In this episode, I’m joined by Steve Robinson and David Beeston from Hyperion Search for a Q2 cleantech market review, looking across technology, investment, infrastructure and talent.

The central theme of the conversation is clear: the market is moving from announcement to alignment, or perhaps more sharply, from ambition to execution. Capital is still flowing, M&A activity continues, and the energy transition is still moving forward — but the bar has risen. Investors, boards and leadership teams are now looking for businesses that can execute, integrate and scale in real-world conditions.

We discuss the continued convergence of renewables, storage, EV infrastructure, fleet electrification and data centres, and why the challenge is increasingly less about individual technologies and more about systems thinking. Grid constraints, energy management, capacity, utilisation and operational delivery now sit at the centre of many business models.

Steve shares his view on the EV charging and fleet electrification market, where the focus is shifting from rollout to utilisation, returns and integrated energy solutions. David explores the storage and grid landscape, including the growing realism around European battery supply chains, the role of China, the rise of circularity and recycling, and the move away from pure merchant exposure towards more risk-managed storage revenue models.

We also discuss how these market shifts are changing senior hiring. Companies are becoming more precise about the leaders they need. The demand is for people who have seen scale, complexity and execution before — leaders who can build functions, manage assets, navigate grid and regulatory complexity, and turn strategy into delivery.

Finally, we look at data centres as a fast-emerging energy challenge. The AI boom is creating huge demand for power, flexibility and resilience, making energy infrastructure talent increasingly important to the future of digital infrastructure.

About the Host

David Hunt is a cleantech thought leader, podcast host, and former executive search and solar EPC founder. As Non-Executive Chair and a long-time advisor to growth-stage and scaling businesses, he brings deep insight into leadership, energy transition, and the future of climate-focused industries. David supports businesses as a NED and Advisor via Stoa Advisory, and through his podcast and writing, David explores the people, ideas, and innovations shaping a more sustainable world.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hunt-cleantech/
• Substack: https://davidhuntcleantech.substack.com

About the Podcast

Leaders in Cleantech explores the people, ideas, and decisions shaping the energy transition. Through in-depth conversations with founders, CEOs, investors, and industry leaders, the podcast focuses on leadership, scaling companies, and the realities of building in a complex and rapidly evolving sector.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leaders-in-cleantech-podcast/
• Website: https://leadersincleantech.com/

🎧 Sponsored by Hyperion Search

Hyperion Search is a specialist executive search firm focused on the cleantech sector.

The firm partners with startups, scaleups, investors, and corporates to build leadership teams and boards across clean energy, mobility, and infrastructure.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hyperion-search-ltd
• Website: www.hyperionsearch.com

Feedback & Community

I’m always keen to hear feedback, guest suggestions, or topics you’d like explored in future episodes.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider subscribing or leaving a review — it helps the show reach more people across the cleantech community.

Howard Johns has spent more than two decades doing exactly one thing: putting clean energy in the hands of people. POP is the natural culmination of that work.

Following a degree in Energy and Environmental Technology, his journey began in the 90s as an activist and protestor - trying to stop a coal mine in South Wales and various roads across the UK. Realising you can’t solve the problem by saying no he set about building solutions; building his first solar PV system in 1999. His journey transformed in 2002 when he founded Southern Solar, growing it from a one-man operation into one of the UK’s leading solar development and installation businesses — 120 employees, eight offices, and thousands of projects delivered across homes, councils, commercial organisations and for investors.

He helped build the industry too, serving as Chairman of the Solar Trade Association for five years, leading the campaign to protect the Feed-in Tariff and becoming the sector’s most prominent public voice at the time.

But Howard has always known that solar on rooftops is only the beginning. In 2007, he founded Ovesco CIC — a pioneering community-owned energy company that delivered the UK’s first community-funded solar power station and won an Ashden Award.

For the last decade Howard has focused on large scale renewables developing and managing over 900MW of solar and wind assets worth £1.5bn as CEO of Bluefield Services, and developing two new companies whilst there, an O&M business which grew to 650MWs under management and a development business. And alongside all of this he has been delivering solar projects in Africa, and authored Energy Revolution, written to inspire communities worldwide to take ownership of their energy.

Howard understands the technology, the finance, the policy and the human story behind the energy transition, and POP is his latest attempt to build a company that puts people at the centre of the energy transition.

About POP Energy:

People Owned Power empowers communities to install, generate, store and share their own renewable energy, street by street, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Bills go down, energy security goes up, and power flows to where it belongs: in the hands of people.

We are retrofitting the energy system from the bottom up: focusing on generating and storing energy where it’s used, in homes and businesses. We take a consultative approach to proposing a full renewables system for customers that meets their needs and goals, and suits their budget and property. This can be any combination of solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, insulation and electric vehicle chargers.

