The Team combines decades of experience in clean tech innovation and early stage investing.
We are passionate about decarbonisation and creating tomorrow’s climate tech leaders.
Team
Beverley Gower-Jones OBE
Managing Partner
Beverley Gower-Jones OBE
Managing Partner
Beverley is the Fund’s Managing Partner. She chairs the investment committee, guides the investment strategy of CGF and leads fundraising. In 2023, Beverley was awarded an OBE for services to Net Zero Innovation. Beverley co-founded Carbon Limiting Technologies, a low-carbon business incubation consultancy, and was a founder and Vice President at Shell Technology Ventures where she was instrumental in defining Shell’s technology venturing strategic approach. Beverley is an independent member of the cross-government Net Zero Innovation Board chaired by Professor Dame Angela McLean.
Jonathan Tudor
Investment Partner
Jonathan Tudor
Investment Partner
Jonathan is an Investment Partner at the Fund and sits on its investment committee. Jonathan has more than 20 years of venture investment experience across multiple sectors, geographies and markets. He has led investment teams at BP Ventures and more recently was Technology Strategy director at Centrica. He returns to work with Beverley having previously worked with her as part of the in-house venture team at QinetiQ, where they helped to create, fund and build several companies.
Alasdair Greig
Investment Partner
Alasdair Greig
Investment Partner
Alasdair Greig is one of the Fund’s Investment Partners and sits on its investment committee. As a Director at Northstar Ventures, he leads the technology investment activity and is highly experienced at all aspects of the venture capital process. Before joining Northstar, Alasdair worked with The Cambridge Gateway Fund, an early stage technology and life sciences fund and earlier worked in Emerging Markets Credit Risk at CIBC World Markets Plc.
Susannah McClintock
Investment Partner
Susannah McClintock
Investment Partner
Susannah is a specialist environmental investor with more than 20 years’ experience in start-up growth, finance and investing within the climate change and resource efficiency space. Susannah is passionate about business models which aim to maximise their use of funds and resources to create sustainable enterprises that achieve specific environmental or social outcomes. Susannah has held previous roles at Sustainable Ventures, Carbon Trust Enterprises, WRAP and HSBC. She holds Board and Trustee positions for both start-ups and charities focussed on environmental and social outcomes. She is an advocate for female entrepreneurs and is the co-founder of fivethirteen.org a not for profit increasing investment flows to female entrepreneurs she also leads the Finance initiatives for the Mayor of London’s Women in Cleantech programme.
Stephen Price
Investment Director
Stephen Price
Investment Director
Stephen is an engineer at heart, having gained his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Design, Materials and Manufacturing and an EngD in Materials Engineering. Prior to VC, Stephen held operational roles in the steel, semiconductor and automotive industries, predominantly working in research, product and process development. Stephen also has experience in university technology transfer, supporting researchers in “spinning out” their technology. Stephen has been an early-stage VC for almost 15 years and with CGF he sits on the boards of Tepeo, Carbon Re, Sunswap, Oriole Networks and Nuada.
Gemma Fong
Chief Financial Officer
Gemma Fong
Chief Financial Officer
Gemma is the CFO of the CGF and manages all financial functions. She has more than ten years of accounting experience in the financial sector. Gemma started her career with PwC in their Hong Kong office. She then moved to Seattle, USA, and worked with BlackRock Inc. and Carta Inc. to focus on the finance and operation of hedge and venture capital funds. At Carta, she worked closely with more than 30 venture capital funds as their fund administrators/ controllers. Gemma holds her CPA license with CPA Australia. She relocated to London in 2022 and started her new journey in the UK with CGF.
Maria Khan
Head of Compliance, ESG & Ops
Maria Khan
Head of Compliance, ESG & Ops
Maria heads up the Compliance, ESG and Ops functions at the fund. Maria has worked in the financial services industry for nearly 20 years, with a particular focus on governance and compliance. Having spent most of that time working in the VC space she has overseen over 100 investments across various geographies and sectors. Prior to joining CGF Maria headed up the Risk and Compliance function at EightRoads Ventures (Fidelity Group) and also spent 4 years at Softbank Vision Fund as the UK Chief Risk Officer. Before that Maria worked at Hermes Federated, JPMorgan and the UK regulator.
Connor Duffy
Investment Manager
Connor Duffy
Investment Manager
Connor is Investment Manager at the Fund and has been working in climate venture capital for the last five years. He is interested in technologies and business models that can meaningfully reduce emissions and improve resource efficiency. He brings experience from previous roles in energy investment banking and innovation consulting and studied engineering and sustainability degrees in the UK, Canada and India.
