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Neil Morris Brings Expertise in Business and Operations from the Energy Sector to Energy Storage Research Programme
Neil Morris, CEO, Faraday Institution
HARWELL, UK (July 30, 2018) – The Faraday Institution today announced the appointment of its new CEO, Neil Morris, to lead the organisation on its ground-breaking scientific journey to develop powerful, long-lasting, low-cost, safe batteries that can store lots of energy, for electric vehicles and beyond. Morris, a widely respected leader with expertise in business strategy and operations in the energy sector, will be officially joining the Faraday Institution in his new role immediately.
“Continued advances in energy storage will place the UK at the forefront of a global revolution in transport and help to deliver cleaner air, a better environment and a strong clean economy. We have found in Neil Morris a leader to help make the UK the go-to place for the advancement of knowledge related to energy storage and capture,” said Peter B. Littlewood, Executive Chair of the Faraday Institution’s Board of Trustees.
“As batteries become big business and the industry matures, we need a leader able to energise large, diverse teams in challenging environments. Neil’s recognized leadership in the energy sector makes him an ideal choice as the CEO of the Faraday Institution.”
The Faraday Institution is the UK’s independent energy storage research institute, and its goal is to make the UK a world leader in this vital technology. As part of government’s Industrial Strategy, the Faraday Institution also has a clear mission to ensure the UK is well placed to take advantage of the future economic opportunities from this emerging technology.
Professor Philip Nelson, EPSRC’s Executive Chair said: “If the UK is to accelerate the development of new battery products and techniques it is critical that we bring leading academics in the field together with industry experts to explore novel application-inspired approaches. Neil Morris has the business experience and research understanding to make this happen and I welcome his appointment as CEO.”
Neil Morris comes to the Faraday Institution with over 30 years of international operations, business and commercial experience in the energy sector as CEO for Klesch Petroleum and in various leadership roles for BP. Prior to joining the Faraday Institution, Neil served as BP’s Vice President of Engineering & Technology, Global Refining; and Vice President of Gas, Renewables, Supply and Trading business, leading multi-million-pound M&A transactions, establishing a downstream research program including successfully negotiating partnerships with universities and other companies to commercialise a number of new technologies. It was in this role that Neil recognised the potential of energy storage as an enabler of renewable energy and an investment opportunity for business leaders.
Dr Ian Campbell, Interim Executive Chair of Innovate UK, added: “I very much welcome Neil’s appointment as CEO at the Faraday Institution. He will have an important role to play within the ground-breaking Faraday Battery Challenge, helping to ensure the UK is a world leader in the development of automotive battery technologies.”
A chemical engineer by training and a fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE), Neil holds an MBA from Edinburgh University.
His full bio, an interview, and a portrait are available online.
For more information on the Faraday Institution, visit faraday.ac.uk.
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Powering Britain’s battery revolution, the Faraday Institution is the UK’s independent institute for electrochemical energy storage science and technology, supporting research, training, and analysis. Bringing together expertise from universities and industry, the Faraday Institution endeavours to make the UK the go-to place for the research and development of the manufacture and production of new electrical storage technologies for both the automotive and wider relevant sectors.
The first phase of the Faraday Institution is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). Headquartered at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, the Faraday Institution is registered charity with an independent board of trustees.
To learn more, visit faraday.ac.uk and follow @FaradayInst on Twitter.
The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) builds on the UK’s world-class research base and delivers the science that business needs to transform existing industries, and create new ones. It accelerates commercial exploitation of the most exciting technologies the UK has to offer the world, in order to ensure that scientific investment truly delivers economic impact, jobs and growth right across the country. The ISCF is delivered by InnovateUK and Research Councils UK (RCUK), and eventually UK Research and Innovation, the single voice for the UK’s research and innovation landscape.
The ‘Faraday Battery Challenge’ is to develop and manufacture batteries for the electrification of vehicles – £246 million over four years – to help UK businesses seize the opportunities presented by the move to a low carbon economy. The challenge will be split into three elements: research, innovation, and scale-up. It is among the first of six investment areas announced by the government to be funded through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government.
EPSRC is the main funding body for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK. By investing in research and postgraduate training, we are building the knowledge and skills base needed to address the scientific and technological challenges facing the nation.
Our portfolio covers a vast range of fields from healthcare technologies to structural engineering, manufacturing to mathematics, advanced materials to chemistry. The research we fund has impact across all sectors. It provides a platform for future UK prosperity by contributing to a healthy, connected, resilient, productive nation.
Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. For more information visit www.ukri.org. Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas, including those from the UK’s world-class research base. For further information and to stay updated on our latest news visit www.gov.uk/innovateuk, follow us on Twitter at @innovateuk or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/InnovateUK.
UK Research and Innovation is a new body which works in partnership with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities, and government to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. We aim to maximise the contribution of each of our component parts, working individually and collectively. We work with our many partners to benefit everyone through knowledge, talent and ideas.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, and works with UK and international academic and industrial communities to share its expertise in materials science, space and ground-based astronomy technologies, laser science, microelectronics, wafer scale manufacturing, particle and nuclear physics, alternative energy production, radio communications and radar. STFC operates or hosts world class experimental facilities, including in the UK the ISIS pulsed neutron source, the Central Laser Facility, and LOFAR, and is also the majority shareholder in Diamond Light Source Ltd. STFC enables UK researchers to access leading international science facilities by funding membership of international bodies including European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
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