Investing in Renewables Speakers

Christopher Aird

Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright

Chris Aird is a project finance, energy and infrastructure lawyer at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.
Chris has been part of and advised on a number of transactions globally, with a strong focus on renewables and the energy transition. He has a specific interest in the development and financing of renewable energy projects, in particular in the offshore wind sector. His experience includes advising sponsors, lenders and investors on the financing, construction and development of projects, ranging from offshore (fixed and floating) wind and hydrogen to onshore wind, solar and BESS technologies, in the United Kingdom and Europe. Chris is ranked as a “leading associate” by Legal 500 UK for Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewables.

Norton Rose Fulbright’s energy, infrastructure and natural resources lawyers have been at the heart of many of the world’s leading energy and infrastructure projects, including some of the most innovative first-to-market transactions within the energy sector.

Reuben Aitken

Managing Director, International, Scottish Development International

Reuben joined Scottish Enterprise's (SE’s) Executive Leadership team in 2022 to drive forward its international agenda. He leads a team of over 300 across 34 locations to attract foreign direct investment into Scotland, increase Scotland’s exports and drive forward Scotland’s energy transition.

Reuben leads SE’s international arm, Scottish Development International (SDI), which supports Scottish businesses to compete on the global stage and drives international investment into Scotland. He also leads SE’s energy transition mission to unlock the innovation, investment and infrastructure needed to capitalise on the economic opportunities from the energy transition.

He is committed to growing and delivering on Scotland's global economic ambitions and always delighted to hear from those with a trade, investment or energy agenda so do get in touch as he, and the team, stand ready to help.

Reuben is a former diplomat and has experience from Brussels to Brazil. He has worked on economic, energy and infrastructure policy and regulation in Whitehall and led EU and UN negotiations. He was an energy regulator before overseeing the UK’s offshore transmission and interconnector policy. He led on trade policy at the Scottish Government.

Maz Alkirwi

Finance Director - SSE Networks, SSEN Transmission

Maz has been the Finance Director for SSE Networks since 2018. He has worked at SSE for over 12 years, working in various corporate and regulatory finance positions. SSE plc is one of the largest companies in Scotland and the UK, where Maz has undertaken roles within electricity generation and regulated electricity networks. Currently a Finance Director in the Electricity Networks division of SSE and member of the Board of Directors, Maz is responsible for leading the finance and change activities for electricity transmission. He has driven financial value by challenging and supporting the business in decision-making throughout the transformational agenda. He started his career at Grant Thornton and has worked as International Finance Manager for Scottish Enterprise through Scottish Development International. Maz graduated from the University of Strathclyde in Finance & Computer Science in 2005 and with an MBA in 2011. Maz is also a qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAS).

Dr Egan Archer

Managing Director, Head of Power, Asset Management, Equitix

Egan is a Managing Director in Equitix’s Asset Management team and leads our Energy and Environment sector. Since joining Equitix in January 2012, he has played a key part in growing Equitix’s energy and environment portfolio from zero in 2012 to an EV of over £6bn today, spread across 40 projects. Egan manages a team of 10 sector specialists with backgrounds in engineering, financial and technical advisory, project development and contracts management.

Prior to joining Equitix, he was a Principal in the waste and renewables sectors; providing advisory services to governments and investors worldwide and filling the role of CTO in a start-up waste and renewables fund management business for 2.5 years.

His role spans across the entire Equitix value chain from investment strategy, origination, business development, through investment structuring, benchmarking, contracts negotiation and asset management. He is Equitix’s most experienced director in the energy and environmental sector. Egan has had a role in almost all of Equitix’s investment in the sector and sit on the boards of the majority of the energy from waste project companies.

Egan is a Chartered Engineer with a PhD in Chemical and Process Engineering.

Kudakwashe P. Chinyani

Associate, CMS

Kuda is an Associate at CMS, specialising in renewable energy projects. Her experience spans project development, project finance, corporate transactions and regulatory advice. She has worked with a wide variety of renewable technologies, with particular experience in onshore wind, battery storage and solar projects.

