Our Senior Team

Darren Williams

Chief Executive

After joining the UK utility company SWALEC as a graduate electrical engineer, Darren began working in the company’s generation business in 1992 where he was responsible for the development of wind, biomass and hydro projects. In 1996 Darren left SWALEC to help found Energy Power Resources (EPR) and then in 2002 became one of the founding directors of Eco2 Limited. Darren’s core expertise is in the delivery of the company’s renewable projects, in particular the delivery of the funding of both debt and equity and he has overseen the delivery of over 280 MW of generating capacity spread across wind, landfill gas and six biomass projects, with a total funding in excess of £1bn.

As well as the delivery of the development pipeline, Darren is now focused on leading the growth of Eco2’s asset management business. Eco2 already manages a portfolio of assets including wind and biomass for a number of high-profile clients. The portfolio has a combined capacity of over 217MW and the management includes the oversight of 1.6 million tonnes of biomass each year.

In 2020, Darren was elected as the Chair of Biomass UK, putting to use his experience in establishing Eco2 as the UK’s leader in biomass development and asset management services.

Dr Andrew Toft

Operations Director

Andrew joined Eco2 Ltd in 2003. He initially managed the implementation of the company’s landfill gas portfolio, comprising four sites with a combined potential capacity of nearly 11 MWe, but later returned to the biomass fold. He led the procurement process for the Western Wood Energy Project, and followed this by securing planning permission for Eco2’s straw project in Sleaford. Following Sleaford, Andrew went on to manage the procurement of turnkey and operating contracts for four other power stations: Brigg, Snetterton, Margam and Port Clarence. He also played a key part in securing the finance for these projects.

More recently, he has focused on delivering asset management services for those plants that are operating across the portfolio. Andrew directs a team of project engineers, fuel managers, transport managers and administrators that ensure reliable and cost-effective supply.

Andrew completed a PhD from Birmingham’s Aston University in which he studied the economics of generating electricity from biomass using various thermal technologies. He followed this by developing a range of biomass and ‘energy from waste’ projects at Energy Power Resources. Andrew moved to Eco2 in 2003 to manage the landfill gas portfolio and now oversees the development of Eco2’s UK Biomass portfolio.

Matthew Hughes

Finance Director

Joining Eco2 in 2015, Matt has overall responsibility for the financial and corporate functions of the company, including reporting to external parties. Matt also contributes to the development of company strategy and manages company policy regarding capital requirements, debt, taxation, equity and business transactions.

While previously working as Finance Director to Kinetica Energy, Matt led all financial aspects of construction, financial management and divestment of a large portfolio of onshore wind and solar assets. Matt has also worked as Finance Director to a licensed regulated water utility business.

Initially joining the UK utility Company Npower in 2003 as an Economics graduate and ultimately RWE Generation as Financial Controller, Matt held roles that included financial responsibility for a £7bln energy procurement book and 10TW thermal generation portfolio.
Amongst his achievements Matt has led several projects in response to market reforms and regulations and also has significant experience in leading Financial Transformation, including cost efficiency and the evolution of traditional finance functions into highly commercial business units.

Danielle Rook

Company Secretary & Financial Controller

Danielle is a qualified accountant with ACCA, and currently works as Financial Controller within the Asset Management arm of Eco2, overseeing the Finance Team and ensuring robust processes and quality reporting to clients.

Danielle has been Company Secretary for the Eco2 group since 2018, maintaining good Corporate Governance within the companies. She also has financial experience working within customer facing retail industries, including electricity and water supply, telecoms and HR services.

Steve Burns

Director

Stephen joined Palisade Real Assets as the founding CEO in 2021.  Stephen is a member of the Palisade Real Assets Board of Directors and is responsible for the day to day running of the business.

Stephen has over 20 years’ experience in real assets and infrastructure.  His experience encompasses transaction origination and execution, asset management and business development.

Immediately prior to joining Palisade Real Assets, Stephen was a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Real Assets team at NSW Treasury Corporation (TCorp).  Prior to TCorp, Stephen was Head of Strategic Investment Capital and Private Equity, AsiaPac/EMEA at Barings for three and a half years, and spent 14 years at Whitehelm Capital where he was Head of Europe and Americas and a member of the Investment and Management Committees.  Prior to these roles, Stephen worked in research roles for ANZ Investments and the Australian Department of Finance and Administration.

