Role: Business Development Manager
Company: Action Renewables
Track Record: ‘It is extremely rewarding to see the positive results of companies that have invested in renewables and reduced their carbon footprint,’ says Nicola.
What does your job entail?
I am responsible for the business development, marketing and PR initiatives of Action Renewables, running the Action Renewables Association as well as providing strategy and direction for Action Renewables Energy Trading.
Often I have deadlines to meet in terms of responding to tenders for new business, running seminars/conferences and preparing for board meetings. I spend approximately 65% of my time in the office and the remainder of my time at meetings all over Northern Ireland.
Is it 9-5?
No it’s rarely 9 to 5, as we run several breakfast seminars on renewable energy technologies through the year, which start at 8am and we also run events in the evening time as well.
How did you get into this line of work?
After living and working in the USA and Canada for most of my career I realised how companies and businesses were benefiting from employing renewables and other green measures.
I took a five year career break to bring up my daughter and during this time I studied, Environmental Awareness for Business and Industry. I was extremely fortunate to apply for and get the job of business development manager for Action Renewables, which coincided with my daughter starting school.
Outline your career to date.
I started off working for Bass Beers Worldwide, I was based up the Glen Road in Belfast and quickly progressed to the head office in Birmingham and then to Barcelona, Spain as the marketing executive for Caffreys Irish Ale.
I had a wonderful apartment overlooking the Sagrada Familia and needless to say a constant string of visitors. I then moved to London to work for Glaxo Smithkline in the Business Development department.
My next move was to the Telegraph Group, again in London, working in business development – this entailed travelling internationally to places such as Singapore, Bangkok, Madrid and Scandinavia.
I then worked for two other media groups – Canwest Global Communications in Toronto, Canada and Torstar Media Group also based in Toronto. Torstar asked me to head business development for a company they had acquired in Orlando, Florida.
Again I had a lot of visitors in Florida!
I ended up working in business development in Florida for over three years travelling all over the USA. My next job was a full time mother before moving to Action Renewables.
Tell us about your qualifications/training:
As the renewables industry is constantly changing with new technologies, policy changes and companies, I take part in a lot of training seminars throughout the year.
I run training seminars on the various technologies for Action Renewables association members and installers and also attend seminars run by the Energy Institute, with which I am also involved.
I have a BA (Hons) in business administration, HND in international business, qualifications in environmental awareness for business and industry and a BPEC level 1 in renewable energy.
What qualities are required for your job – personal and professional?
Tenacity, patience, hardworking and trustworthy. It also helps to have a sense of humour.
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?
It is a challenge working with public and private sector organisations that are spending a lot on their energy costs, who don’t understand how renewable energy technologies work, such as heat pumps, biomass boilers, solar panels and wind turbines etc.
It is also a challenge working with government on seeing the benefits. This is where tenacity and patience comes in useful.
However, it is extremely rewarding to see the positive results of companies that have invested in renewables and reduced their carbon footprint, reduced their energy costs and energy usage, as well as creating a cleaner environment for their staff by using renewable energy, either for generating heat and/or electricity.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love travelling, yoga and eating out. This summer I am going on a road trip to Canada with my husband and three kids. Starting in Vancouver and heading to the Kootenay mountains (West Rockies).
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
When I worked in Florida, I used to volunteer at the Disney Nature Preserve. The preserve was the USA’s first large-scale, off-site wetlands mitigation project.
In the early 1990s, The Walt Disney Co purchased and donated 8,500 acres to the conservancy, to offset lands impacted by the development of Walt Disney World. It is impressive and worth a visit – the majority of guides are volunteers – just like I was.
Who has inspired you most in your life?
Strong business women such as Karren Brady and Lara Morgan, as well as Hilary Clinton. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Lara Morgan at a recent Women In Business event. I am also inspired by strong women in my family, especially my sister Claire.