Each system we install reduces a household’s reliance on the grid whilst increasing local renewable energy generation, cutting emissions linked to fossil fuels. On average, households reduce their grid reliance by 80%, with others generating up to 120% of their energy needs, with the excess clean energy exported back to the grid. Some of our fully-electrified homes have reached ‘zero bills.’ Energy generated and used locally is 3 to 5 times more effective than centralised systems, therefore these systems deliver an outsized impact. Many households report that producing their own power has changed how they think about and use energy, reducing consumption even further.

Moreover, we support communities to take back the power over their resources. Keeping money flowing locally, instead of to fossil fuel companies. By reducing demand, and building local generation and storage, we can, collectively, meet a high proportion of our energy needs. To advance this mission, we are developing financial and digital tools to help households profit from the abundant renewable power on their roof through the flexibility aggregation markets. The first step on this journey is launching locally owned financing mechanisms where local people can invest in their community's en

About our Guest

Chris is a commercial Energy and Mobility lawyer, with nearly 20 years' experience in the sustainability sphere. With specialist knowledge of battery storage, solar, EV infrastructure and wind, Chris regularly advises funders, asset owners, developers and contractors on renewable energy projects and the trading and procurement of renewable power. From PPAs and optimisation agreements to commercial frameworks for energy and EV developments, Chris has worked on some of the most exciting UK and international energy and mobility developments.

Chris also takes an active role in the development of energy policy, and was a steering group member of the Government's Energy Data Task Force as well as chairing the Electricity Storage Networks Markets and Revenues Group.

He was also included in The Lawyer's HOT 100 for his pioneering work in battery storage and EV Charging.

About Shoosmiths:

Shoosmiths works with developers, investors, and funders across clean energy and infrastructure; from onshore wind and solar to energy storage, hydrogen, and PPAs.

The energy transition is creating both opportunity and complexity. New technologies and data are opening up better ways to build and operate assets, but navigating regulation, risk, and investor expectations isn’t straightforward.

What stands out is a pragmatic approach. Not just spotting issues, but helping clients decide where to push forward and where to be cautious.

The team brings deep sector experience and advises across the full lifecycle of projects; supporting everything from development and construction through to financing and long-term operation, both in the UK and internationally.

Connect with Chris Pritchett and Shoosmiths

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-pritchett-66553511/
• Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shoosmiths/
• Website: https://www.shoosmiths.com/sectors/energy-and-infrastructure/clean-energy-development

About the Host

David Hunt

David Hunt is a cleantech thought leader, podcast host, and former executive search and solar EPC founder. As Non-Executive Chair and a long-time advisor to growth-stage and scaling businesses, he brings deep insight into leadership, energy transition, and the future of climate-focused industries. David supports businesse as a NED and Advisor via Stoa Advisory, and through his podcast and writing, David explores the people, ideas, and innovations shaping a more sustainable world.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hunt-cleantech/

Substack: https://davidhuntcleantech.substack.com/

About the Podcast

Leaders in Cleantech explores the people, ideas, and decisions shaping the energy transition. Through in-depth conversations with founders, CEOs, investors, and industry leaders, the podcast focuses on leadership, scaling companies, and the realities of building in a complex and rapidly evolving sector.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leaders-in-cleantech-podcast/
• Website: https://leadersincleantech.com/

🎧 Sponsored by Hyperion Search

Hyperion Search is a specialist executive search firm focused on the cleantech sector.

The firm partners with startups, scaleups, investors, and corporates to build leadership team

About our Guest

Dr. Pete Armstrong:

Dr.Pete Armstrong is the CEO/CTO and co-founder of Mixergy, a smart hot water technology company reshaping how we heat and store energy. After completing his PhD on intelligent hot water systems at Oxford University with co-founder Ren Kang, Pete helped pioneer Mixergy’s technology that makes hot water smart and a connected energy asset. Today, Mixergy leads the shift to smart, connected hot water systems across social housing, new build and commercial developments, setting a new standard for the industry.

About Mixergy:

Mixergy transforms hot water from a passive utility into an intelligent, connected energy asset. By placing hot water at the heart of energy management, we help create smarter homes, more efficient buildings, and a more flexible grid. This lowers bills, improves comfort, and enable greater use of renewables.

Our patented technologies power an intelligent operating system built into next-generation hot water storage for new build, social housing and commercial buildings. This system gives users and providers greater control over energy use, enables seamless grid connectivity, and optimises performance, without compromising on comfort.