Stephen holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Finance from the Australian National University, a graduate diploma of Applied Finance and Investment from FINSIA and is a graduate of the UK Institute of Company Directors.  Stephen is a member of the CFA Institute.

Digby Beaumont

Director

Digby joined Palisades Real Assets as Head of Investments in 2021. Digby relocated with his family from New York to Sydney in 2021.

Digby has over 18 years’ experience originating and executing infrastructure and real asset investments in North America and Australia. His experience encompasses transaction origination and execution, asset management and business development.

Digby is currently a Partner and Co-founder of RBP Partners, LLC, a North American based private investment firm focused on providing acceleration capital to infrastructure and real asset platforms. With a specific focus on energy transition and digital infrastructure thematics.

Digby is currently Non-Executive Director of esVolta, LP, a leading energy storage developer, owner and operator based in California.

Prior to forming RBP Partners, LLC, Digby was Head of North America at Blue Sky Alternative Investments, LLC, and before that a founding member of AMP Capital’s North American infrastructure business with responsibility for originating and executing infrastructure investments across the Americas. Digby also previously worked for Whitehelm Capital in Sydney and New York and Allco finance group and EY in Sydney.

Prior to beginning his investment career Digby played professional rugby union with the Brumbies.

Digby has a Master and Bachelor of Commerce (accounting, finance & economics) from the University of Sydney and a graduate diploma of Applied Finance and Investment from FINSIA.

Dafydd Williams

Head of Commercial Operations

Dafydd graduated from Swansea University with a Masters Degree in Economics.

Dafydd joined Eco2 in 2002, initially working on a number of wind farm planning applications before leading the successful project financing of the Mains of Hatton Wind Farm and Bogenlea Project. Since 2008 Dafydd has managed a number of biomass projects in the Eco2 portfolio and was an integral part of the team that financed the Brigg, Margam and Port Clarence Biomass Projects. More recently Dafydd has been overseeing the wind asset management team.

Robert Richards

Biomass Portfolio Manager

Robert graduated from The University of Nottingham with a Masters Degree in Manufacturing Engineering.

Robert began his career at British Sugar, where he worked in a number of operational management roles and later in agricultural operations management. Robert joined Eco2’s Management Services division in 2016 as part of the Fuel Procurement team, which manages over 1.5m tonnes of straw and woodchip using Eco2’s own bespoke software that tracks the flow of fuel from field to plant. As Senior Fuel Manager, Robert was personally responsible for the procurement of 250,000 tonnes of straw and wood per year at the 44.2MW Snetterton Biomass Plant in Norfolk.

In his role as Operations Director, Robert’s primary focus is on acquiring new business in the Anaerobic Digestion sector, with the aim of expanding Eco2’s development, commercial and technical asset management offer, which already includes wood and straw-fired biomass, renewable heat projects, landfill gas and onshore wind. In this role, Robert also provides support to existing business activities.

Mark Bull

Head of Technical Services

Mark is a time served chartered engineer and chartered environmentalist with 30 years’ experience in a variety of industry sectors, including working as an expert witness during arbitration cases. Mark is experienced in energy from waste, biomass and coal fired power generation and has also worked in wind power, renewable energy, manufacturing, steelmaking, construction and asset and maintenance management.

Mark has taken ‘new-build’ energy from waste facilities through construction, commissioning and into an operational phase along with budget preparation and implementation of all associated systems and processes. Mark is experienced in maintaining, operating and managing multiple assets and regions.

Kate Jones

HR Manager

Kate graduated from the University of South Wales in 2012 with a First Class Honours in Business Studies and later went on to complete her Post Graduate in Human Resource Management.

Prior to joining Eco2 Kate worked for an HR and Employment Law practice in South Wales. Kate joined Eco2 in 2014 and provides an in-house end to end HR service for staff across sites in England and Wales.

Sue Beynon

Sue joined Eco2 in March 2007 as Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive.  Sue also supports the wider senior team and manages the day to day running of the office environment at EMSL.

After obtaining a Business and Secretarial Diploma from Coleg Gwent, Sue’s career started with Welsh energy utility South Wales Electricity (SWALEC) in 1987.  Sue spent 13 years in the electricity industry working within the Personnel and Network Services areas in a PA role.  Sue moved to the law firm Eversheds LLP in 2006 working as PA to a Senior Partner within the Banking and Finance Division based in Cardiff.