Our leadership

Barbara has over 18 years’ experience as a non-executive director and chair and is currently a board member for organisations including major affordable housing developer, Sovereign Housing Association, and the UK’s smart meter data network provider, SmartDCC. Barbara was also previously on the board of Re:London, a partnership to reduce waste and improve recycling in the capital.

With an extensive background in venture capital and corporate finance, Barbara has a track record in driving growth, strategic partnerships, technology-led change and embracing positive change in support of environmental, social and governance factors.

Barbara has a longstanding personal interest in sustainable communities and responsible design, having received both an MPhil and her MA and Diplomas in Architecture from the University of Cambridge. She also has a passion for music and is Trustee of the London Youth Conservatoire.

Matthew is a director of Frontier Economics and joint head of the public policy practice. He is widely recognised as an expert in using economic analysis to design effective policies. He has been helping clients for over 20 years on the design of effective policies, including cost-benefit analysis, impact assessment, policy design, behavioural research and quantitative modelling.

He has worked extensively on healthcare, climate change and environmental issues; as well as on industrial policy, education, housing and criminal justice. His work has focused on the UK but he has offered expert advice to governments in over 20 countries on all continents.

His extensive experience includes his role at the UK Committee on Climate Change where he was chief executive between 2014 and 2017. Matthew oversaw the Committee’s work, including its advice to Parliament where he influenced legislation and policies relating to greenhouse gas reduction and adaptation to climate change. Earlier in his career he worked in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.

Jim Metcalfe is principal and chief executive of Fife College, one of the UK’s largest advanced skills colleges.

Prior to joining Fife College, Jim was chief executive of College Development Network (CDN), a Scotland-based charitable company supporting innovation and performance improvement in vocational education. In that role, Jim chaired the college sector’s climate emergency expert group.

Prior to joining CDN, Jim worked for five years as head of projects and development for nationwide philanthropic foundation the Carnegie UK Trust. Before that, he was an aide to MPs Gordon Brown and John Healey and a director of the charity Age Concern. With Carnegie UK, Jim designed and grew TestTown, the UK’s biggest retail business skills programme for young people, and the Community Shares Scotland social finance initiative. He also supported environmental projects like the Lost Effra community water pilot and the Growing Livelihoods food production scheme.

Jim lives in Scotland with his wife and two children. Jim is currently the chair of the Energy Saving Trust Foundation, and of the Energy Saving Trust Remuneration Committee.

Belinda Mindell is the chief financial officer of Fred. Olsen Ltd. Prior to that, she was the finance director of Fred. Olsen Renewables Ltd. She has worked in the field of renewable energy for nearly two decades, helping to set up Fred. Olsen Renewables Ltd and grow it into the largest independent generator of wind power in the UK.

Belinda qualified with KPMG and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She is also the honorary treasurer of the Energy Institute and chair of its Finance and Audit Committee.

Dr Joanne Wade OBE has over 30 years’ experience in the energy sector. She is currently chief strategic advisor at the Association for Decentralised Energy and also works as an independent consultant. Her expertise spans energy sufficiency, local energy systems and their supply chains, and energy use in buildings

Joanne was previously CEO at the Association for the Conservation of Energy. Prior to this, she was CEO of Impetus Consulting, which is an energy and environmental consultancy specialising in work with local authorities.

She chairs the advisory board for the Centre for Research on Energy Demand Solutions and the UK Energy Research Centre’s Research Committee. Joanne is also a member of the CEO’s panel for UK Power Networks; the Scottish Government’s heat decarbonisation external stakeholder group; the advisory boards for the Energy Futures Lab at Imperial College London; EnergyREV; and the Sussex Energy Group.

Joanne was appointed an OBE in 2018 for services to energy efficiency and is a fellow and council member of the Energy Institute.

Eric Guillaume has over 20 years’ experience in digital leadership roles and transformation consultancy in the commercial and public sectors.

Eric is also a non-executive on the Notting Hill Genesis operations board. He was previously a non-executive director for the UK parliament from 2018 until 2022, advising on parliament’s digital transformation as well as the restoration and renewal project of the Palace of Westminster.

He led the Grosvenor Estate global digital transformation and introduced the world of digital, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence to the world of property.

Eric led one of the largest digital transformation programmes in the public sector at HMRC, migrating UK taxpayers to digital channels, using behavioural economics and big data to support the change.

Eric also spent over 10 years in leadership roles building and launching global digital products and services at ITV, the BBC, AOL TimeWarner and smaller companies with extensive expertise in culture change in organisations facing digital disruption.

He’s trained sociologist with a personal interest in urbanism and is a keen cyclist.

Mike Thornton assumed the role of chief executive in April 2020. He joined Energy Saving Trust in 2002 as head of the Scottish team, going on to become group director of operations and now leading the organisation.

Before Energy Saving Trust, Mike worked for Friends of the Earth Scotland and then Lothian and Edinburgh Environmental Partnership (now Changeworks). He has over 30 years’ experience in the environmental, energy efficiency, transport and recycling sectors. An expert in climate change mitigation, Mike is helping drive forward this agenda across the UK and internationally.

