Delivering Decarbonisation speakers
Olly Craughan, Head of Sustainability, DPD UK
Since January 2020 Olly Craughan has held the role of Head of Sustainability at DPD UK, the country's largest premium parcel delivery company.
In his role he has led the company's efforts to reduce its environmental impact and promote sustainable business practices. Since 2020 DPD UK has become the major player in the sustainable logistics and parcel delivery industry, introducing initiatives such as a Net Zero strategy (SBTi validated 2030 and 2040 targets), decarbonisation of the final mile fleet electric delivery vehicles, transitioning HGVs to HVO fuel, and 100% renewable electricity throughout all buildings.
Passionate about reducing DPD UK, the customer's and consumer's carbon footprint, he has worked with various partners, including both local and national Governments, businesses and environmental groups, to advance sustainability in the logistics and parcel industry.
Ines Sordo, Sustainability Manager, Wickes
nes Sordo is Sustainability Manager at Wickes where she leads on whole footprint decarbonisation, including their logistics operation.
She combines an eye to the future with a real-world practical approach informed by her experience working with companies of varied sizes.
Previously she worked in sustainability at the John Lewis Partnership and Business in the Community, the prince’s charity, supporting and inspiring responsible businesses across the UK.
She is passionate about sustainability education and developing flexible approaches that support every business in the UK to drive toward a Net Zero future.
Timothy van Vugt, Head of Transformation, DFDS
Timothy van Vugt is the Head of Transformation for DFDS BU Channel where he supports initiatives aimed at enhancing sustainability and operational efficiency. With a background in Maritime and Logistics, Timothy contributes to DFDS's ongoing efforts to decarbonise its operations, focusing on digital innovation and the ‘fleet of the future’.
DFDS is a leading European ferry and logistics company that specializes in maritime transport and logistics solutions across the continent. DFDS is leading the way to decarbonize both its maritime and land operations by transitioning to more energy-efficient vessels and trucks, exploring alternative fuels, and enhancing the sustainability of its logistics and warehousing services.
Stuart Cleak, Partner, Birketts
Stuart Cleak is a Partner in the Real Estate Team specialising in Clean Energy. His key clients are within Clean Energy generation and distribution and his team is focussed on the deployment of renewables developments and infrastructure such as charge point facilities. Stuart works mainly with developers but also advises funds on the acquisition of clean energy projects. Over the last 20 years he has worked on a whole range of technologies (onshore and offshore wind, solar ground mount and rooftop, batteries, hydro and AD plants) advising clients on not only the real estate aspects but the regulation and subsidy systems in place. His recent experience in the transport sector has been advising charge point operators on both their precedent documentation and the subsequent roll out across England and Wales.
Charlotte Hunt, Associate, Birketts
Charlotte Hunt is an Associate in the Regulatory and Corporate Defence Team. Charlotte’s key clients are within the transport and logistics sector within which she advises and represents clients of their transport regulatory obligations and operator licenses. Charlotte has built experience in advising operators, transport managers and drivers. She has a specialism in road transport regulation, operator licensing and prosecutions brought by the DVSA, regularly appearing before Traffic Commissioners across the country at Public Inquiries, Driver Conduct Hearings and Preliminary Hearings. Charlotte advises operators and drivers following major incidents involving fatalities or serious injury and has experience of advising companies faced with a number of health and safety offences, regularly represents clients at the Magistrates Court, Crown Court and Police Station.
Dr Gary Kendall, Head of Climate Strategy Implementations, Natwest
• Head of Climate Strategy Implementation at NatWest.
• Senior Associate at University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).
Supporting the integration of climate change into strategy in collaboration with franchises and functions across the bank, Dr Gary Kendall has been the Head of Climate Strategy Implementation at NatWest since March 2022. Most recently, he spent 8 years within a group strategy role at Nedbank in Johannesburg. Gary has a broad background across various sectors including oil & gas, civil society, consulting, academia, and finance on a career path crossing Europe, North America, East Asia, and Southern Africa. Through these diverse roles he has built experience in research, sales and marketing, business development and strategy within diverse cultural contexts. He is a thought leader and teacher on systemic socio-economic development challenges including energy, mobility, climate change and inequality. Gary has previously worked for ExxonMobil, SustainAbility Ltd, WWF International and the University of Cambridge.