Shashank Jasrapuria
Investment Analyst
Shashank Jasrapuria
Investment Analyst
Shashank is the fund’s Investment Analyst. He conducts opportunity sourcing and screening as well as supporting deal execution. Shashank started his career at Siemens which was his entry into the electrification industry. He thereafter moved from a multinational to the startup world at Ather Energy, executing new product development and scaling up of electric scooters and charging infrastructure in India. He stepped into early-stage climate investing with Planet A Ventures before coming on board at CGF.
Bernadette Lee
Investment Analyst
Bernadette Lee
Investment Analyst
Bernadette is an Investment Analyst at CGF, bringing a foundation in the circular bioeconomy. With a scientific background in Biotechnology, Bernadette has experience leveraging green technologies like fermentation and biocatalysis at the agribusiness conglomerate, Wilmar International, coupled with an MSc in Sustainable Bioeconomy. Her journey into impact investing began at Kurma Partners and continued at the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF), where she has gained expertise across agrifood, chemicals, and biomaterials sectors.
Maya Mhatre
Marketing Manager
Maya Mhatre
Marketing Manager
Maya Mhatre is the fund’s Marketing Manager (maternity cover). Maya has over 20 years marketing experience including co-founding net-zero trade show Reset Connect, where she ran workshops for corporates to measure their emissions as well as run the event. She led a portfolio of international events across 5 industry sectors at Hyve Group as well as events for Telegraph Media Group. Maya’s move into the climate space followed completion of Ellen MacArthur Foundation and CISL business sustainability courses.
Carbon Limiting Technologies
Our sister-company, Carbon Limiting Technologies, works alongside our portfolio companies once investment has taken place. Using their vast experience of helping hundreds of cleantech entrepreneurs, they help our portfolio to grow and commercialise.
Christopher Tchen
Chair of the board
Christopher Tchen
Chair of the board
As Chair of CLT’s Board, Christopher advises on the company’s strategic direction and business priorities, and oversees corporate risk management. He specialises in helping cleantech companies fully understand their customers’ needs, develop a favourable business model with attractive economics, and articulate their value proposition in a compelling way. He has over 30 years of experience in consulting, with particular emphasis on growth, corporate strategy and corporate venturing. Christopher’s previous roles include MD of Strategos Europe and VP Strategy Gemini Consulting. Christopher started his career at Bain & Company and holds a Chemistry degree from Oxford and an MBA from INSEAD.
Ben Lynch
CCO
Ben Lynch
CCO
Ben is the Chief Commercial Officer at Carbon Limiting Technologies, with over 20 years of experience in sustainability and cleantech. His work focuses on connecting governments, corporations, investors, and regulators to accelerate innovation in decarbonisation. Ben has led major decarbonisation programmes in the heat infrastructure and hydrogen sectors in the UK. Internationally, he has managed energy efficiency export programmes in Mexico and Peru for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Ben has worked with global corporations, including Diageo, Nvidia, and Virgin Group, on supply chain and operational decarbonisation. His expertise spans the Energy, Built Environment, and FMCG sectors, where he develops methods to strengthen the business case for green investments and promote innovation adoption. Ben’s international experience covers the Nordics, Latin America, UK, and US markets, giving him a global perspective on the development of low-carbon products, operations, and infrastructure. At Carbon Limiting Technologies, Ben supports the connection of innovative cleantech start-ups with corporate demand. His approach combines technical knowledge with strategic insights to navigate regulatory environments and align stakeholder interests.
Natalie Fredericks
COO
Natalie Fredericks
COO
Natalie’s experience covers small business start-up and growth, business planning, industry and market studies, understanding market requirements and synthesising results. She has successfully built business operations from scratch and secured long-term client revenues and partner relationships. At CLT, Natalie has provided commercialisation support around market analysis, development of routes to market and practical plans to achieve milestones for a wide variety of low carbon innovators including renewable energy and energy storage companies. She has conducted incubation planning for companies supported by the Energy Entrepreneurs’ Fund and has worked on a project for BEIS to facilitate joint development of an industry / Government Action Plan for decarbonisation of the UK Ceramics Sector, which included convening and facilitating multi stakeholder groups to agree actions, tasks and responsibilities. With Booz. Allen & Hamilton International, Natalie led consulting projects centred around market strategy and operational process improvements. Natalie holds a degree and MA in Aeronautical Engineering from Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD.
