role, given his experience and contacts in the food industry.

Back to top

Bob Stamp - Engineering Director

Robert Stamp is a Member of CIBSE, a Chartered Engineer and has been a Building Services Professional since graduating with a BSc (Hons) from Brunel University in 1981. In his 30 years experience of working in the Built Environment Robert has worked for leading Building Services Design Contractors in Design Management (Haden Young and AMEC Design & Management) with a focus on the delivery of services at the central plant end of the spectrum.

This period included the Lead Design of the mechanical plant serving the campuses of a number of major research facility estates. Since 2000 Robert has been focusing on the demand side of the design, installation and operation of building services by supporting Gifford Consultants and the Technology Centre of Taylor Woodrow as their Manager for Building Services and MEICA Design.

Latterly Roberts focus has been with that of aligning the delivery of the built environment to that of the drivers behind the changing legislative framework for Green House Gas emissions reduction. This being from the practical and holistic standpoint of linking building performance across all facets of the Design, Build and Operation of the Built Environment.

Robert is a member of the CIBSE CHP focus groups steering committee.

Back to top

Martin Cook - Operation and Maintenance Director

Martin joined LowC in January 2011 from energy company ContourGlobal. An experienced Plant and Equipment Manager and former Marine Engineer in the Royal Navy, he has extensive experience of the provision of technical assistance and due diligence in the improvement, devilment and operation of systems. His work has included recovering the landfill gas through to electrical and mechanical maintenance of generators and ancillary equipment in Energy Centres and associated technologies.

Prior to joining LowC Martin has worked or a number of major energy companies in both the UK and abroad. His experience includes the commissioning and operation of both Combined Heat and Power and District Heating Systems.

While at ContourGlobal he was responsible for the development of a supporting electronic system of maintenance tracking and record keeping and recommending the acquisition of a commercially available system, presenting a strong business case for justification.

At ENER-G he directed the efficient running of the engineering department to achieve maximum safe generated electrical output both in the UK and Abroad. At LowC Martin has been responsible for the technical overnight, implementation, and commissioning on a number of CHP projects. Martin also plays a leading role in the development and implementation of the Company’s O & M Strategy.

Back to top