The Solent Cluster collaboration represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for communities, the region, and the UK.
The Solent Cluster Limited is a company limited by guarantee and was incorporated on 27 June 2023. The company has been established in response to the opportunity for The Solent Cluster Partnership to effect real change in energy production and consumption.
The partnership will play a fundamental role in the world’s fight against climate change, enabling the UK to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050. In becoming a leading centre for low carbon investment, the partnership can grow the regional economy, protect skilled jobs, and create new employment opportunities in the technologies and industries of tomorrow, while significantly reducing carbon emissions.
Meet The Solent Cluster board members
Anne-Marie Mountifield
Anne-Marie is the Chair of The Solent Cluster and the Chair of Maritime UK Solent. She was the Chief Executive of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) from 2012 to 2023. Before joining the LEP, Anne-Marie had held senior executive leadership posts for more than 20 years in further education, the Civil Service (Department of Business Innovation and Skills) and local government.
A member of the Institute of Directors (IoD), Anne-Marie won the prestigious New Chartered Director award at the IoD London and South’s Director of the Year Awards in 2020.
Stuart Baker
Stu is the Executive Director of The Solent Cluster – the South’s only low carbon cluster, and is passionate about the Solent and it’s low carbon economies.
Ralf Rashbrook
Ralf was instrumental in establishing The Solent Cluster and sits as a Non-Executive Director of its Board. Now with over 25 years’ experience gained in the energy sector around the world, Ralf began his career at Fawley in 1997. Ralf currently leads the ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions team working on projects in the Solent.
A Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Ralf is active in promoting the discipline through the Institution, including working to accredit University Courses and helping individuals with non-accredited degrees become Chartered Chemical Engineers.
Professor Lindsay-Marie Armstrong
Lindsay-Marie Armstrong is Professor of Decarbonisation within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton and Deputy Director of the Sustainability and Resilience Institute. She is the Academic Cluster Lead for The Solent Cluster as part of the EPSRC-funded £20m Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC).
Marcus Hunt
Marcus is SGN’s Business Development Director with over 20 years’ experience in both regulated and non-regulated utility businesses both in the UK and US.
Prior to joining SGN, Marcus spent 5 years with KPMG’s Infrastructure Advisory Group, advising clients on a range of commercial strategy, transaction and regulatory issues. At SGN, Marcus and has responsibility for SGN’s decarbonisation activities including hydrogen and biomethane.
Marcus is a Board member of MUA, SGN’s last mile infrastructure joint venture and FYLD, a start up in the digital SaaS market.
Helen Odhams
Helen is the Principal and CEO at Brockenhurst College. She has worked in education all her professional career and is a firm believer in the value of a quality post-16 education and the opportunities, experiences, and reward this creates for students. Helen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her role with expertise spanning crucial areas of quality improvement and development, curriculum strategy and planning as well as wider learning and external partnerships.
Ian Cook
Ian Cook is a global energy business leader who is currently the Head of Hydrogen Business Development for SSE plc. Ian is focused on developing new hydrogen production opportunities in his current role. Before his current role, Ian led the SSE Power Business development team working on CCS, hydrogen and LDES projects. Prior to that, Ian worked for SSE Distributed Energy, developing heat and electricity networks and EV and battery projects. Prior to joining SSE, Ian worked for over eight years for the engineering and technology provider NOV and lived in the USA and Norway, delivering projects across the globe. Ian is a Chartered Chemical Engineer, holding an MEng from The University of Edinburgh and an MBA from Imperial College London.
Claire Woodward
Claire is a Chemical Engineer with a wide breath of experience gained over the last 25 years. Beginning her career as a Plant Engineer in the speciality gas industry with BOC Gases, her experience includes operations and engineering management of large manufacturing and chemical production facilities and the development of energy projects.
Claire’s focus now is building and leading the UK Hydrogen Project Development team at RWE to develop and deliver hydrogen production facilities across the UK in line with RWE’s Going Green Strategy.