Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based CEO’ operating in the Solar space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Frans van den Heuvel
CEO of Solarcentury
Frans van den Heuvel is the CEO at Solarcentury.
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About Solarcentury: Solarcentury develops, constructs, owns and operates utility-scale solar and smart technology across Europe, Latin America and Africa.
Nick Boyle
Founder and CEO of Lightsource Renewable Energy
In 2010, Nick founded Lightsource Renewable Energy, then just a six-person start-up, which quickly grew over 5 years to become Europe’s largest solar developer and operator and a recognised global leader. In his role as Group CEO, Nick’s dynamic leadership and vision has driven the company to tremendous success and in December 2017, Lightsource announced a strategic partnership with BP which has committed aggressively to accelerate the low carbon transition. The company has rebranded to Lightsource BP in affirmation of this powerhouse commitment which is set to shape the future of global energy delivery. Nick previously sat at Board and Senior Director level in a number of leading retail financial service companies. Throughout his career, Nick has always been recognised for his entrepreneurial skill and success in pairing retail financial products with low-risk, predictable investments.
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About Lightsource Renewable Energy: Lightsource is a provider of ground and rooftop solar installations in the UK.
Nigel Pocklington
Chief Executive Officer of Good Energy
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About Good Energy: Good Energy is a British renewable electricity company with a difference.
Axel Thiemann
Chief Executive Officer of Sonnedix
Axel Thiemann became CEO of Sonnedix in September 2018 after serving as a member of the senior leadership team and Board of Directors. Since joining Sonnedix in 2011, Axel has played a fundamental role in its evolution, initially based in London, as COO with responsibility for Asset Management, Finance, HR and E&C, and more recently based in Miami, overseeing M&A, integration and strategy during a four year period when the company experienced five-fold growth. Prior to joining Sonnedix, Axel spent seven years in banking and held various senior roles with Barclays Bank in London. Before this he was a consultant with McKinsey and Company in Cologne, Germany. Axel graduated as an Electrical Engineer from Hannover University in Germany and holds an MBA from IESE Business School, Spain. To Axel, the most special thing about Sonnedix is its team of bright and passionate people across four continents that have come together to create a sustainable future for the world.
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About Sonnedix: Sonnedix Solar is a global power producer dedicated to produce low-carbon solar energy for the future.
Miloš Milisavljević
CEO of Strawberry energy
Miloš Milisavljević is a Founder & CEO at Strawberry energy.
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About Serbian Association of Managers, Strawberry energy: Strawberry energy develops smart green urban devices in order to improve our everyday lives in cities.
Mansoor Hamayun
Chief Executive Officer of BBOXX
Mansoor is a graduate from Imperial College London where he obtained honours (M.Eng) degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering. He was the founder and the first Chairman of ‘e.quinox’ 2008 and co-founded BBOXX in 2010. Mansoor is responsible for the global strategy of BBOXX which includes HR, new markets and industrial partnerships. Mansoor has professional leadership experience in the Engineering/Customer Service Sector with Rolls-Royce plc in the UK and Hong Kong. Mansoor spends considerable amount of time in the market attempting to create the framework and partnerships necessary to fulfil the social aim of the business i.e. mass electrification.
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About BBOXX: BBOXX designs, manufactures, and distributes plug and play solar systems.
Arthur Hanna
Senior Advisor & CEO of World Energy Council
Board member Copenhagen Institute of Future Studies. Visiting Professor of Energy Economics at Loughborough University. Fellow, Payne Institute, Colorado School of Mines. Responsible for supporting a number of agendas focusing on the development of strategies to promote energy transition across multiple energy sources. Arthur retired from Accenture in 2016 after 26 years working in the Energy consulting sector. He was a Senior Managing Director, leading the Global Energy Strategy business. Prior to joining Accenture in 1990 he spent 10 years with BP in a variety of international roles spanning the Middle East and Europe.
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About World Energy Council: World Energy Council is a UN-accredited global energy body dedicated to delivering a sustainable energy system worldwide.
Allan ‘Noel-edge’ Okello
CEO & Founder / Director of Plexus Wifi
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About Plexus Wifi: City wide Solar powered payg wifi for African cities
Art Russell
Chief Executive Officer of VivoPower
Art is an experienced CFO with over 25 years of global experience in financial management, business performance improvement and turnaround across a diverse range of industry sectors. He has worked extensively in the private equity investment space, on both sides of the investment transaction. Art was previously CFO of APC Technology Group PLC, a business listed on AIM of the London Stock Exchange, successfully turning around the business following significant loss, near business collapse, and management change. APC provides design, specification, and distribution of specialist electronic components and systems, lighting technologies and connectivity products to the defense, aerospace, industrial, real estate, logistics and healthcare sectors. Prior to joining APC, Art was CFO of a UK based KKR private equity investment in the aviation sector, responsible for financial management of a £250m turnover international business through to successful exit to a FTSE 100 PLC. Previous experience includes ten years as Senior Vice President & CFO of a SME private equity investment firm in North America, responsible for all M&A activity, financing, and portfolio management. Prior to this, Art led finance for a private equity backed international marine and fuel distribution company, joining that business after eight years in audit, tax, and financial advisory services at Deloitte. Art holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta. He is qualified as a Chartered Accountant in both the United Kingdom and Canada.
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About VivoPower: VivoPower provides renewable energy to customers from solar power assets that it builds, finances and operates.