Mike is a member of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry Clean Growth Leadership Group and has served on several government clean energy working groups. Currently, he chairs the Scottish Government’s Heat Pump Sector Deal expert advisory group. 

Mike is also part of the independent strategic board of Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland, a national public energy agency set up by the Scottish Government to scale up delivery of climate-friendly heating and improve energy efficiency across Scotland’s homes and buildings.

Living by the coast, Mike enjoys the great outdoors, including wild swimming. Indoors he is a keen vegetarian cook.

Jenny joined Energy Saving Trust in November 2023 to drive its home energy advice services, low carbon transport propositions and support for businesses to reach net zero.

Jenny’s career has focused on the delivery and transformation of public services in the UK and abroad, working for over 20 years to help those who are most disadvantaged.

She has led organisations that have worked closely with UK Government and was previously the managing director of a charity running unemployment, skills and justice programmes. She was also the interim CEO at the Education and Training Foundation, which specialises in improving teacher professionalism.

Jenny believes in continuing professional development, achieving an MBA through Warwick Business School and, since then, undertaking further training on subjects including leadership, strategic finance and diversity. She is a fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.

Outside work, Jenny is a trustee at Barnet and Southgate College where she also acts as the linked governor on sustainability. She loves the theatre, nature, and wildlife.

Russell Newham is a human resources professional and member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development with 25 years’ experience in retail (Marks and Spencer, Home Retail Group and most recently at Post Office) in commercial operations, HR and change management roles.

Russell’s key areas of expertise include performance, talent management, leadership development and organisational transformation.

Angela Howarth leads our marketing communications activities including brand, reputation management, digital, PR and campaigns as well as stakeholder relations. Angela brings a wealth of experience and know-how from her prior international leadership roles at the World Green Building Council, the UK Government’s Future Cities Catapult and the EU-funded public private partnership EIT Climate-KIC: all with a focus on creating a worldwide shift to a zero carbon economy.

Angela is former a board member of the European Association of Communication Directors and has held consultancy positions for UNICEF, the British Council, UK Sport and Mind, the mental health charity.

Angela loves cycling, whether its navigating the city streets or exploring off road trails in the countryside.

Laura McGadie leads and develops our energy advice and renewables services across the UK and has more than 25 years’ experience as a manager in the domestic energy field. Laura joined us in 2009 to establish the advice service for the Scottish Government’s fuel poverty programme and went on to lead the Scottish home energy advice network. Our advice services have expanded across the UK and include the Welsh Government’s Nest fuel poverty scheme and work in Northern Ireland.

In addition to sustainable development, Laura has a particular passion for great customer service and high-quality advice delivery driving ongoing improvements to achieve customer satisfaction levels of over 97%.

A keen gardener, Laura has her own allotment in which she grows her own fruit and vegetables.

Tim Anderson joined us 2007 and leads our low carbon transport portfolio. Previously, he was in management roles in the automotive sector including daily rental and managing fleets. Tim is leading our work to address poor air quality through delivering our government funded programmes and commercial projects in the sustainable transport sector.

Tim has successfully developed many new partnerships to deliver greater impact to decarbonise transport and deliver cleaner air. His role involves working with the Department for Transport and Transport Scotland along with other key stakeholders in the sustainable travel industry. Tim is a director of the Zemo Partnership, working to bring our joint missions together in achieving net zero in transport.

Outside of his day job, Tim has a passion for low carbon travel and enjoys walking in the outdoors as well as tinkering with old cars to keep them roadworthy.

Bob Buckley is an information technologist with over 22 years’ experience gained across the public and private sectors including government, finance, medical, communications and advertising. Since joining us in 2018, Bob leads and oversees all our IT services including infrastructure, cloud platform solutions and our compliance function.

With a passion for digital development, Bob collaborates across the business, especially with our marketing and customer service functions to ensure people have easy access to our information and advice. With a keen interest in green IT and sustainability, Bob is currently exploring low powered energy efficient solutions for home automation.

Inga Jirgensone leads our business development activities, as well as our insights and analytics, evaluation, digital products and services and international teams. Inga’s main objective is to grow our reach and impact by capturing new business opportunities, establishing new relationships and delivering exceptional service to our existing clients – all to help us achieve our mission of addressing the climate emergency.

Inga’s background is in energy, including energy efficiency, retail energy governance and regulation, and smart metering. Before joining Energy Saving Trust in late 2020, Inga worked at Gemserv, where she held various management roles across client delivery, consultancy and business development.

Inga is based on London and is a keen cyclist. In her free time, she also plays chess and is a secretary for a central London chess club.

Kim Lim joined Energy Saving Trust in July 2021 as group finance director. She brings with her extensive commercial and financial leadership experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, covering healthcare, education and professional and financial services.

Kim is passionate about helping organisations succeed and thrive. She enjoys working with colleagues and boards in financial and strategic planning, and in implementing improvement initiatives.

Kim is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a prize winner in Corporate Finance and Funding from the Association of Corporate Treasurers and holds an MPhil degree in finance from Cambridge University.

In her spare time, Kim enjoys meeting friends and going for walks in nearby parks.