Blackfinch Energy expands UK renewable energy team with triple hire
Blackfinch Energy, part of Blackfinch Group and a leading investor into UK renewable energy has made three important appointments to its national team.
Alan Gorman (pictured), Vuong Nguyen, and Sam Dickerson join as Investment Director, Investment Manager and Senior Commercial Portfolio Manager at the Gloucester Business Park-based firm.
The move follows an announcement last month that the firm had expanded its UK-based renewable energy portfolio with its first subsidy-free wind farm in Scotland achieving commercial operation, and that it had increased its total annual renewable energy capacity from 104 Gigawatt hours (GWh) to c. 118 GWh.
Bringing more than 20 years’ experience and an extensive background in project finance and infrastructure investment, Alan Gorman previously spent five years with John Laing’s renewable energy and infrastructure team.
More recently he has been consulting on the launch of Clean Energy Capital – which was targeting advisory and investment mandates in the UK and European renewable energy sector.
He is now tasked with working on new energy deals for the team and growing the current renewable energy portfolio.
Newly appointed Investment Manager Vuong Nguyen has 5 years’ worth of experience with companies such as Innova capital and Lightsource BP, where he supported the renewable energy development in different parts of the global industry.
He will now assist with the development of energy infrastructure deals throughout their lifecycle, drawing on his passion for helping the transition of the energy sector and focusing on sustainability and innovation.
And Sam Dickerson joins Blackfinch as Senior Commercial Portfolio Manager, bringing more than 12 years’ experience in the energy sector to the role including 10 years working at Ecotricity where he managed the purchase power agreements and virtual power purchase, as well as financial modelling for development and acquisition projects.
Commenting on the new hires and the expansion of the team Guy Lavarack, Head of Energy at Blackfinch, which focus on investments with strong environmental, social and governance factors, said: “We’re excited to welcome Sam, Vuong and Alan to the growing Energy team.
“Between them they bring many years of experience to their respective roles, but they also demonstrate a real passion to drive forward Blackfinch Group’s ESG agenda.
“Currently, our investments into solar and wind farms are expected to generate over £100,000 into local community projects this year. So, not only are we building out more resilient clean energy for the UK, but we’re also making a difference on the ground in the local area.
“These latest appointments demonstrate how we are matching our growth ambitions with exceptional people, and we are delighted to have them onboard.”
Alan said: “The Blackfinch Energy team has achieved impressive results in the last five years, and I look forward to working with them in supporting its continued growth. My initial focus will be on consolidating the team’s existing origination and execution capabilities.”
Sam added: “Blackfinch Group’s ESG values are evident in all of its deals, and that’s something that I am really passionate about.
“I am particularly excited to be working alongside the wider Energy team to see how we can capitalise on new ideas within industry, and how we as a business can help bring them to market.”
Vuong said: “I am excited to join the Blackfinch Energy team at this time of exceptional growth, and to have the opportunity to work with excellent people.”
