Adam Prescott - CTO, Nemiah

Adam brings extensive experience in AI and Big Data across FinTech, Healthcare, and Market Research. In addition to his role at Nemiah, he co-founded Leigh Works, a social enterprise and co-working space just outside Manchester. Leigh Works has served as a test bed for Nemiah’s Green Smart Building Management System - cosmos.energy - which seamlessly integrates all aspects of building and business operations. As a result, the space has successfully reduced its energy consumption by 65%.

Ali Ahmed - Business Development Lead, Energy Innovation Agency

Ali joined The Agency with extensive experience in strategic partnerships and sustainable technology solutions across both public and private sectors. With a background in Manufacturing Engineering and Renewable Energy, he brings valuable technical and commercial expertise combined with a track record in driving decarbonisation initiatives and energy management solutions. His career spans roles at leading organisations, helping partners with complex energy needs identify decarbonisation opportunities and develop credible pathways to net zero. Ali specialises in building high-value partnerships, developing innovative sustainability strategies, and delivering impactful solutions that drive positive environmental change.

David Schiele - Director, Energy Innovation Agency

David joined The Agency from an innovative SME technology company, bringing extensive commercial experience across Clean-Tech, EV Charging, Renewable Energy, and Waste Management. He has led local, regional, and large-scale energy infrastructure projects, driving strategy, managing teams, and delivering high-value innovation and infrastructure projects for demanding stakeholders.

Dan Dickinson - Low Carbon Programme and Policy Lead, GMCA

Driving Greater Manchester’s transition to net zero through strategic policy, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration. Former founding Development Lead at the Energy Innovation Agency, with a track record of delivering impactful decarbonisation projects across public, private, and industrial sectors. Passionate about enabling place-based climate action and scaling clean energy solutions.

Dr Emma Gardner - Diocesan Head of Environment , Diocese of Salford

Dr Emma Gardner has worked in the environment field for more than 25 years and has worked on international and national sustainability projects for a range of organisations.  Emma joined the Diocese in November 2020 from the University of Manchester where she was Head of Environmental Sustainability for 8 years.  Emma works closely with Bishop John to lead on transformational change in keeping with Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ Encyclical.  She provides strategic leadership and direction to support the delivery of environmental practices, programmes and activities across the Diocese, schools, parishes and beyond – including a programme to meet the Diocese’s 2038 carbon target.  Emma also manages the Laudato Si Centre, the Flagship Centre for the Diocese and is responsible for developing and nurturing a range of partnerships to support environmental research, communication, education, and business operations. 

Ethan Wadsworth - Director of Sales and Marketing, DiscreteHeat

Ethan leads DiscreteHeat, Dragons Den survivors and creators of ThermaSkirt – the skirting board that heats your home. 

A passionate British manufacturer, he knows what it takes to bring a truly new product to market both at home and overseas. With over a decade of experience, he has helped establish ThermaSkirt as a practical, low-carbon alternative to radiators and underfloor heating, making homes and buildings more efficient and future-ready.

Gary Bateman - Business Development Lead for Low-Carbon Housing Innovations, Energy Innovation Agency

Gary joined The Agency to support a new project with the University of Salford, focusing on research and innovation in Net-Zero and future homes. He helps innovation companies develop and scale low-carbon products and services, accelerating their access to the market.

Dr Lorraine Ferris - Fellow at the Henry Royce Institute, The University of Manchester

Lorraine is a Transforming Foundation Industries Fellow of the Henry Royce Institute, University of Manchester where she develops projects with industry to address innovation challenges on the path to Net Zero and sustainability. She works to match industry needs to innovation capability. She has interests in sustainable materials development, circular economy, chemicals sector defossilisation, process and heat decarbonisation, and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). She was a founder of the UK LCA Regulatory Science & Innovation Network. She is engaged with various industrial clusters, developing place based decarbonisation plans.

Lorraine commenced her career in the Chemicals sector in ICI over 30 years ago, based at Wilton site with secondments to Belgium and USA. Subsequently, she has worked in consultancy and interim management roles, as Managing Director of an environmental company and as a Chemicals Sector Advisor at the Department of International Trade.

Dr Louise Bates - Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange, The University of Manchester

Louise completed a BSc in Biology in 2001, followed by a PhD in Neuroendocrinology which concluded in 2004, both at the University of Manchester. Louise went on initially to work in medical communications with a focus on strategic account management.  She then transitioned to business operations roles in the Pharma Industry working for Hoffmann La Roche at their HQ in Switzerland for 7yrs. Louise returned to the Higher Education sector in 2018 where she was Head of Strategic Partnerships, responsible for operational and account management of the universities strategic institutional industrial partnerships as well as the development of new relationships.  In Louise’s current role she leads the university’s function responsible for engaging with external partners, driving growth, diversity and impact from these collaborations.

Mark Atherton - Director of Environment, GMCA

Mark has been engaged as Director of Environment for Greater Manchester since 2012.  In this role, Mark provides strategic support to the Greater Manchester Green City Region Board and Partnership by leading the development and delivery of strategies, policies, research and demonstration projects for environment and low carbon work areas.

Megan Woodworth - Strategy and Business Development Lead, Kantar Advisory Partners

Megan leads strategy and business development at KAP, where she helps climate-tech startups and partners scale through market entry, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem activation across the UK, Middle East, and Africa. A Chemical Engineer by training, she brings over 12 years of experience spanning oil and gas, the circular economy, and startup leadership. Megan has worked extensively on business growth, investment readiness, and operational execution, supporting ventures to refine their market position and scale innovative technologies. At KAP, she focuses on building the strategies and business development pathways that enable climate solutions to move from potential to deployment.  

Steve Connor - Founder & Director, Creative Concern

Steve is founder of Manchester-based Creative Concern, a leading ethical communications agency, and has over 30 years’ experience in climate and sustainability. He holds advisory and leadership roles across Greater Manchester and national initiatives and co-hosts the GoodGeist podcast, focusing on ethical and sustainable business practice.

Steve Malkin - Founder and CEO, Planet Mark

Steve is founder and CEO of Planet Mark, an internationally recognised leader in net zero certification, with over 12 years of experience in helping organisations reduce carbon emissions, achieve net zero targets and generate long-term business value.
Steve is dedicated to supporting the drive towards a net zero society, inspiring organisations of all sizes to be a force for good with his pragmatic optimism and infectious enthusiasm. Since founding Planet Mark in 2013, Steve has supported hundreds of businesses to continually reduce their emissions, make a real impact and progress their journeys to net zero with confidence and authenticity.

Professor William Swan - Director of Energy House Laboratories at the University of Salford

Professor Will Swan is the Director of Energy House Laboratories (EHL) at the University of Salford, where he has led the energy and buildings research for more than 10 years. The labs include the award-winning Salford Energy House, a whole Victorian house in a climate-controlled chamber, the Smart Meters Smart Homes Lab and the £16m Energy House 2.0 research facility, which is currently working with Barratt, Bellway, and Saint Gobain on developing demonstrators for the new Future Homes Standard as part of a major multi-disciplinary UKRI project. He has published a wide number of papers on retrofit and building performance and has advised on a national and regional policy level, including the National Energy Efficiency Taskforce. The work of the unit has appeared on both national and international media including the Times, Guardian, Mail, BBC, Sky, AFP and CBS.