RWE : Helen Thomas appointed to Renewable UK Shadow Board

• Playing a vital role in the future leaders programme for the renewables sector
• Helping shape RenewableUK's strategy, challenging the Board and providing a fresh perspective

RWE is proud to announce that Helen Thomas, Senior Stakeholder & Supply Chain Manager - Offshore Wind, has been successfully appointed to the Shadow Board of trade body RenewableUK.

RenewableUK is the country's leading clean energy trade association representing a wide range of technologies including wind and marine power, green hydrogen and energy storage, with over 400 member companies.

RenewableUK set up its Shadow Board to enable future industry leaders to gain experience and participate in strategic level activities. It assists the organisation's board with a wider range of views, valuable insights and fresh perspectives on key issues. The Shadow Board members consist of senior company representatives with expertise across areas including: electrical engineering, project and stakeholder management, marketing, law, consenting, asset management, business development and public affairs.

Commenting on her new role, Helen said: "There is so much to gain from this exciting opportunity. I'm looking forward to working with current and future leaders, bringing a fresh perspective and challenging the RUK Board, helping to shape our industry for the better. I like to think I can bring a mix of knowledge, experience and skills combined with fresh ideas, determination and fun! I plan to use both whole system knowledge and more focused renewable industry experience to progress aspects of importance, including supply chain and skills development, helping our industry to thrive."

Helen's route into renewables was an unconventional one. Leaving school at 16 she took various roles in childcare and administration, however always had a keen interest in environmental issues and a love for Geography. Going back into education as a mature student she studied for a BSc in Environmental Management and then an MSc in Renewable Energy Technology, whilst holding down full-time roles.

Wind energy was always something that fascinated Helen and she never gave up on her desire to work in the industry. By applying to RWE's new talent scheme in 2019 - a scheme that supported a variety of newcomers into the industry from recent graduates to those transferring from other sectors - Helen established her dream career.

Whilst working for RWE, Helen has delivered a range of roles including consenting, stakeholder management and public affairs. More recently her focus has been on supply chain development, helping to shape the company's strategy and approach. Helen has been instrumental in establishing a new supply chain cluster for the North Wales North West region, called The Offshore Energy Alliance, and is also involved in The Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC). Helen provides direct support to Tom Glover in all aspects of senior relations with the Welsh Government. For more information on opportunities at RWE visit the website.

RWE is #2 in the world for offshore wind and is driving the development of the largest offshore wind pipeline in the UK. It has committed to investing €50 billion gross through to 2030 to expand its powerful and green generation capacity to 50 gigawatts, with around €15 billion earmarked for the UK.