Kuda has been with CMS since 2022 as part of the Infrastructure and Project Finance team. She is a graduate of the 2050 Climate Group’s Climate Action Leadership Programme. This year, she was nominated and shortlisted for the Professional Services Award at the Young Professional Green Energy Awards, recognising her leadership and contributions to the renewables sector.

Kuda is also heavily involved in CMS’s DEIB initiatives and is at the forefront of discussions on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging within the renewables and legal sectors in Scotland.

Laura Fidao

Investment Director, Net-Zero, The Scottish National Investment Bank

Laura is a Director within the Bank’s Investment team, focusing on investments in offshore wind-related activities, renewable energy and energy infrastructure.

Prior to joining the Bank, she worked for a renewable energy developer and has also spent time at a state green investment bank in the United States where she invested in solar PV, wind and hydro projects, starting her career in hedge fund investment.

Claire Foster

Partner and Head of Clean Energy, Shepherd and Wedderburn

Clare is the head of the Clean Energy sector at law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn and, as Partner in the Banking team, also leads the Project Finance practice. She has been involved in many high-profile and innovative finance transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. She has been active in the UK energy sector since the late-1990s. In the clean energy sector, she advises a variety of clients on projects spanning various clean energy technologies (including onshore renewables (wind, hydro, solar, biomass and battery), offshore wind (fixed, floating and tidal), carbon sequestration and decarbonisation). Clare represents developers, lenders, consortia/sponsors, and authorities both north and south of the border; she typically leads the multi-disciplinary team required to bring deals swiftly to financial close.
Clare is often asked to speak at industry events on topics such as onshore and offshore wind, sustainability, ports and finance. She is a frequent contributor to the legal and national press on clean energy topics, and was a director on the board of industry body RenewableUK between 2019 and 2022.

Hugo Gordon

Senior Policy Advisor - Investments & Capital Markets, The Investment Association

Hugo Gordon is a Senior Policy Adviser in the Investment & Capital Markets team at the Investment Association, the UK's largest trade association representing investment managers. The IA's 250 members collectively manage £9.1 trillion in assets globally, and are significant investors in UK infrastructure. As well as infrastructure, Hugo's remit within the IA covers public and private markets, including equities, fixed income, ETFs, derivatives, trading, market data, and investment research. Prior to joining the IA he was a Corporate Governance Analyst at the Association of British Insurers.

Claire Mack

Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables

Claire has been Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, the representative voice of Scotland’s renewable energy industry, since October 2017. She is responsible for leading the organisation’s work to grow Scotland’s renewables sector and sustain its position at the forefront of the global clean energy industry.

Claire is a member of the First Minister’s Energy Advisory Board and is co-chair of the Renewable Energy Strategic Leadership Group. She is also co-chair of the Scottish Government Marine Energy Industry Group.

Claire is a member of SSEN’s Network for Net Zero Stakeholder Group and a member of the Centre for Work-Based Learning in Scotland Advisory Group.

Claire was awarded the University of Strathclyde’s STELAR award for executive leadership within the industry in 2021 and is also an honorary fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

Before joining Scottish Renewables, Claire was Director of Policy and Place at the Scottish Council for Development and Industry. She has previously worked in various roles at Ofcom in Scotland, focusing on economic regulation of telecoms, radio spectrum and the mail market while also looking at developing digital participation of individuals and businesses.

Isla Robb

Director Offshore Renewables, ETZ

Having worked in the offshore wind sector for over 15 years, Isla has an in-depth knowledge of the offshore wind supply chain. With experience across the public and private sector both nationally and internationally, she understands the challenges facing those involved in the sector, looking to get into the sector and trying to shape it to benefit all.

Isla joined ETZ Ltd in January 2025, to support the progress of their work in the NE of Scotland, repositioning the area to clean energies and to remain the energy capital of Europe.
Prior to this, Isla ran her own business, EC20 Ltd, focusing on supporting the transition to clean energy, working with supply chain, developers and tier 1’s, assisting the supply chain realise opportunities through new skills requirements and offerings.

Isla has also worked within the public sector in Scottish Enterprise. This gave her great insight and access to governments, working with them to grow the renewables sector in the UK. It also gave her an understanding of how they operate and think. At the same time, Isla engaged with many of the senior members of the offshore wind sector, advising them on the growing abilities of the UK energy supply chain.