Kate Broome, Sustainability & Social Impact Director UK, Kuehn + Nagel
Kate Broome is Sustainability and Social Impact Director for Kuehne+Nagel in the UK. With over 79,000 employees at almost 1,300 sites in close to 100 countries, Kuehne+Nagel is one of the world's leading logistics providers. Kuehne+Nagel's vision is to be the most trusted supply chain partner, supporting a sustainable future.Kate joined Kuehne+Nagel UK at the end of 2021 with a remit to bring sustainability to life for the company's UK customers. Kuehne+Nagel is tackling climate change head on, with plans to decarbonise its business model and forge a new path towards sustainable growth, backed by a validated science-based target. Social value is high on the agenda, with the company using its influence to deliver progress to society around the UK, and inspiring through its people with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion, mental health and wellbeing.Kate has a wealth of experience in the transport, infrastructure and logistics sectors, including previous roles as Sustainability Director for FirstGroup plc, a market leader in sustainable public transport across the UK and North America, and at Network Rail, the UK rail infrastructure owner. Kate is a passionate advocate for sustainable mobility, championing climate change and social impact initiatives. Kuehne+Nagel is the logistics partner of choice for 400,000 customers worldwide, operating in sea logistics, air logistics, road logistics and contract logistics, with a clear focus on integrated logistics solutions. Further information can be found at www.kuehne-nagel.uk.
Justin Laney, Partner & General Manager, Central Transport, John Lewis Partnership
Justin Laney manages the John Lewis Partnership fleet of 4500 commercial vehicles and nearly 1000 cars. The fleet is recognised for leading in innovation, and has reduced it’s diesel consumption by 50% through efficiency measures and alternative fuels. Headline commitments include running all heavy duty trucks on biomethane by 2028, being free of fossil fuels by 2030 and achieving a zero carbon fleet by 2035.
Justin’s career started with London Transport (Buses), having obtained a BEng at Liverpool University. He also worked at UPS for 20 years, managing fleets in EMEA and the UK.
Justin is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a Director of the Zemo Partnership, and Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF). He has won numerous awards, mainly for fleet sustainability, including being Motor Transport Magazine's Decarbonisation Power Player for 2022.
James M Stephens, Vice President Corporate Affairs UK & Ireland, DHL UK & Ireland
Mr. James Michael Stephens has been the Vice President Corporate Affairs at DHL since September 2021. He is responsible for public affairs and stakeholder relations for DHL in the UK and Ireland.
Prior to joining DHL he had global responsibility for Government & Corporate Affairs at Aston Martin Lagonda and served in a number of senior positions for, Nissan Motor Company in Europe and BAE Systems in both the UK and United States.
He first joined BAE Systems in their London HQ in 2003 as a Government Relations Executive, leading on defence and strategic policy. In 2008 James was seconded to the Ministry of Defence to work for the then Chief of Defence Material, before taking up a posting in Washington DC as the Director of International Government Relations in 2010.
In 2012 James joined Nissan Motor Company in the UK as Head of UK Government Affairs dealing with all policy and strategic engagement relating to Nissan’s activities in the UK. In 2014 he took on the role of Head European Strategic Policy in addition to his UK responsibilities.
He moved to Aston Martin Lagonda in the summer of 2015 to develop a government affairs function for the growing luxury automotive business. During the course of his tenure he expanded this to cover all aspects of corporate affairs, including corporate PR and sustainability, developing the company’s first sustainability strategy.
Born in Hampshire, England, he earned a degree in Information Technology in 2003 from Southampton Solent University and studied International Affairs at Georgetown University in Washington DC. James is married with two children.
Matt Prescott, Head of Carbon Strategy, Heathrow
Matt is Head of Carbon Strategy at Heathrow where he has been responsible for its Heathrow 2.0 Net Zero Plan since 2020. He works with colleagues from across the airport and wider sector to deliver solutions to aviation decarbonisation, including chairing the Zero-Carbon Emissions Flight Infrastructure Subgroup of the Jet Zero Council and the Greenhouse Gas Removal work of the UK sector coalition Sustainable Aviation. Matt is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Fellow of the Institute for Environmental Management and Assessment.
