Meet The Team
Communications & Accounts
Board of Directors
Kayla Ente MBE
Founder & CEO
Kayla established BHESCo in 2013 and is the driving force behind the co-operative. Kayla is responsible for new business development and is the primary lead on the BHESCo Projects Team.
She is considered a thought-leader in the community energy sector and her insight has been sought by the BEIS Community Energy Contact Group and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on energy storage.
Kayla is a qualified accountant with an MBA in Environmental Management, who has previously worked with Greenpeace International, Nuon (a Dutch utility) and Ecofys (European pioneers in renewable energy).
Kayla was awarded an MBE in 2021 for her services to community energy
Qualifications:
- MBA Environmental Management, TIAS School for Business and Society (Utrecht, The
Netherlands) affiliated with University of Bradford Management School. - BSc Business Administration (major: accounting), University of Rhode Island, USA.
Diane Smith
Operations Director
Diane has been a finance professional for more than 25 years. After running treasury operations for The Economist newspaper in London, she moved to the Netherlands to set up Nike’s European foreign exchange risk management programme and then to Belgium to lead operational support teams and IT project managers at BNY Mellon (a US investments company).
Diane has been working in the renewable energy sector since 2014.
Garry Felgate
Chair, Non-Executive Director
Garry has a strong business and policy background in energy, environment and sustainability, built in corporate organisations (IBM, Landmark Graphics) and leading consultancies (KPMG, A.T.Kearney). He is the CEO of the MCS Foundation.
He was formally CEO of the Energy Retail Association representing the big six energy companies in the UK where he was instrumental in setting up the Warm Homes Programme.
Garry was a founder director of the Carbon Trust leading on the UK’s carbon reduction programmes for business creating the Action Energy and Carbon Management programmes.
He has been a non-executive director of the Energy Saving Trust, The Ombudsman Service Limited, The UK Public Health Association and the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group.
He is an alumnus of the University of Cambridge, HRH The Prince of Wales Business The Environment Programme. Nowadays Gary supports his passion of clean affordable energy through innovation creation, regulatory and policy advice both here and abroad and assisting not-for-profit organisations.
Mark Kenber
Non-Executive Director
Mark was formally CEO of Mongoose Energy – a company providing asset management, project development and finance services to the community energy sector. Prior to joining Mongoose, Mark had been with international climate change NGO The Climate Group for nearly 12 years, with the final five of these as CEO.
During his time with the Climate Group Mark oversaw the launch of the Verified Carbon Standard, We Mean Business coalition and RE100 campaign and was an expert advisor to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on the joint policy initiative Breaking the Climate Deadlock.
Mark’s other experience includes being Senior Policy Officer for the WWF’s International Climate Change Programme, Director of Planning and Policy at Fundacion Natura in Ecuador and climate advisor to the Ecuadorian government.
Paul Beckett
Non-Executive Director
Paul is co-owner and co-founder of the multi-disciplinary environmental consultancy Phlorum, which he set up with a colleague in 2003.
Before then he provided environmental consultancy at WSP and RPS. As a consultant, he has completed environmental impact assessment work on a very broad range of projects, from housing developments to energy production, warehousing, sewage treatment, various industrial processes and transportation infrastructure schemes.
He has recently been the industrial supervisor for EU Regional Development Fund and UK Research Councils funded PhD studentships at Liverpool, Lancaster and Sussex Universities.
He is a past member of the Manchester City Council Climate Change Action Plan Steering Group.
Rachel Espinosa
Food Waste to Energy Director
Rachel is an expert in waste management operations, strategic planning and development and has worked in the waste industry for 20 years.
She is a centre councillor for the London and South Counties Centre of the Chartered Institution of Waste Management and is currently engaged as a waste management specialist at the global sustainability consultancy Ricardo Energy and Environment. Rachel has been a Non-Executive Director of BHESCo since 2015.
