The Green Energy Advice Bureau is one of the UK’s leading commercial energy consultancy firms.

The part I play in the GEAB team involves…

building and maintaining strong relationships with key clients and suppliers.  My aim is to understand each client’s specific energy needs and develop customised energy strategies to meet those requirements effectively.

While I’ve always worked directly with customers, my day-to-day responsibilities have grown along with my experience. I’ve been at GEAB for six years, and it has been a rollercoaster ride market-wise over that period. Every product has its learning curves, but energy is more complicated than most industries and it took years for me to develop my product knowledge.

In the early days, I would come in before my shift, leave late, and spend my weekends reading about the energy market – I knew that in order to progress and provide the right service to clients, I needed to step up and become an expert in the field.

At GEAB we are first and foremost a consultancy. The biggest responsibility I have is to the businesses I work with. I need to make sure I am on top of shifts in the energy sphere to be able to advise them as appropriately and accurately as possible.

I now have my own team and I liaise with our corporate Head of Trading in the UK and Ireland on a daily basis. Knowledge is our commodity – and my role is essentially to apply this insight to each of my client’s needs and requirements, to help them make the right decision for their procurement.

The most surprising thing I’ve learnt about commercial energy during my time at GEAB is…

how the market can change in a heartbeat. From sudden shifts in supply and demand, to regulatory changes and technological advancements, there are so many variables. Being prepared and adaptable is key to staying ahead in this dynamic industry.

Keeping this in mind, I can’t think of a single business I have worked with who I wasn’t able to help in some way by highlighting the precarious nature of the market. Sometimes it’s a question of finding a better price for the customer, or a most appropriate product based on the nature of their operations. A contract they sourced 5 years ago may no longer be relevant for their type of business or size of their site – this is where I step in to search the market and advise. I also negotiate with suppliers to secure bespoke deals for clients, which many of them are unaware is a possibility before working with GEAB.

The biggest mistake my clients talk about is not securing the right ‘type’ of contract, and this is simply because they don’t know what products are available to them.

The most memorable day I’ve had so far at GEAB was when…

I received my most recent promotion. I had been in the business for 4 years, working as Head of Procurement, when I received the news that I was being appointed as the Key Account Director for the business.

I am lucky to have found a workplace where I not only believe in the services we provide, but I am also offered chances for career progression and personal development within that sector. What’s key for me, is that this progression hasn’t required me to step away from my clients as I grow my team, but rather the opposite. I spend more time now working with clients than when I first joined, and I definitely have much more to offer in terms of knowledge and experience.

On my days off, I like to…

make the most of being a dad of three.  My time is mostly spent making memories with my children, going to new places and trying new things. Then attempting to get a solid 6 hours sleep in!

Something my team might not know about me is…

how much my family and I love taking trips away. We are currently looking for a holiday home in Ibiza, which is our favourite destination!

To discuss how GEAB can find the right energy and sustainability solutions for your business, visit geab.com/portfolio-north or call 0191 821 0049.