Allan Asher
Discussion forum: Stimulating competition in the domestic electricity market

Allan Asher is an established international consumer advocate and former Chief Executive (2003-2008) of energywatch, the independent action group for energy consumers. Allan joined energywatch from the Consumers' Association where he was Director of Campaigns and Communications. Prior to his move to the UK, Allan was deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Allan is a member of the UK Energy Research Centre Advisory Board and also a member of the Energy Research and Policy Advisory Board of the University of Birmingham, and a Commissioner of the UK Green Fiscal Commission.

Alan Bissett
Chairman

Alan Bissett is the lead Partner in Carson McDowell's Energy Department and has particular expertise in project development and finance, power purchase agreements, renewables, energy trading and dispute resolution. Carson McDowell's Energy Department comprises specialist lawyers with expertise in all areas of the electricity and gas industries. Since privatisation of the electricity industry in 1992, Carson McDowell have been involved in virtually every aspect of the development of the energy sector in Northern Ireland.

Henry Coolidge
Discussion forum: How can Northern Ireland move towards a lower carbon energy sector?

Henry Coolidge is a native of Gulfport, Mississippi. He was appointed as CEO of Ballylumford’s Premier Power in March 2006. Immediately prior to that Henry held the position of Head of Power Development at Premier Power’s parent company BG Group and was responsible for developing BG’s power investment strategy as well as sponsoring the development of power projects through BG’s regional structure. Henry has extensive global experience in the energy industry.

Dermot MacCann
Discussion forum: Stimulating competition in the domestic electricity market

Dermot MacCann has worked in the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation since 2002 as Deputy Chief Executive. From September 2005 to June 2006 he was Acting Chief Executive. Currently he is responsible for electricity regulation and has been involved in the Single Electricity Project (SEM) since its inception in November 2004. Prior to joining what was then Ofreg Dermot worked as an Economist for two years in the Economic Policy Unit of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and before that in DETI and DFP.

Laura Malaguzzi Valeri
Evaluating the challenges for introducing nuclear energy in the Irish electricity market

Laura Malaguzzi Valeri is an economist at the Economic and Social Research Institute (Dublin), where she is part of the Energy Policy Research Centre. Her current research focuses on the effects of regulatory changes on the Irish electricity and gas markets, the effects of added electricity interconnection with Great Britain and on the analysis of road freight transport in Ireland. She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Osvaldo Mauro-Hun
Encompassing renewable technology: Using agricultural biomass in sustainable electricity generation

Osvaldo Mauro-Hun is Chief Executive of Rose Energy, responsible for all activities leading to the successful completion of the first biomass power station in Northern Ireland. He took up his post in July 2007. Previously he has worked in the coal, chemical, steel and renewable energy industries. His background includes several years as General Manager and Operations Director of Fibrowatt and Energy Power Resources (EPR).

Stephen McCully
Discussion forum: Stimulating competition in the domestic electricity market

Stephen McCully joined Northern Ireland Electricity in 1987 to set up an energy services consultancy, and since then has held several engineering, commercial and management posts within the organisation. He currently heads up the retail arm of NIE Energy Ltd which supplies electricity to 790,000 domestic and small business customers within Northern Ireland. He is leading NIE Energy into an increasingly competitive environment stimulated by the all island Single Electricity Market and a fully open retail market in Northern Ireland.

Dr Alasdair McDonnell
Taking a cross-party approach to tackling energy issues

Dr Alasdair McDonnell is SDLP deputy leader and MP and MLA for South Belfast. He is Chairman of the recently-formed All Party Assembly Group on Energy and sits on the Assembly’s Enterprise, Trade & Investment Committee. A GP by profession, he was elected as South Belfast MP in the 2005 Westminster elections and was elected to the Assembly in 1998, 2003 and 2007.

Dr David McIlveen-Wright
Discussion forum: Stimulating competition in the domestic electricity market

Dr David McIlveen-Wright is a Lecturer in Energy Engineering at the University of Ulster.  He has been involved in several local, UK and European research projects on biomass and energy from wastes since 1992 until the present.  David is a former Chairman of the Energy Institute in Northern Ireland and is still an active committee member.  He is a chartered engineer, physicist, scientist and environmentalist and has a PhD in Energy Studies and a MSc in Environmental Management.

John McMullan
Discussion forum: Stimulating competition in the domestic electricity market

John McMullan is Chief Executive of Bryson Charitable Group. His responsibilities include oversight of the charity’s financial, strategic planning, business development functions and responsibility for the group’s recent restructuring and repositioning. John has been appointed by the Minister at the Department for Social Development as Chairman of the Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Advisory Group and served as a board member of Sustainable Energy Ireland 1999-2007.

