· The NWBLT has welcomed Michelle Lewis from Essar as its newest member.
· Myles Kitcher, Managing Director of Peel NRE and Chair of Net Zero North West has joined the group.
The North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT) is pleased to announce the addition of two new members – Michelle Lewis, director of corporate affairs at Essar, and Myles Kitcher, managing director of Peel NRE and chair of Net Zero North West.
Michelle Lewis joins NWBLT as one of its newest members. Essar, a leading player in the decarbonisation of the UK economy, has ambitions to become the UK’s first low-carbon refinery and establish an energy transition hub at Stanlow in the heart of the North West. Employing approximately 800 people and supplying 16% of all road transport fuels, Essar is planning to invest US$2.4 billion into a variety of low-carbon energy transition projects over the next five years.
Michelle brings a wealth of experience to NWBLT, having previously worked in the utility and retail sectors. She leads strategic communications, reputation management, incident management, colleague and stakeholder engagement, and the ESG programme at Essar. Additionally, Michelle serves as the chair of Behind Closed Doors, a charity dedicated to supporting domestic abuse victims and preventing such incidents.
Myles Kitcher has also become a member of NWBLT, representing both Peel NRE and Net Zero North West, long-term collaborators with the team on the drive to deliver industrial decarbonisation across the region.
With over two decades’ experience in the energy and waste industries, Myles has a career spanning local government, public sector and private enterprise.
Specialisms under his executive leadership include waste to value, district heating, renewable energy (onshore wind and solar), materials management including soil washing and recycled aggregates, asset management including quarries, water and electric vehicle charging.
Myles is also the driving force behind Protos – Peel NRE’s flagship destination for energy, innovation and industry close to Ellesmere Port - at the heart of the North West cluster.
Chair of the NWBLT, Jonathan Murphy, welcomed the new members:
‘Essar have come on board at a critical time for the region and Michelle brings with her a wealth of experience of how to deliver tangible change. Essar’s commitment to reducing their carbon emissions is a core principle across our membership and we have much to learn from each other.
In addition to his impressive track record in the energy sector, Myles has ensured Net Zero NW are regionally and nationally recognised as exemplars of how to deliver industry and public sector collaboration at scale and are a key strategic partner for us.
I know that both Michelle and Myles will add significant value to our work, and I am pleased to welcome them to the team.’
Michelle responded: ‘It is great to be joining the NWBLT at such an exciting time for our region. The North West is leading the energy transition and the NWBLT are demonstrating that businesses working together and working with policy makers can deliver ambitious change. We’re looking forward to making our contribution to the work of the NWBLT.’
Myles said: ‘It is a pleasure to join the NWBLT and work with so many great leaders who are committed to securing a prosperous future for the North West. The NWBLT was one of the founding partners of Net Zero North West and this is a signal of their continuing commitment to work together to deliver change to ensure that this region can thrive. I look forward to playing my part and working with all the members over the coming years.’
