Pipeline Industries Guild

This year’s event will take place at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Coventry on Thursday 25th May 2023.

Building upon the success of our previous conferences and complementing last year’s theme of “The Skills needed to meet the Challenges to Reach Net Zero” focusing on the skills that we need to build as an industry, the 2023 theme will focus on being “Fit for the Future”.   

The format of the day will continue to blend a mix of case studies, projects, with experts sharing their views on the challenges facing our industry and some of the ways that can be implemented to resolve them.  Jon Butterworth Chief Executive Officer of National Gas Transmission will give the keynote address and we will be announcing more high-profile speakers.  The Conference will also feature the Guild’s Professional Development Network’s National Paper Competition final and conclude with networking opportunities.

This is the perfect place to expand your professional knowledge. Suitable for all professionals from those new to the industry to longstanding members wanting to see how things could change in the future. Networking is a key part of the event, so following the close of the conference there will be time for networking and an opportunity for those who wish to take part in a tour around the MTC.

Speakers

Martin Cook, Chief Commercial Officer, National Gas Transmission and Metering

Martin is responsible for all commercial and business development activities withing National Gas Transmission, leveraging 20 years of experience in the energy industry. Martin leads on regulation, hydrogen related developments, business planning and strategy.

Martin joined National Grid in 2000 from Price Waterhouse Coopers, where he had spent 10 years as a management consultant working in the Energy Sector.

Martin has had a varied career in National Grid working in both the US and UK businesses. As well as spending 5 years as CEO of National Grid Energy Services based in New York and leading National Grid’s business development function in the UK, he has also successfully led several of National Grid’s non-regulated business units.

Susan Stockwell, Managing Director of Skweb Green

Susan is a culture and change-focused Managing Director with over two decades of commercial and operational leadership across sectors including Managing Director of Skewb Green, Executive Director roles in Utilities (Southern Water and Electricity North West) and Social Housing (Hyde Group), and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Morrison Facilities Services.  Susan is also an independent board member for London TravelWatch.

Currently, at Skewb Green, Susan is continuing its growth of innovative Sustainability, Net Zero and ESG services, products and digital solutions, overseeing a team of industry leaders as trusted partners that enable clients to achieve their ambitions.

Susan has a BSc (Hons) First Class Degree, an MBA and was also awarded 'Responsible Business Game Changer' by Business in the Community in 2012.

Jim Blanchard, Partnering And New Business Director of United Living Infrastructure Services (ULIS)

Jim is Partnering and Business Director for United Living Infrastructure Services (ULIS) a key industry supply chain partner in the design, build and maintenance of energy and utility infrastructure systems. His role involves working with a range of clients across the Water, Gas, Hydrogen, CCUS and District Heating sectors to maintain and construct their critical pipeline assets.
 

Jim is a Mechanical Engineer who started in the industry nearly 25 years ago as a Transco graduate before moving into a variety of technical and commercial roles at Advantica (now DNV GL) including General Management of their Gas Turbine and Compressor business. He has worked in Middle East within a maintenance management consultancy and managed a large maintenance contract for an Oil Production facility in Iraq. Returning to the UK, he led a Gas Pressure Control business. More recently his focus has been to facilitate step changes in business performance through the application of technology, process and people-based solutions, which has led to notable successes including securing £100Million maintenance contracts at the Pernis Refinery in the Netherlands and the recent renewal of the Northumbrian Water Contract for ULIS.
 
Within all his roles Jim has focussed on growing diverse teams to meet the challenges being encountered; he is especially passionate about the ‘re-industrialisation’ of the UK and the requirement to develop an industrial workforce to deliver Net-Zero.

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