Iain Osborne
Discussion forum: How can Northern Ireland move towards a lower carbon energy sector?

Iain Osborne took up his position as Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR) in June 2007. He joined NIAUR from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition, where he worked on gas markets since 2004. Prior to that he was Director of Consumer Markets at Ofgem, the GB energy regulator. He has also worked for the Department of Trade and Industry and McKinsey & Company.

Andrew Ryan
Planning issues in the energy sector: Renewable energy, interconnectors and other infrastructure projects

Andrew Ryan is an Associate in the Environment Team at leading law firm Carson McDowell. He advises on all aspects of environment law, including waste regulation, brownfield redevelopment, renewable energy and environmental prosecutions. He previously worked in regulatory and enforcement roles for the GB Environment Agency.

Venkie Shantaram
Lowering the carbon footprint of the energy sector

Venkie Shantaram is a Partner with McKinsey & Company UK, based in London, and has been with the firm for over 8 years. Venkie leads the firm's Electric Power & Natural Gas practice in the UK. He has extensively served utilities, international oil and gas companies and national oil companies on the topics of strategy, M&A, business development and organisation. Venkie holds an MBA from INSEAD.

Geoff Smyth
Discussion forum: How can Northern Ireland move towards a lower carbon energy sector?

Geoff Smyth is a chartered engineer, who graduated with first class honours in engineering from the University of Ulster in 1992. He was appointed the first Manager for the Carbon Trust in Northern Ireland in May 2002 and is responsible for formulating and delivering Carbon Trust programmes throughout Northern Ireland. Geoff has over 14 years experience in delivering energy management programmes and activities across both public and private sectors in Northern Ireland.

David Thorne
Stimulating competition in energy markets

David Thorne has over 18 years experience in the utility industry primarily focusing on the design, development and management of governance and associated processes to support competitive utility markets. Working for regulators (Ofwat and the Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER)) and subsequently for the regulated company, Centrica, has provided David with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics within the utility sector during periods of major change. He joined Gemserv’s management team this year to lead the Gas & Metering and Regulatory workstreams.

Michael Walsh
Exploring the future prospects for wind energy in Northern Ireland

Michael Walsh joined the IWEA as CEO in November 2007. The IWEA is a national association for the Irish wind industry. Prior to joining the IWEA Michael was manager of market development at EirGrid where he played a key role in the successful development of the Single Electricity Market. He was previously Manager of Ancillary Services at EirGrid and has been involved in several international assignments with ESBI. Michael was Chairman of the Irish branch of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (now the IET) in 2003. Michael has a BE and a PhD in engineering from UCD.

Paul Whitehead
Global energy outlook: prices and drivers

Paul Whitehead is managing editor of European Policy and International Newsletters at Platts.  He manages titles including International Gas Report, Renewable Energy Report and EU Energy. Paul’s areas of expertise are renewable energy and European Union energy policy. He was also involved in launching Platts coverage of emissions and before that had specialized in retail energy markets.  He joined Platts in 2001 with the acquisition of FT Energy, where he had worked since 1998.

Noel Williams
Workshop chairman: Maximising the role of renewable energy

Noel Williams is the Head of the Energy Saving Trust (EST) in Northern Ireland. His remit is to maximise the effectiveness of EST's programmes and oversee its long-term strategy in Northern Ireland whilst addressing the damaging effects of climate change, reducing Northern Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions and tackling fuel poverty. EST(NI) maintains relationships with key Northern Ireland partners such as government departments, NIE, Phoenix Natural Gas, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the oil industry and local councils.

Philip Wolfe
Discussion forum: How can Northern Ireland move towards a lower carbon energy sector?

Philip Wolfe is Executive Director of the Renewable Energy Association, which represents the UK renewable energy industry. He has over 30 years experience in the renewable energy industry, since becoming the first Chief Executive of what is now BP Solar. Philip has served on the Board of Directors of European and British renewable energy associations, and on bodies advising the European Commission and the British Government.

Martin Wright
The Strangford Lough tidal energy project

Martin Wright is founder and Managing Director of Marine Current Turbines Limited. Following a career in the Royal Navy, Martin worked as a Venture Capitalist, developing corporate finance skills and commercial experience spanning a breadth of industries, particularly early stage technology companies. He had a particular interest in renewable energy, prior to becoming involved with Marine Current Turbines.