Connect with Pete Armstrong and Mixergy

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-armstrong-45039136/
• Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mixergy-ltd/about/
• Website: https://www.mixergy.co.uk/

About the Host

David Hunt

David Hunt is a cleantech thought leader, podcast host, and former executive search and solar EPC founder. As Non-Executive Chair and a long-time advisor to growth-stage and scaling businesses, he brings deep insight into leadership, energy transition, and the future of climate-focused industries. David supports businesse as a NED and Advisor via Stoa Advisory, and through his podcast and writing, David explores the people, ideas, and innovations shaping a more sustainable world.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hunt-cleantech/

About the Podcast

Leaders in Cleantech explores the people, ideas, and decisions shaping the energy transition. Through in-depth conversations with founders, CEOs, investors, and industry leaders, the podcast focuses on leadership, scaling companies, and the realities of building in a complex and rapidly evolving sector.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leaders-in-cleantech-podcast/
• Website: https://leadersincleantech.com/

🎧 Sponsored by Hyperion Search

Hyperion Search is a specialist executive search firm focused on the cleantech sector.

The firm partners with startups, scaleups, investors, and corporates to build leadership teams and boards across clean energy, mobility, and infrastructure.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hyperion-search-ltd
• Website: www.hyperionsearch.com

Feedback & Community

I’m always keen to hear feedback, guest suggestions, or topics you’d like explored in future episodes.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider subscribing or leaving a review — it helps the show reach more people across the cleantech community.

Philipp Man – terralayr

In this episode of Leaders in Cleantech, I’m joined by Philipp Man, co-founder and CEO of terralayr, a company building a new kind of energy infrastructure platform focused on flexibility and battery storage. Philipp shares his journey from commodities and entrepreneurship into the energy sector, and the insight that led to terralayr: the growing flexibility gap in power systems as renewable generation scales.

As he puts it:

“We wanted to build something akin to the AWS for power.”

terralayr combines battery asset development with a software platform that virtualises and commercialises storage capacity, enabling customers to access flexibility without owning and operating assets themselves. The conversation explores how this model sits at the intersection of infrastructure and technology — and why that distinction may become less relevant as energy systems evolve.

We also discuss the state of the European storage market. Despite the growing focus on batteries, Philipp is clear that we are still early:

“We’re really just at the beginning… you need to grow over 10x in the next four years.”

From there, we move into some of the real-world constraints holding the sector back — particularly grid access and bureaucracy, and what needs to change to accelerate deployment.

The discussion also touches on broader themes shaping the energy transition, including:

• The role of battery storage in enabling renewable integration
• Why flexibility is becoming a critical part of the energy system
• The shift from asset ownership to access and platform models
• The impact of geopolitics and energy security on policy direction
• The need to reframe the transition around energy sovereignty and abundance

On the talent side, Philipp shares a disciplined approach to building teams, with a strong emphasis on hiring quality over speed and creating a culture where high performers set the standard:

“The most important thing you can control is who comes through the door.”

He also reflects on the realities of building a company in this space, from landmark commercial deals and fundraising milestones to the operational challenges that come with scaling infrastructure.

Finally, we discuss leadership, resilience, and the importance of mindset, seeing challenges not as problems, but as opportunities to build capability and long-term advantage.

Philipp Man:

Philipp Man is co-founder and CEO of terralayr, an energy flexibility company founded in late 2022. Prior to terralayr, Philipp founded and ran CHRONEXT, a leading online marketplace for luxury watches, which he sold in early 2023 to focus on terralayr. Philipp started his career at Glencore in the middle distillates division and within BCG’s Energy Practice. Born in Cologne, he studied in the UK at King's College and the University of Cambridge and lives in Switzerland.

About terralayr:

terralayr provides energy flexibility services on demand. terralayr is a fully integrated energy flexibility provider, aggregating its own and third-party battery storage assets through a cloud-like aggregation platform. Customers such as power producers, traders, grid operators, and energy-intensive businesses gain access to flexibility without having to own or operate assets themselves. Asset owners tap into top-tier flexibility off-takers, can optimise their revenue mix between merchant and contracted revenues, and benefit from a streamlined asset infrastructure setup. terralayr develops and operates its own battery storage portfolio, with multiple assets currently live in Germany, several more under construction, and a multi-GW pipeline in development.

Social links:

• Philipp Manon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippman/
• ter

In this episode of Leaders in Cleantech, I’m joined by Adrien Pinsard, CEO of Telis Energy, a Carlyle-backed renewable energy platform targeting a 10GW development pipeline across Europe by 2030.

Adrien reflects on nearly two decades in the renewables sector, moving from private equity investor to platform builder and entrepreneur. Before launching Telis in 2022, Adrien spent 14 years investing in renewable projects at Platina Energy Partners and later served as Interim CEO of Macquarie’s 11GW European solar developer, Cero Generation.

We discuss the thinking behind Telis’ decentralised development model, with dedicated local teams operating across the UK, France, Germany and Italy, and how that structure helps navigate the realities of developing infrastructure in different markets. As Adrien explains:

“To be a successful developer, you need a very strong local presence. You have to understand communities and the local market.”

