Thursday, May 15: Renewable energy - Opportunity or opportunism?
With the All-Energy Exhibition taking place at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on May 21/22, IoD Aberdeen is focusing on the renewable energy industry for its networking lunch on Thursday, May 15.
Entitled "Renewable Energy - Opportunity or Opportunism" the speakers are Jeremy Cresswell and Iain Todd of the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group. They will address the political issues, the levels of resource, the technologies involved, the activities of the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), and the business opportunities involved.
The lunch, in the Royal Northern & University Club, 9 Albyn Place, Aberdeen at 12.15 for 12.30 pm on Thursday, May 15, can be booked online at the main IoD website and click on "Events".
Iain Todd is a chartered engineer, who has worked in both the private sector and the Civil Service. He has held senior posts in the Health and Safety Executive, the Department of the Environment, and the Department of Trade and Industry, mostly on energy-related issues. Between 2002 and 2004, Iain was Director of Renewable Energy at the DTI. As such, he was responsible for the first two years of the Renewables Obligation, financial programmes of £300m, and initiatives to grow a UK renewables supply chain. In June 2004 Iain returned to the private sector, and now works as a renewable energy consultant. Much of his time is given to his role as Renewables Champion to the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG).
Jeremy Cresswell originally read law, but rebelled and spent most of early life in fishery development and commercial fisheries sector. Researched the fishing vessel construction capability of Scotland in 1984, work that was at the time adopted by the then Scottish Development Agency. Since 1985 has worked as an energy/maritime affairs journalist/editor/analyst, primarily for the Press & Journal, but contributing to many other business and energy-oriented titles. Currently editor of Energy.
Jeremy has co-authored a variety of reports and publications, including Scottish Enterprise energy annuals 1997 through 2001 and numerous global studies at Mackay Consultants, of which he is an associate. He was responsible for drawing together the influential group of public and private sector Aberdeen business community leaders to create the successful Scotland Energy Opportunities Conference series, NOW All-Energy. Chairman of the Aberdeen City Council-initiated private-public partnership Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group. Made a Burgess of the City of Aberdeen – December 2005
- For further information about the lunch, which will take place in the Royal Northern and University Club, Albyn Place, Aberdeen starting at 12.30 pm, contact Kate Dow at IoD Scotland, telephone 0131 557 5488, email kate.dow@iod.com, or go to www.iod.com/scotland and click on EVENTS near the top of the page.
Thursday, May 29: Evening visit to see Aberdeen City and Shire's other liquid gold
Traditionally IoD Aberdeen finishes before its summer break with a summer evening visit with a strong emphasis on the social side. As a social event members and guests are encouraged to attend with partners.
This year we focus on Aberdeen City and Shire's other liquid gold - not North Sea oil, but malt whisky.
At 6.30pm we are guests of Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum, for a tour of the distillery and a dram. Thereafter we adjourn to the magnificent Meldrum House Hotel for a one-course supper.
- For further information about the distillery visit and dinner on Thursday, May 29 at Glen Garioch Distillery, Oldmeldrum starting at 6.30 pm , contact Kate Dow at IoD Scotland, telephone 0131 557 5488, email kate.dow@iod.com, or go to www.iod.com/scotland and click on "Events" near the top of the page.
How Scottish Enterprise is responding to government review
Jack Perry, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, was our speaker at the lunch in April. The timing could not have been more interesting as the new structure of Scottish Enterprise was only introduced on April 1.
brief IoD Aberdeen members and guests about how his organisation has responded to the review of the enterprise network. He is to speak at a networking lunch for the Aberdeen branch on Wednesday, April 9.
Jack Perry explained how Scottish Enterprise was responding to the Scottish Government's review of the enterprise network and how it was positioning itself as Scotland’s Enterprise, Innovation and Investment Agency.
Living without oil
Dick Burnie, Head of Communications at the Macaulay Institute in Aberdeen, gave us a fascinating insight into the biofuels debate at our networking lunch on Thursday, March 13.
Entitled "Living without Oil" he looked at the various classifications of biofuels. He then looked specifically at biofuels grown as an agricultural crop.
To achieve the 5% content of biofuels in road fuels, which is being required by the EU legislation, Dr Burnie said would require 20% - a fifth - of our agricultural land to be turned over to fuel production!
Everyone at the meeting immediately made the connection. The conflict between the use of agricultural land to grow essential food for a growing world population and the richer countries' desires to satisfy their need for fuel, is only too real.
The chairman had made this point when introducing Dr Birnie. Pointing out that prices for bread, pasta and other wheat products were already increasing. While the dash for biofuels was only one reason, it was certainly significant that the rush for biofuels is already posing problems.
Inspiring talk from Bob Keiller
The networking in February with Bob Keiller, Chief Executive of Aberdeen-based international oil and gas service contractor PSN, was an absolute sell out.
It was an inspiring lunch with a great insight into how Bob and his colleagues have set about establishing a corporate culture within PSN and how it extends to the operations in 20 countries with 8,500 people.
PSN began as a division within Kellogg Brown & Root, a Halliburton subsidiary. Recognising the opportunity to build the division as a separate company, Bob Keiller secured more than $4 million of funding from Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance and, on May 1, 2006, established PSN as a stand-alone company in an award-winning $280 million management buyout.
Bob Keiller was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Entrepreneurial Exchange awards ceremony in 2006 for his success in taking the business back into Scottish ownership. The business now has 8500 people in 20 countries.
In addition to his role as Chief Executive of PSN, Bob Keiller is Chairman of the Offshore contractors Association.
Oil and Gas UK networking lunch, Malcolm Webb