John Best has led the development of EEEGR as its Chief Executive, since 1st April 2001, moving from the Enterprise Partnership, which collaboratively represented Business Link, Chamber of Commerce, and TEC with a specific focus on bringing wider recognition to the regional energy industry built on the strong foundations of the offshore industry. This work led to the formation of the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR). In that time it has grown to over 340 members with a remit of “sustainable production and wise use of energy”

John’s career path to date could be summed up with the phase “challenge and change – delivered in a positive and enthusiastic way”. John left school in 1971 at 16 with ‘O’ levels and trained as a navigator. Traveling the world over the next eight years with Bibby Line he qualified as a First Officer – Foreign Going. After a period of self employment in November 1980, John’s involvement with the offshore oil and gas industry began in supply chain as a chartering clerk with Wimpey Marine. Over the next six years he was promoted to Marine Manager with responsibility for deck operations on the vessels.

In 1987, John returned to college and studied accountancy. He left college planning to complete his studies while working in a small professional practice in Norwich, but in the early 1990’s he joined Wimpey Waste – which became UK Waste. Over the next nine years he rose to become General Manager – UK for the Industrial Services Division. During this period, he also joined Enterprise Partnership and became a well respected and active member. Amongst his many achievements, John helped to develop the East Anglian Business Club (EABEC). EABEC was founded in partnership with UEA in 1993 to work with schools to help raise students’ ambition through mentoring, education business partnership and Young Enterprise. He also served locally for three years as a crew member with the RNLI. He was Chairman with The Beach Radio, for six years and continues to act as Trustee for charities “Help an East Coast Child” and “Petans” (Training Organisation).

In 2007, at the TAF Best Practice Awards, John received The Individual Contribution Award for outstanding contribution in the trade association sector. In 2008 John was ranked 13th most influential business person in the region in the annual EDP business poll. On 24th March 2010 EEEGR received a BIS Cluster Mark Award, one of only 15 awarded in the UK, and the only one for a cluster serving the needs of the Energy Industry.

John is renowned for his stamina, knowledge and enthusiasm and he continues to work tirelessly as an ambassador for the energy industry and the East of England.

Bob Blizzard - Waveney MP, 1997 to 2010

I was first elected to Parliament in May 1997. I was the first Labour MP to represent the area since 1959 and was re-elected as Waveney's MP in June 2001 and May 2005.

I was born and went to school in Suffolk, and went to Birmingham University. I was a teacher for 25 years. In addition, I was the Leader of Waveney District Council from 1991 to 1997, having been first elected to the council in 1987.

I was most recently a Government Whip, with the title of ‘Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury’ since 2008. Among other posts, I have been an Assistant Whip (2007-2008), the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Douglas Alexander as the Secretary of State for Transport (2006-2007) and Minister for Europe (2005-2006).

I have also been the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Nick Brown as the Minister for Work at the Department of Work and Pensions (2001-2003), and to Baroness Hayman as the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1999-2001).

I have been the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary British Offshore Oil and Gas Group (1997-2007), the All Party Parliamentary Renewable Transport Fuels Group (2007), the All Party Parliamentary British - Brazilian Group (1997-2007), the All Party Parliamentary British-Chilean Group (2005-1007) and the All Party Parliamentary British – Latin America Group (2004-2007); and the Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (2004-2007). I have also served on the Environmental Audit Select Committee.

I am also Chair of the Lowestoft Energy Steering Group.

I am particularly interested in energy, employment, health, transport, education and foreign affairs. In my spare time, I enjoy walking, listening to jazz music, skiing and watching rugby, cricket and football.

Ola Carlson - Chalmers University of Technology (CHA), Sweden

Ola Carlson was born in Onsala, Sweden 1955. He received the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden in 1980 and 1988, respectively.

He is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Energy and Environment at Chalmers University of Technology. He has three years of industry experience in the areas of variable-speed systems for wind turbines. His major interests are electrical systems for renewable and hybrid electric vehicle.

Mathias Grabs - BIS, Bremerhaven Economic Development Company GmbH

Diploma in chemical engineering from the University Dortmund, Germany.

PhD thesis on polymer blends at the IFAM Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Materials Research in Bremen, Germany.

Project engineer for environmental protection in surface technology at bregau olt GmbH in Bremen, Germany.

Programme officer for a regional environmental promotion programme and project manager of POWER cluster at BIS Bremerhaven Economic Development Company in Bremerhaven, Germany.