Project Technical Team
Richard Dow
Technical Consultant
Richard joined BHESCo following a postgraduate degree in Smart Energy in the Built Environment. After working previously as a civil engineer in the water sector, he has joined our project team to focus on energy assessment and improvements for commercial buildings. Richard is passionate about contributing to successful community energy projects. As Technical Consultant, Richard has contributed to all of BHESCo’s recent commercial energy assessments, including surveys at sports clubs, community spaces, charity offices, churches and three nurseries.
Qualifications:
- Smart Energy in the Built Environment (Masters) University College London, (2023)
- Professionally qualified engineer, chartered with Institution of Civil Engineers (MICE, CEng).
- Undergraduate MEng in Civil Engineering, First Class (Hons) (2011).
Matt Williams
Project Developer
Matt is passionate about driving community energy projects forward and is proficient in using geographic information systems (GIS) to analyse decarbonisation pathways for local neighbourhoods. Matt’s role also includes managing community solar projects and identifying suitable sites for community-owned onshore wind turbines. Prior to joining BHESCo, Matt worked in Finance and B2B SaaS, with experience spanning Operations, Project Management, Systems Management, and HR. Matt is completing a Master’s in Smart Energy and the Built Environment at University College London.
Qualifications:
- MSc Smart Energy and the Built Environment, University College London (ongoing)
- BSc Management, First Class (Hons.), London School of Economics and Political Science (2018)
Nathan Morgan
Senior Project Developer
Nathan is a multidisciplinary engineering professional with more than a decade of experience delivering diverse and complex projects in both technical and management roles. He possesses a deep personal interest in a broad range of sustainability topics, including renewable technologies and energy efficiency.
Qualifications:
- Chartered Engineer, CEng Institute of Mechanical Engineers
- Mechanical Engineering (Meng, First Class Honours) University of Bath
- Introductory Certificate in Project Management Association for Project Management
Home Energy Saving Team
Tim Beecher
Retrofit Assessor
Tim joined BHESCo after qualifying as a Domestic Energy Assessor. He has an environmental science masters degree (MSc) in ecology conservation and biodiversity surveying. His background is in community-focused work, giving housing advice and benefit support. Tim is also qualified to deliver Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s).
Qualifications:
- PAS 2035 Retrofit Assessor, Elmhurst Energy (2021)
- Diploma Domestic Energy Assessor (level 3) and Green Deal Advisor, Building Research
Establishment (BRE, 2014) - Award in Energy Awareness, Energy Efficiency & Fuel Poverty, (Level 3), City & Guilds (2012)
- ABBE Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings through his
accreditation body Elmhurst (currently completing)
Millie Lamming
Domestic Energy Advisor
Millie delivers trusted energy advice to low-income households and those at risk of fuel poverty. She is BHESCo’s lead on the Energyworks programme delivered in partnership with Brighton & Hove Citizens Advice.
Millie holds a degree in Biology with a focus on science communication. She developed accessible, community focused communication skills through her work as an Energy Adviser at Citizens Advice in Hastings.
Millie says: “I am excited to use this experience to provide clear, practical, on the ground support to the local community“
Communications & Accounts
Dan Curtis
Communications Officer
Dan joined BHESCo following a previous career working in financial services. Dan is responsible for BHESCo’s public facing communications, including website development, social media, public events, direct marketing and media enquiries. Dan is also BHESCo’s project lead on the Energy Outreach Project, providing free energy saving support and advice to residents across the city.
Ashqua Shaikh
Engagement Lead
Ashqua joined BHESCo after graduating with an MA in Environment, Development, and Policy from the University of Sussex. With a background in research, she leads engagement for BHESCo’s Solar Powered Communities, the Just Transition programme, and the Decarbonisation studies. Ashqua develops engagement strategies for emerging projects, prepares impact case studies, and also assists with communications for BHESCo’s community-led energy initiatives.
Sofia O’Donovan
Finance Manager
Sofia is fluent in several major languages which have enabled work in different countries in Europe and South America. Sofia studied International Relations at the University of Barcelona and Economics with Specialisation in Sustainable Economics at the Universidad Catolica del Ecuador. Sofia recently completed her Xero Bookkeeping certification.