I am a Business Development Manager with a focus on the development and acquisition of wind energy projects in the U.S. Shell Wind is a startup business, and I was the second person to join the team based here in La Jolla, CA (the U.S.)
We have a very entrepreneurial culture. On a given day, I may be involved in drafting consulting and vendor contracts, to planning for a trade show or meeting with partners to analyze wind energy projects. In this environment, we work on anything that comes through the door. You have to very resourceful and able to work without the guidance of a structured job description.
My end goal is a fully operational wind farm. To accomplish this we undertake preliminary assessment of a wind regime, land, the impact a project would have on the local transmission system and grid, the regulatory environment, power market potential, and compare these to our investment objectives.
Additionally, we often form partnerships with local developers, negotiate with wind turbine manufacturers and power offtakers, interface internally with the internal trading, structuring and legal departments, and work with an independent engineer to ensure that a project is technically feasible.
Although we are a start-up business, Shell has worked hard to maintain a high profile for the group. That kind of support helps us achieve a lot despite being a little company within a very large organization.
In the wind business, Shell is one of a handful of large corporations with a commitment to developing, owning and operating renewable energy generation. It’s exciting to be a leader in making renewable energy resources a mainstream endeavor. It’s a business that holds a lot of growth, environmental benefit and vision.
In 1998, I graduated with an MBA from Boston University. Prior to business school, I worked in the field of International Development for financial, economic, and international trade organizations - these opportunities gave me firsthand exposure to social and business development issues in emerging markets.
My experience in the energy industry, prior to joining Shell, was with a global energy company headquartered in Houston, TX, where I had the opportunity to work in its wind and energy services business both in the US and internationally.
The ability to make a positive impact in the energy industry. The ability to create a new vision for the world.
