Team

Advisory board

Philip Sellwood CBE
Advisory Board Chair

Philip Sellwood was CEO of the Energy Saving Trust from 2003-2020. During that time he undertook work for all UK Administrations and has represented the UK as part of the European Energy Network, twice serving as President. He was awarded a CBE in the 2019 Queens Honours List for services to public policy. Currently Philip is Chair of the Zemo Partnership, he advises several companies in the private sector alongside membership of several Government bodies in the academic research sector.

Philip is Chair of the Board of the Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd and a NED at the Local Government Innovation and Improvement Board. Philip has recently been appointed as the inaugural Chair of the Zero Carbon Academy. Philip was also a founder Trustee of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation a global charity committed to promoting the development of the circular economy. Philip is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Arts and the British Institute of Management.

“I feel privileged to take on this role at such an exciting time for Zero Carbon Academy. As ZCA prepares to launch its first courses, the needs of its clients, employees and stakeholders are changing rapidly. Zero Carbon Academy is dealing with these changes in thoughtful and innovative ways which will benefit us all on our journey to Net Zero"

Tim Curtis
Advisory Board Member

Tim has worked in energy, environment and sustainability for over 25 years, including senior roles at the Energy Saving Trust and Ricardo. He has been involved in both assisting businesses on their net zero journeys as well as supporting the development of the supply chain for sustainable action.

Our world-class team

Tony Foye
Founding Investor

Tony brings a wealth of over 30 years' financial and operational experience to the Academy, from his time as Chief Financial Officer of a number of high value businesses, including Taylor & Francis and Informa plc. His passion for the Zero Carbon Academy comes from a strong belief that good business is underpinned by high ethical standards, and that for the economy to maximise its potential, it is necessary for business to act in a responsible way. “I believe the Zero Carbon Academy will be instrumental in helping transform organisations for good with a focus on pragmatism and outlining the benefits of 'doing the right thing'. Through the work of the Academy, I hope to be part of a positive influence on the evolution of organisations, and fellow professionals across the world.”

David Smith
Founding Investor

David has over 40 years of operational and strategic experience in many global businesses, including Walters Kluwer and Informa plc, as well as a pragmatic approach to the many business challenges the Academy faces each day. "The Academy seeks to position itself at the centre of the Zero Climate and Sustainability communities; offering reliable support and career/ personal development resources and forums for professionals seeking to make a difference."

Oliver Gadsby
Executive Chair

Oliver has published leading thinkers, academics, analysts and educationalists, as CEO and Chairman of several significant publishing companies in Europe and north America. He was CEO of Nelson Thornes and of Continuum; he led Rowman & Littlefield’s academic and professional publishing. As Director of Strategy at Informa plc, he established a pioneering partnership with the University of St Andrews to deliver online courses in Terrorism Studies. He has served as a Director of the Independent Publishers’ Guild, and is Chair of WTiN. “I know that many people are looking to do the right thing for the climate in their organisation. The Zero Carbon Academy will give them the tools and learning they need, in a way which is rooted in real business experience.”

Simon Graham
Founder & Chief Knowledge Officer

Simon’s background was originally in satellite imagery, working in a world of spies and rocket scientists, and it was there that he first saw the effects of climate change. He undertook his first net zero programme in 2006 and since then has helped numerous organisations in the private and public sector achieve zero carbon, picking up over twenty awards in the process. He has been a Visiting Fellow at the University of Nottingham, a successful entrepreneur in low-carbon technologies and part of the development of the University of London’s External Programme. “The Zero Carbon Academy brings together all the threads of my work story and enables me to offer back to the growing community of people in business who are striving to create low-carbon transformation.”

Simon's Insights

Lauren Foye
Head of Reports

Lauren has extensive experience as an analyst and market researcher in the digital technology and travel sectors. She has a background in researching and forecasting emerging technologies, with a particular passion for the Videogames and eSports industries. She joined the Critical Information Group as Head of Reports and Market Research at GRC World Forums, and leads the content and data research team at the Zero Carbon Academy. “What drew me to the academy is the opportunity to add content and commentary around sustainability across a wealth of industries and sectors.”

Lauren's Insights

Oscar Pusey
Research Analyst

Oscar is a recent graduate with a background in earth science. He is currently studying an MSc focussing on disaster responses, emergency planning and community resilience. His postgraduate research project will assess the link between climate crisis risk perception and attitudes to green energy projects. “Adapting to the climate crisis through the pursuit of net zero requires community engagement and understanding. Zero Carbon Academy’s goals closely align with this approach and I’m excited to have the opportunity to research and communicate a variety of topics relating to our environment and sustainability”.

Oscar's Insights

Gemma Drake
Research Analyst

Gemma recently graduated with a degree in International Development. She is currently studying for an MSc in Sustainable Urbanism, which examines urban planning and urban design through a sustainability lens. “I’m passionate about addressing sustainability challenges in a holistic and pragmatic way. Zero Carbon Academy's diverse range of services targets many of the areas that need support if we are to transition to a liveable future. I’m excited to see the impact that the Academy makes.”

Gemma's Insights

Steve Ayres
Chief Technology Officer

Steve is a highly experienced technology professional with a specific focus on data and analysis for over 20 years. He is at the forefront of realising and developing modern cloud-based data strategies to deliver significant business change. Steve joined Zero Carbon Academy in March 2022, bringing with him experience across the financial services, publishing and retail industries. “I have a passion for using technology practically and pragmatically to drive business value; what better way to apply that than by helping the fantastic Zero Carbon Academy team drive forward low-carbon agendas and adoption. On a personal note, I’m excited to help implement a technology architecture that is modern, robust and scalable and, importantly, supports our own low-carbon goals.”

Steve's Insights

Jonathan Dyson
Correspondent

Jonathan's work on the sports industry has been published by The Times, The Observer, The Independent and The Sun, as well as Sport Business, Off The Pitch, FC Business and Zero Carbon Academy.

He has also contributed to BBC Radio 5 Live, Middle East Eye, The Scotsman, Rediff.com., World Soccer, When Saturday Comes, Wisden Cricket Monthly and School Sport.

Away from sports, he has held full-time and freelance roles at a number of global B2B publishers. He was the Founding Editor of Twist - a magazine covering the latest developments across the fashion industry supply chain. The title is published by World Textile Information Network (WTiN). Following the success of the launch of Twist, Jonathan was promoted to Head of Content at WTiN. In this newly-created role, he was responsible for developing WTiN's digital content and social media presence as the company evolved from being a magazine publisher to a market-leading media company across all platforms.

Jonathan's Insights

Our correspondents

Chris Jones
Founder and Director at JBSO Group

After originally training and working as ​an engineer, ​Chris joined a fashion services and technology company 30 years ago to implement ISO9001. Since then, he has helped over a hundred fashion brands, retailers, sourcing agents, and manufacturers to optimize their processes, supported by innovative technologies and concepts, working in offices, showrooms, and factories worldwide.

See Chris' Insights