The conversation also explores how the European renewables landscape is evolving. Adrien highlights two key shifts in recent years: the growing saturation of solar in some markets, and the rapidly increasing role of battery storage, driven by falling costs and rising power market volatility.

We also discuss broader themes shaping the next phase of the energy transition, including:

• The changing economics of renewable development
• Why batteries and hybrid energy hubs are becoming central to projects
• How grid constraints are shaping development strategy
• The importance of capital discipline in a tougher investment environment
• The impact of geopolitical volatility on energy security and renewable deployment

Looking ahead, Adrien sees renewables playing an increasingly important role in Europe’s energy resilience:

“Renewables are very well placed to provide energy security. Once the assets are in the ground, they’re homegrown.”

Finally, Adrien reflects on the entrepreneurial journey of building a platform from scratch, and the importance of trust and culture when building teams across multiple markets.

Adrien Pinsard:

Adrien Pinsard has a 17-year track record of renewable energy investment and development.

Prior to founding Telis, Adrien was Interim CEO of the Macquarie Group 11GW European solar energy developer, Cero Generation. Adrien spent 14 years at Platina Energy Partners, led the energy team as a partner and deployed €1bn in renewables

About Telis:

Telis seeks to play a significant role in the European energy transition targeting a 10GW renewable energy pipeline by 2030 delivered through subsidiaries across Europe’s key markets. Backed by The Carlyle Group, Telis couples the scale and synergy of an international platform with an emphasis on local knowledge and networks, sector expertise and an entrepreneurial mindset to capture emerging opportunities across the green energy segments.

Social links:

• Adrien Pinsardon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrien-pinsard-5b77471a/
• Telis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/telis-energy1/
• Telis website: https://telisenergy.com/

Episode Links:

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership - Patrick M. Lencioni

https://amzn.eu/d/0dyAuxb9

About Hyperion Search:

At Hyperion Search, we specialize in building world-class teams for the cleantech and energy transition sectors. We focus on leadership roles but also recruit strategically critical individual contributors who drive business grow

In this episode I’m Joined by Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV. Mike is an OG in the electrification of transport, and that’s ignoring the milk float joyride! We talk about the challenges, opportunities and many converging technologies and factors that impact fleet electrification.

There are of course many examples now that light and heavy-duty electric fleets are here and scaling. Grid connections aside, the biggest challenges is to demonstrate and achieve better TCO and true commercial viability. As Mike said during our conversation, “Electrification only works when it works commercially.”. We also talk about how having worked in behemoths like Ford and BP have been a positive rather than a negative as he leads a nimble start-up, taking the good and the bad, and how he sees and leads innovation at speed.

We talked through:

• The new economics of fleet electrification
• What genuinely drives ROI
• Why scaling is very different from running a pilot
• Financing models and infrastructure ownership
• The role of software and optimisation
• And what kind of leadership this next phase requires

It’s a thoughtful conversation about what it really takes to move from ambition to operational reality, from pilots to scale.

I hope you enjoy it.

Mike Nakrani:

With more than two decades of experience spanning automotive OEMs, mobility services and energy transition, Mike Nakrani is steering VEV’s mission to support commercial fleets in moving to electric power.

He stands at the intersection of automotive, mobility services and the energy transition – three sectors converging rapidly. Through his role at VEV, he represents how commercial fleet electrification must be executed at scale: not just with EVs, but with systems, infrastructure and business models that work. His leadership offers insight into how fleets can drive real-world decarbonisation.

Nakrani promotes a pragmatic, ‘technology-neutral’ view of fleet decarbonisation – emphasising the transitional role that fuels such as HVO have to play, while reinforcing the scale and operational efficiency electrification delivers in the long term, delivering the most compelling business case for organisations needing to decarbonise.

About VEV:

VEV helps organisations deliver on their carbon reduction ambitions with an end-to-end fleet electrification solution that integrates across vehicles, charging infrastructure and power. VEV is owned by Vitol, a world leader in energy, which to date has committed circa $2 billion to sustainable energy initiatives worldwide.

VEV navigates the complexities of EV transformation to design and implement cost-effective EV fleets optimised for specific fleet requirements. It supports EV fleet operations to guarantee resilience and keep mission-critical fleets running at scale. Bespoke, scalable business solutions are designed around the customer’s own fleet data analysed by a powerful assessment tool, VEV-IQ, and VEV’s experts in energy and sustainable e-mobility. VEV sets businesses up for success in an electrified future.

Social links:

Mike Nakrani on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-nakrani-28400012/
VEV on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vev-services/
VEV website: https://www.vev.com/

Episode Links:

From Good to Great- Jim Collins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_to_Great

Benjamin Graham- The intelligent investor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligent_Investor

About Hyperion Search:

At Hyperion Search, we specialize in building world-class teams for the cleantech and energy transition sectors. We focus on leadership