Industry Expert : Mike Gibbons OBE
Michael started his career at ICI, where following a series of management positions in the UK, USA and Belgium, he became responsible for all energy purchased by ICI in the UK. He led much of the ICI work which led to the development of Teesside Power, and served on the Board of Teesside Power Ltd.
He joined Powergen in 1991, and performed a wide range of roles at Director level, including the purchasing of all fuels for the UK power stations (he conducted major negotiations with British Coal and British Rail), and having the responsibility as Managing Director for Powergen’s gas business, including the development of gas trading ; he directed the renegotiation of a range of major contracts , and finally he was appointed Director of UK Communications, responsible for government and external relations, the press office and internal communications .
He has held a very wide range of commercial and public appointments spanning his business career. These include: Chair of the CBI electricity privatisation working party; Member of the Gas Consumers Council; Expert Adviser to the European Commission on energy pricing; Member of the ECSC Joint Consultative Committee and Regional Councillor of the CBI.
Since leaving Powergen in 2002, he has chaired working parties and led reviews on the subject of better regulation for the UK government and the European commission. Michael was awarded an OBE for services to regulatory reform in the New Year Honours List 2008.
He has lectured widely on energy issues, worked on the Hatfield Power project with Powerfuel Power Ltd of which he is now a director, and is the deputy chairman of the British Energy Association.