What does your job involve?
Planning decisions for nationally significant energy infrastructure, from offshore wind to power pylons, as well as reforms to speed up energy planning decisions. I also manage devolution issues for DESNZ, North Sea oil and gas policy, fracking and the legacy of coal mining, including coal pensions. All pretty low profile…
To do your job well, you need...
To regularly look at things with a fresh perspective and pivot when needed, a strong commercial and political radar, genuine impartiality, and bags of empathy to support my teams, who work incredibly hard on some complex issues. Lately, I’ve also had to upskill on AI.
First job in government
Equipping the Fire and Rescue Service to respond to terrorist attacks after 9/11. I initially came in as a temp HEO.
Proudest achievement to date
In the early days of the Russia/Ukraine war, my team sent small power generators to Ukraine to help power hospitals.
Most bizarre thing that’s happened to you at work
I was housebound on crutches, before we had the tech to work from home, so my overstretched boss sent a car for me. As I drove into Whitehall, a group of Japanese tourists mistook me for a VIP.
If you weren’t a civil servant, you’d be...
I honestly feel it’s a privilege to do my job, but film production looks fun.
What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever been given?
People only see your actions. They don’t see your intentions.
If you could wave a magic wand over the civil service, what would you change?
Great leadership comes in many different packages: backgrounds, personal styles, working patterns, education. We do tend to have a preferred “type”, but I believe a variety of perspectives leads to better cultures and outcomes