Dr Russell Fowler, Grid Connection and Strategy Manager - Rapid Charging Fund, National Highways
Russell is the Grid Connections and Strategy Manager at National Highways – supporting the delivery of the £950 million Rapid Charging Fund (RFC).
In previous roles at National Grid, E.ON and RWE Russell: led the analysis for RIIO-2, National Grid ESO’s first price control, helping the ESO to be able to operate the system carbon free by 2025; led the production of the Future Energy Scenarios, electricity demand and was part of the Electricity Market Reform project setting up the first low carbon capacity and security of supply auctions before supporting National Grid’s role in transport decarbonisation – from rapid EV charging to synthetic fuels for aviation. Russell also holds a PhD in mathematics from the University of Birmingham and had been a EV driver for over 4 years.
Rosalind Marshall, Deputy Director, OZEV: Regulations and HGVS, Department for Transport
Rosy is Deputy Director in the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, where she has worked on transport and environment policy, regulation and delivery for over a decade. Rosy currently leads the teams designing and delivering the policy frameworks to phase out the sale of new non-zero emission road vehicles, including the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate for cars and vans. She also leads the policy teams delivering the transition to zero emission HGVs, including the Government’s £200m Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure demonstrators.
Previously, Rosy headed up the development of the UK’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan, setting out the commitments and actions needed to decarbonise the entire transport system in the UK to deliver net zero by 2050. Rosy previously led the policy development and roll out of the early EV charging infrastructure in the UK from 2015-2018 as Head of EV Infrastructure in the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.
Before joining the Department for Transport, Rosy worked in various EU institutions in Brussels, representing UK Government negotiating EU energy and transport policies, as well as working as Head of Office to an MEP in the European Parliament.
Ashley Tate, Managing Director, Allstar Chargepass UK
With over 10 years’ experience in energy, utilities, and electric vehicles (EVs), he joined the business in 2023 when Corpay acquired Mina. Ash now heads up the EV division of Allstar, named Allstar Chargepass, where he supports companies transitioning their business vehicles and fleets to EVs.
Having founded Mina in 2020, Ash quickly built a successful company dedicated to accelerating the transition to EV business fleets by making paying for charging, simple. Now this business has been integrated with sister brand Allstar Business Solutions to offer a range of EV charging payment solutions.
Ash is an entrepreneur who has been founding businesses since he was 15, most notably Split The Bills in 2011. He has a passion for scaling startups and is now enjoying bringing his unique perspective to the EV space.
Sean Clifton, Fleet Director, Wincanton
Sean Clifton joined Wincanton as Fleet Director in 2024. His role encompasses engineering policy across road vehicles, new vehicle specification, road-going legal compliance and is a stakeholder in both Health & Safety and driver training policy development.
Sean has an extensive background in fleet management and joined Wincanton from Asda, where he spent 12 years as Senior Manager – National Fleets and was responsible for the procurement and management of over 8,000 vehicles, driver training and safety and compliance.
He has also worked in transport operations, managing distribution and home delivery customers at DHL Supply Chain, and has held a variety of roles at organisations including Breezemount, MFI and Walkers Snack Foods.
Tim Campbell, Managing Director, Cambpell's Consultancy
Tim has over 40 years experience of working in the commercial vehicle industry and owned Europe’s leading commercial vehicle only research company working around the world before a friendly take-over in 2013 of his data division. Since then he's concentrated on consultancy, helping clients manage the transition from diesel to electric / hydrogen fuel cell; indeed he was recently the Senior Commercial Vehicle Consultant for the National Grid (Ventures Division), looking at the strategic implications of the UK’s route to zero emissions for the road transport sector. Tim holds a Galileo Master Certificate in Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage from the European Energy Centre, is a council member of the Zemo, contributed to the government’s Electric Vehicle Taskforce Report and a regular speaker at various global conferences on EV /Fuel Cell.
Gaynor Hartnell, Chief Executive, Renewable Transport Fuel Association
Gaynor Hartnell is the Chief Executive of the Renewable Transport Fuel Association, a trade body representing the interests of the UK’s renewable and low carbon fuels producers and project developers. Its members include the UK’s bioethanol and biodiesel producers, the companies supplying biomethane to HGVs and SAF project developers.