Robert Olrog
Consultant
Robert Olrog
Consultant
Robert is a Consultant at CLT. He supports CLT’s public, private and international market programmes across all industries. Robert holds an MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management from the University of Cambridge. He completed his undergraduate degree at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, where he studied Industrial Engineering and specialised in Energy Systems and Sustainable Development. Prior to joining CLT, Robert worked at a consulting firm in their project advisory and disputes practise area for capital projects. He is also the member of the board at a Swedish SME developing electrically powered wheelchairs.
Jackson Kuzmik
Analyst
Jackson Kuzmik
Analyst
Jackson is an analyst for CLT. He supports incubation tasks for cleantech SMEs, consultancy projects for public and private sector clients, and business development tasks. Jackson holds an MPhil in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics from the University of Cambridge, with his research focusing on data-driven approaches to help our understanding of how language works. For his undergraduate degree Jackson attended Pomona College in Claremont, California. He was born and raised in Hong Kong. Alongside various research positions, he has previously worked in outreach for an environmental research center, as a product management intern at a language-technology startup, and as the Head Mentor for his undergraduate department.
Melody Chiu
Analyst
Melody Chiu
Analyst
Melody is an analyst for CLT. She supports incubation tasks for cleantech SMEs, consultancy projects for public and private sector clients, and business development tasks. Melody holds an MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management from the University of Cambridge, with her research focusing on the business ecosystem development in the semiconductor industry. She obtained a joint degree of Technology Management and Industrial Engineering at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. Prior to joining CLT, Melody has worked in a mobile technology startup in Hong Kong and a marketing consultancy in Taiwan. She has also been involved in research projects related to Corporate Social Responsibility.
Eva Guinane
Analyst
Eva Guinane
Analyst
Eva is an analyst for CLT and supports acceleration tasks for cleantech SMEs, consultancy projects for public and private sector clients and business development tasks. Eva holds an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London where she focused her research on accelerating the market uptake of sustainable aviation fuels. Prior to this, Eva completed a BSc in Neuroscience from The University of Edinburgh and worked in stroke research. Prior to joining CLT, Eva acquired experience in public sector policy in Melbourne, Australia. She has also been involved in a number of panels and committees related to climate finance.
Ghilla Tosti di Valminuta
Analyst
Ghilla Tosti di Valminuta
Analyst
Ghilla is an analyst for CLT. She supports acceleration tasks for cleantech SMEs, consultancy projects for public and private sector clients, and business development tasks. Ghilla holds an MSc in Environmental Technology and a Chemistry BSc, both from Imperial College London. Her research specialised in the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries, with a particular focus on policies to drive cleaner technologies. For her thesis, she developed a market penetration optimisation model to assess the impact of these policies on the decarbonisation of ethylene production. Before joining CLT, Ghilla worked at a Reinsurance company, gaining experience in analytical and client-focused environments, and building skills in risk assessment and market analysis.
James Ruel
Programme Manager (Associate)
James Ruel
Programme Manager (Associate)
James is an experienced grant fund programme manager, with expertise in project development, regulatory compliance, set up, implementation and operational management. He has directed and managed programmes addressing environmental, sustainability and skills agendas within complex regulatory frameworks. He has conducted business analysis and incubation planning sessions for SMEs from a range of cleantech sectors. He has developed processes for organisations to manage data and ensure its protection and transparency. He understands the issues facing high growth businesses and has helped to develop business support solutions including business incubators and hatcheries and a Local Growth Hub. He has solved complex problems with project delivery and partnership management and has planned the implementation of major regional and national funding programmes, making decisions in negotiations of million pound contracts. Previously James was European Programme manager for SEEDA. He is a PRINCE2 Practitioner with a degree in History from University of London and MA in Medieval Studies & M.Litt from the University of Bristol.
Advisory Board
Robert Bahns
Advisory Body Member
Robert Bahns
Advisory Body Member
Robert has worked as CFO of technology start-ups since late 2018 and previously spent 20 years as a venture capital investor. He was an Investment Partner at IP Group and Director of Technology Ventures at Touchstone, where he focussed on making investments in the hardware and materials sectors. Prior to that he was Director in the technology investment team at Nomura International plc, where he led investments in the communications and electronics sectors. He trained as electronics engineer and worked in Japan for Pioneer Electronics Corporation, first in R&D and then in establishing the company’s first UK manufacturing facility. He has an MBA from Insead and an Electrical Sciences degree from the University of Cambridge. Robert has held board positions across a range of his portfolio companies including businesses involved in vehicle light-weighting and electrification, photovoltaics and green plastics.
