Marcus Gardiner is the Client Director – Energy & Utilities at Softwire.

Marcus is a technical leader responsible for clients, strategy, growth and technical vision in Softwire’s Energy & Utilities sector.

Having had a first career as a business consultant before becoming a software developer, Marcus has a unique view of how to change what’s possible in businesses through people and technology. From open data for energy trading decisions to personalised support for vulnerable customers, Marcus is immensely proud to lead teams that securely handle vast volumes of live data, build resilient 24/7 systems with care, and deploy AI in ways people understand and trust.

Marcus speaks regularly at industry events, co-hosted LeadDev London 2024, sits on the LDX3 programming committee, and enjoys sharing ideas with others in the tech and energy communities.

James Allison is the Head of Technology at UK Power Networks, the UK’s largest DNO, where he has worked for 20 years.

James has held various positions across engineering functions and now leads OT operations, communications networks, smart metering, architecture and the transition of OT systems to be Net Zero ready.

Patrick de Mars is the Programme Manager for Volta at NESO, bringing AI and digital innovation into the heart of Great Britain’s electricity control room. His career spans AI research, operational data science, and programme delivery, including five years at UCL lecturing in Energy and Data Analytics and leading research in energy forecasting and smart energy systems, with a focus on addressing some of the UK’s most complex energy system challenges.

Dave van Westing is the Head of Propositions at Eneco. He is a strategic innovation leader, driven by a passion for creating sustainable energy solutions that deliver lasting value for customers and society. He combines strong innovation and transformation capabilities with a forward-looking vision centered on Energy as a Service, enabling organizations and consumers to achieve greater flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability. His mission is to help make clean energy affordable, accessible, and easy to use for everyone, accelerating the transition to a more sustainable future.

Matthew Copeland is the Head of Policy and Public Affairs at National Energy Action (NEA).

Matt has led NEA’s work to ensure a fair and affordable net zero transition, helping to secure key commitments in the Government’s manifesto towards warm homes. His work to ensure affordable energy for low-income households has included advocacy throughout current energy crisis, ensuring that financial support reaches the most vulnerable. Matt currently sits on the UKERC Advisory Board, and previously worked as a Policy Manager at EON.

Chloe Fong is the Head of Ventures at E.ON UK, where she leads the development of customer-centric energy solutions. Chloe and her team are focused on bridging the gap between utilities and consumers towards net zero.

Alejandro Sánchez Alarcón is the Chief Data Officer at Naturgy Renewables.

Engineer with a career in the Energy sector, with a passion for innovation. Alejandro started as consultant in risk management, modelling form commodity price to strategic disruption. The later drives him to a career switch towards digital innovation and the startup ecosystem, with collaborations both in the proffessional and personal spheres. He is currently the CDO of Naturgy Renewables.

Connect with Alejandro on LinkedIn.

Who are Naturgy Renewables?

Naturgy Renewables is the renewable generation business of Naturgy, the Spanish multinational energy group formerly known as Gas Natural Fenosa. It develops, builds and operates wind, solar, hydro and battery storage assets as part of the group’s commitment to the energy transition. Naturgy’s installed renewable capacity has reached 8,400 MW including batteries, with close to 1,300 MW more under construction.

Its portfolio spans Europe, the Americas and Australia. Wind makes up half of its green generation capacity, with assets in Spain, Mexico, Chile and Australia. Its solar plants are in Brazil, Chile, the United States, Australia and Spain, and its hydropower is mostly in Spain. In its home market it continues to grow quickly. In 2026 it brought six new photovoltaic plants in Seville and Jaén into operation, adding 300 MW in Andalusia.

Backed by one of Spain’s largest energy groups, Naturgy Renewables brings clean, reliable generation to the countries it serves.

Jean-Thomas Meyer is the Head of Digital & AI at Ørsted.

Over the past several years, Jean-Thomas has led digital transformation initiatives within the offshore wind sector, defining and implementing innovative solutions that advance Ørsted’s business objectives. His team is now leveraging generative AI and the capabilities of large language models more than ever before to drive continued progress.

Neil Crossman is the Founder of Finabeo.

Neil is a leader in tech transformation, tech cost management and safe AI implementation with 25 years experience in energy, water and financial services. A vastly experienced programme director and ex-big 4 consultant who founded Finabeo because big programmes are no longer required. The new way is small teams of true experts delivering incredible value in weeks, not years, by leveraging modern technology safely.

Euan Birch is the Head of Cyber Security Operations at SP Energy Networks.

Euan is a strategic cyber and resilience leader at SPEN, leading Cyber Security Operations and Operational Resilience with responsibility for strategy, multi-million-pound programmes and high-performing teams. He oversees a hybrid Security Operations and Resilience Centre and drives innovation, while building strong partnerships across industry, academia, government and vendors to strengthen resilience. He also plays a significant role at national level, serving on the UK Government Cyber Advisory Board and multiple sector groups, influencing cyber resilience policy and best practice. With over a decade of experience and an NCSC-certified MSc, he combines deep technical expertise with leadership, governance and stakeholder engagement.

Dr Dong Chen is the Manager of R&D Delivery, Academic Engagement and Pipeline at the UK’s National HVDC Centre. He leads advanced simulation and industry-facing innovation programmes that support the transition to converter-dominated, high-renewable and digitally enabled power systems. His work focuses on power electronics control, power-system stability, HVDC transmission modelling, real-time digital simulation and multi-vendor interoperability – capabilities directly relevant to smart energy, grid modernization, flexibility and whole-system resilience.

Sam Hancock is the Global Head of Data Science at Octopus Energy.

Octopus uses technology to drive the global green energy revolution, making it cheaper and faster for citizens and the planet. As the UK’s largest energy supplier, the company is widely recognized for its industry-leading customer service and innovation.

At Octopus, Sam leads the data organization in accelerating the energy transition. His team unlocks the insights that power everything from consumer-led flexible energy use to grid-level investment decisions, while spearheading the integration of AI across the entire business.

Previously, Sam helped design self-driving cars for Google’s Waymo within its AI Operations division. In 2020, he shifted his focus to the climate emergency, contributing to various climate start-ups before joining Octopus in 2024.

Aswin Peter is the Senior Product Lead – Customer Experience & Product Strategy at British Gas. He is a senior product and customer experience leader working in the energy and utilities sector. His expertise spans AI, digital transformation and product strategy, with a particular focus on designing customer experiences that deliver measurable business impact. He has led large-scale digital products and customer propositions across complex, regulated environments, helping organisations translate advances in AI and data into services that customers trust, adopt and value. A regular industry speaker and awards judge, Aswin is known for bringing a pragmatic perspective on the intersection of technology, customer behaviour and commercial strategy, and on how energy companies can use AI to create simpler, more human and more effective customer experiences.

Chris Russell is a Partner at Baringa, working across retail energy landscape for the past 20 years. Chris was founder and CEO of Tonik Energy, and subsequently became Chief commercial officer of OVO energy.

Jan-Willem Rombouts is the Founder & CEO of Beebop and a leading voice on grid orchestration and distributed energy infrastructure. He focuses on how reliability, affordability, and system-level coordination determine the success of the energy transition. Previously, he co-founded REstore, a pioneer in virtual power plant technology, acquired by Centrica.

Marianella (Nella) Gurney is an Energy Trading and Intelligent Markets Specialist.

Nella blends technical depth with commercial instinct, shaped by years in some of the world’s largest energy trading firms across the US and Europe. She now works at the frontier of flexibility—helping design markets, scale ventures, and align strategy with system change. Her focus: making the energy transition real, fast, and fair.