Benj Sykes
Benj is a member of OEP’s Advisory Council.
Benj oversees Ørsted’s relationships across government, authorities, regulators and NGOs in the UK, delivering its sustainability and environmental agendas and securing permits for Ørsted’s Europe portfolio. He also leads the company’s global Environment Centre of Expertise and oversees the company’s brand and media work in the UK and Ireland. He has been a champion of the company’s work on biodiversity, in particular to deliver net positive biodiversity impact in all projects commissioning from 2030.
Benj previously chaired the Offshore Wind Industry Council, delivering the landmark Offshore Wind Sector Deal with the UK Government, and was a member of the Government’s Offshore Wind Acceleration Taskforce. He also served on the government’s Advisory Panel on Highly Protected Marine Areas. He now chairs OWIC’s programme tackling the barriers to the sector delivering its full contribution to net zero, and the Aviation programme in partnership with the MOD. Benj led the global offshore renewable sector’s work for the UN Oceans Panel, forming the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Coalition and publishing their ground-breaking report on unlocking the global potential of ocean renewable energy.
Benj previously worked at the Carbon Trust as Director of Innovation, after two decades in the upstream oil and gas sector.
He is a Fellow of the Geological Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Energy Institute, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Durham University. He served on the Board of Renewable UK for eight years and is a currently President of the Society for Underwater Technology. He also serves as a member of the Board of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and the Global Underwater Hub.
Benj is a member of OEP’s Advisory Council.
Benj oversees Ørsted’s relationships across government, authorities, regulators and NGOs in the UK, delivering its sustainability and environmental agendas and securing permits for Ørsted’s Europe portfolio. He also leads the company’s global Environment Centre of Expertise and oversees the company’s brand and media work in the UK and Ireland. He has been a champion of the company’s work on biodiversity, in particular to deliver net positive biodiversity impact in all projects commissioning from 2030.
Benj previously chaired the Offshore Wind Industry Council, delivering the landmark Offshore Wind Sector Deal with the UK Government, and was a member of the Government’s Offshore Wind Acceleration Taskforce. He also served on the government’s Advisory Panel on Highly Protected Marine Areas. He now chairs OWIC’s programme tackling the barriers to the sector delivering its full contribution to net zero, and the Aviation programme in partnership with the MOD. Benj led the global offshore renewable sector’s work for the UN Oceans Panel, forming the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Coalition and publishing their ground-breaking report on unlocking the global potential of ocean renewable energy.
Benj previously worked at the Carbon Trust as Director of Innovation, after two decades in the upstream oil and gas sector.
He is a Fellow of the Geological Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Energy Institute, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Durham University. He served on the Board of Renewable UK for eight years and is a currently President of the Society for Underwater Technology. He also serves as a member of the Board of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and the Global Underwater Hub.