Morten Holmager - Manager Renewables, Offshore Center Danmark (OCD), Denmark

Education: Aalborg University Esbjerg 2002, M.Sc. (Chem. Eng.).

Experience:

Manager, Renewables: Development of national offshore strategy aiming at continued development of Danish offshore wind competences. Coordination of Danish and international network groups focusing on offshore wind. Various promotional and networking activities for Danish companies. Coordination of yearly network event “Offshore Wind Business2Business Event”.
Editor: Bi-monthly news magazine ON/OFF News and yearly publication ON/OFF Yearbook
Course Coordinator: Development, coordination and lecturing on “Introduction to Offshore Oil and Gas”, “Introduction to Offshore Wind” and “Offshore Oil and Gas Processing”
Project Coordinator: Coordination and management of development projects “Offshore wind turbines situated in areas with strong currents”, “Small and Medium Sized Offshore Wind Businesses”, “Use of plastic composites as construction material for oil/gas installations”, “Use of aluminum as construction material for oil/gas installations”
Project participant in projects “POWER” (2004-2007) and “POWER cluster” (2008-2011)

Richard Jenkins - Operations Director, Natural Resources, AMEC Oil & Gas

Richard is currently working for AMEC as Operations Director - West Africa & Services. He has responsibility for a diverse portfolio of AMEC's operations within the Europe & West Africa region, including brownfield projects in Nigeria, and various gas projects in the UK. He is based in Great Yarmouth and supports AMEC's interests in the East of England energy sector, of which offshore wind is an important aspect. He initially trained as a Marine Engineer, but then went on to study Mechanical Engineering at Southampton University. After graduating, he worked for a number of companies in the oil & gas sector, including power generation and gas compression manufacturers, process systems suppliers, and operations & maintenance service companies. During this time he had extensive international experience, working in Europe, West Africa and the Middle East.

Jeremy Sainsbury - Natural Power

Jeremy is a director of the Natural Power and SeaRoc consultancies which total over 200 people dedicated to Renewable Energy based in 5 UK offices and 5 international , serving the onshore wind, offshore wind, wave, tidal, biomass and PV markets with full life cycle services and products. Jeremy has been in the renewable sector over 20 years with specialism in consenting and grid issues. He has led the NP team in over 2,000 MW of consents including 8 Section 36 consents and 2 offshore projects. Jeremy sits on the FREDS ministerial working group, RAB grid sub group, is SRF Vice Chair , SRF grid group co chair, AEP Scotland Committee and OWIG. He has been involved in major policy developments with planning, marine renewables, grid and small scale development for the past 10 years.

Prof.dr. G.J.W. van Bussel (Gerard), TU Delft, The Netherlands

Gerard J.W. van Bussel works as full professor in Wind Energy at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering of TU Delft in The Netherlands.

He is active in wind energy research since 1977. He obtained his MSc. in Applied Mathematics from the Radboud University in Nijmegen in 1976, and a PhD. from TU Delft in 1995, on research regarding the aerodynamics of wind turbine rotors. He worked as a researcher at the faculty of Aerospace Engineering, as a research coordinator of the Institute for Wind Energy and as associate professor in wind energy at the faculty of Civil Engineering of TU Delft. He was a research fellow of the Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) at the Universities of Nagoya and Tsu in Japan in 1998.

His research interests cover rotor aerodynamics; O&M of large scale offshore wind farms, conceptual design of advanced wind turbines and wind energy in the built environment. In the Netherlands he is responsible for educational curriculum in wind energy at the three Dutch Technical Universities. He also provided course modules for the EUREC European master course in renewable energy, and for several other courses on wind power and renewable energy technologies.

He is has been a member of the boards of NEWIN and of EWEA (the Dutch and the European Wind Energy Association respectively). At present he is a member of the board of EAWE, The European Academy of Wind Energy.

Andreas Wagner - Managing Director, Stiftung Offshore-Windenergie

Currently working as Managing Director of Stiftung Offshore-Windenergie the German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation.

Prior to this Andreas worked as the Head of European Marketing/Communications/Public Affairs, BD functions for GE Wind Energy, and has also been the MD of Fördergesellschaft Windenergie FGW.

Andreas Wagner began his professional career in the German Parliament in 1993, as scientific assistant of Dr. Hermann Scheer, MP. Andreas holds a Masters in Political Science.

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