Our Management Team is led by experts with decades of knowledge, and a real passion for clean energy.

Tim began his career in scientific instruments before joining the European Space Agency (ESA) as an engineer responsible for detecting and identifying failure mechanisms in semiconductors and materials used in space. His initial experience with hydrogen involved launching scientific missions on the cryogenic upper stage of ESA’s Ariane 5 rocket.

Since leaving ESA in the mid 90s Tim has founded a number of businesses ranging from scientific instruments (Nanosight, acquired by Spectris) to water treatment (Evove Ltd), to business intelligence (Cientifica Ltd). He has advised on large scale technical and M&A projects across Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

His career as an entrepreneur coupled with his ability to understand the scientific and technical details has led to him advising national governments, academic institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and NGOs such as the United Nations and World Economic Forum on emerging technologies, technology policy and innovation strategy, and chairing or participating in review committees for science and technology funding agencies in Austria, UK, Taiwan and the European Commission.

In June 2020 Tim co-founded hydrogen refuelling company, Element 2, which is now actively rolling out a UK network of hydrogen refuelling stations.

Brendan is a qualified Metallurgist and Materials Scientist who has spent over 20 years in the renewable energy, fuel cell, and hydrogen sectors.

He has held a number of CEO and MD roles at fuel cell and electrolyser companies (including Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd and ACAL Energy), and was a founder member of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) in Brussels. Over his career, he has raised over £50 million for a number of start-up companies and spin-outs from larger organisations. He is also a co-inventor on three published fuel cell patents.

Outside the fuel cell sector Brendan was an original member of the Advisory Board for the University of Manchester National Graphene Centre, and is currently a member of the Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies (PGES).

In June 2020 Brendan co-founded hydrogen refuelling company, Element 2, which is now actively rolling out a UK network of hydrogen refuelling stations.

Maria is an experienced CFO in the energy industry, having spent 25 years in commercial finance and M&A in top-tier energy companies. Prior to joining Element 2, she led a £2.5bn debt raise for a KKR Infrastructure firm Viridor.

Maria held senior finance and M&A roles at Shell, World Fuel Services and Petredec. She started her career with JP Morgan.

James has more than 15 years’ experience as a strategist and programme director for high-profile clean energy, infrastructure and industrial projects in the UK, EU27 and Asia Pacific. Previous roles include Country Manager for Wood’s clean energy infrastructure business in Japan (now Amec Foster Wheeler), and Finance Manager for the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in the UK.

James specialises in providing international strategic planning and management advisory services to private enterprises, global utilities, NGOs and Government agencies. His consultancy experience includes a role at Collinson Grant, and he is currently Chief Executive Officer of Turner Harris, a Manchester-based management consultancy practice which provides advisory services across the energy, infrastructure and technology sectors worldwide. His international experience includes being a Contributor to the World Economic Forum’s energy harnessing taskforce.

James currently sits on the executive leadership team for the UK’s National Digital Twin programme at Cambridge University, which is designed to address industry, economic and societal blockers to the adoption of a national information management framework.

Andrew has spent more than 20 years working in the hydrogen, climate, and energy industries. His experience includes roles at Air Liquide, where he was a consultant on H2/ CO gases, and Shell – as Field Based Account Manager for the East of France and the Netherlands, where he also managed Public Private Partnership projects with local, city and transport infrastructure authorities – prior to ten years as a Director at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

At WEF, he led various global councils on emerging technologies, nanotechnology, biotechnology, chemistry, and advanced materials, as well as managing WEF’s work on energy harnessing (e.g. energy storage, materials and technology, new ‘feedstocks’ – shale gas, biomass, methane hydrates – and implications for regions and economies).

He currently holds several Board Advisor and advisory roles across technology, energy, culture and sport organisations including: Hydra Energy, Cambridge Carbon Capture, AJH Emerging Technology Intelligence, Neva Aerospace and the World Council on Industrial Biotechnology.

Andrew is a Chartered Chemist and holds a PHD and MBA from Cambridge University.

Dirk van Daele has been Chair of the Element 2 Supervisory Board since its inception in December 2020, on the back of his FCA regulated expertise and previous board experience.

In an investment banking career spanning more than 20 years, Dirk worked in London, Hong Kong, and Singapore, for Barclays, UBS, and Dresdner Kleinwort. From 2000-2004 he was global head of debt origination and member of the executive committee of Dresdner Kleinwort in London.

From 2004 onwards, he has pursued his own entrepreneurial career in advisory and placement, and now serves as co-founder/Chairman of FCA-regulated Circlo3 Ltd.

Dirk has been asked on a regular basis to take up board seats by his clients, to ensure proper governance is put in place to facilitate fundraising in capital markets. Listed examples include Fyber NV (Frankfurt-listed), where he was Chairman 2014–2018, and Track Group (US-listed), where he was a Board Member between 2015-2018.

The former Secretary of State and leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Vince Cable, has joined the hydrogen refuelling roll out by Element 2 as a Non-Executive Director. He was responsible for the industrial strategy and innovation policy including the Catapult network; he also established the British Business Bank, and the Green Investment Bank; and had overall responsibility for universities, training, trade policy, and corporate affairs.

Sir Vince Cable was Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2017-19, and MP for Twickenham, until he retired in 2019. Before entering Parliament in 1997, he was Chief Economist at Shell and a member of Shell’s scenario planning team.

Prior to this, Sir Vince Cable held a variety of roles as a Treasury official in Kenya; member of the Diplomatic Service; lecturer in economics at Glasgow University and research institutes (ODI and Chatham House); was a Special Adviser to the Commonwealth Secretary General; and worked on the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and the first intergovernmental report on climate change and sea level rise.

An experienced industrialist and financier, Carol trained as a Natural Scientist and started her career in the oil and gas industry before moving into investment banking where she held senior posts at UBS, Credit Suisse First Boston, JP Morgan and Chase Manhattan Bank.

During 2019, she became a founder Director of Chapter Zero, a network based at Hughes Hall, Cambridge University to enable non-executive directors of companies to engage with climate risk and the delivery of net zero targets for carbon emissions.

She currently serves on the following public company boards in Energy (especially Energy Transition), Mining and Investment Management: Bonheur ASA, Tharisa plc, and the BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust.

Carol is a board member of the Development Bank of Wales (which invests in SMEs in Wales) and a council member of Research England. She is the Vice President of National Museum Wales and also the first female board member of the Football Association of Wales.

An experienced senior leader and board member in the highly regulated and safety critical energy and utilities sectors, Chris has held Chief Executive Officer posts at National Grid Distribution and Cadent Gas.

During his career at National Grid, Chris also held the position of Group Director of Safety, Sustainability and Resilience. He has sat on several European and international committees, advising on subjects such as regulation, commercial and infrastructure development.

He is currently a senior adviser to a number of organisations in the energy and utilities sectors, including advising Gas Networks on strategy and policy development. Chris also currently serves as Chair and Non-Executive Director of South East Water and is a Non-Executive Board Member of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Chris holds an MBA in Business Administration and Management from the University of Hertfordshire and has extensive experience in business, community and social services.

Martin has a 20-year track record in strategic corporate communications. He has held senior staff roles at Tesco, London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and Laing O’Rourke.

Martin is currently Director at Venning Consulting, a specialist stakeholder engagement and corporate communications consultancy advising on major land use planning schemes with local authorities and nationally significant infrastructure. Clients have included HS2 rail project, European Route E20 Logistics Platform and London Thames Crossing.

He was previously a Director at the British Urban Regeneration Association.