Vicki Bakhshi
Advisory Body Member
Vicki Bakhshi
Advisory Body Member
Vicki is a Director within the Governance and Sustainable Investment team at BMO Global Asset Management, which she joined in 2006. She has particular expertise on climate change and impact investing. Prior to this she spent five years in the UK government, including as the Prime Minister’s policy adviser on climate change, and as a senior member of the team responsible for the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. She also spent three years as a leader writer at the Financial Times, and two years as an economist at the Bank of England. Vicki is on the Board of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, chairs the UK Sustainable Investment Finance Policy Committee, and was also named by Financial News in 2013 as one of the top 100 influential women in finance in Europe. Vicki holds an MSc in Economics from Warwick University and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.
Robert Branagh
Advisory Body Member
Robert Branagh
Advisory Body Member
Robert, a senior pensions professional with 30 years of experience across diverse sectors, including outsourcing, financial services, and the public sector, brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His most recent role as CEO of the London Pensions Fund Authority, overseeing an £8bn fund and investment management business with a strong focus on climate change action and responsible investment, highlights his commitment to driving positive change. He is an advocate of generating return from real assets whilst providing impact via local and UK wide enterprises. As an experienced NED, Robert has a proven track record of leadership on boards ranging from charities to commercial organisations with turnovers of £10m - £120m, as well as government departments and ALB’s. His passion for governance, climate action, and infrastructure investing shines through in his speaking engagements and advocacy efforts. Robert is a regular speaker on governance, climate action and infrastructure investing and is passionate about collaboratively building long term relationships and networks. With a keen eye on the intersection of technology and finance, he champions transparency of purpose and progress from the pensions and investment industry in tackling the climate crisis.
Gershon Cohen
Advisory Body Member
Gershon Cohen
Advisory Body Member
Gershon was formerly Global Head of Infrastructure Funds at Abrdn plc, a position he held for 10 years. He was responsible for the leadership and development of a global infrastructure direct investing equity funds platform consisting of 10 unlisted funds, with $5bn of institutional investment under management. The platform, which he founded in 1998, focused on the illiquid/alternatives investment space and embedded sustainability strategies to deliver positive environmental and social impact. Prior to Abdrn, he was Global Head of Project Finance at Lloyds Banking Group. He is a NED at several UK infrastructure companies including Semperian Holdings, and advisory board member of fund managers in Latin America and USA. Gershon served as a member of the UK Government’s National Infrastructure Plan Strategic Engagement Forum and represented business as part of B20/G20 task forces on Trade and Investment and Financing Growth promoting the use of public private partnerships for delivery of social and economic infrastructure globally.
Professor Chris Rapley
Advisory Body Member
Professor Chris Rapley
Advisory Body Member
Professor Chris Rapley CBE is Professor of Climate Science at University College London. His previous posts include Director of the Science Museum, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, Chairman of the London Climate Change Partnership, President of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, Executive Director of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, and Distinguished Visiting Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He spent the first 25 years of his career as a space scientist at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory and was founder and Head of UCL MSSL’s Earth Remote Sensing Group. More recently he has focused on the role of climate scientists in delivering value to society through actionable information and by creating the ‘agency to act’. In 2003 Prof Rapley was appointed CBE by Her Majesty the Queen. In 2008 he was awarded the Edinburgh Science Medal for having made 'a significant contribution to the understanding and wellbeing of humanity’.
George Whitehead
Advisory Body Member
George Whitehead
Advisory Body Member
George has worked in venture capital industry for over 15 years and has built up relationships with many of Europe’s leading investors and entrepreneurs. He is co-founder and partner of the Angel Cofund, a £100 million Government backed fund focused on co-investing with angel investors. Previously, he worked at Octopus Ventures, one of Europe’s largest and most active venture investors. During his 9 years at Octopus he led marketing and corporate connections and was the founder and Chairman of the Venture Capital Trust Association. Prior to Octopus George held the position of Business Development Director at NESTA Investments’ £50 million Venture Capital Fund where he ran a portfolio of programmes aimed at supporting growth companies. He began his career as an investment manager at Oxford Innovations, where he managed the Oxford Investment Opportunity Network (OION), one of the UK’s most successful private investment networks, before moving on to successfully turnaround and manage the incubations programme for the University of Toronto’s Technology Transfer Office.
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