Craig Walker, 

Lead Officer Policy & Place – Planning Service, Fife Council

Craig is a Lead Officer within the Policy and Place Team of Planning Services, having joined Fife Council in 2000 from North Lanarkshire Council. He has a breadth of experience in managing the preparation of Fife's Local Plans/Local Development Plans and has recently taken on the project management of Fife's Place Plan (Local Development Plan 2). Beyond the development plan, Craig has led and been involved in many successful projects delivering for Fife. This includes the preparation of the Edinburgh & Southeast Scotland City Deal Business Case for the Dunfermline strategic transportation interventions required to facilitate the expansion of the city.

Tricia Hill 

Development and Sustainability Director, Kingdom Housing Association

Tricia joined Kingdom in 2023 and is the Development and Sustainability Director for the Kingdom Group.

Tricia has over 15 years’ experience of leading large-scale mixed tenure and regeneration and development programmes predominantly on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council and for a national housing association.

As Development Director, Tricia is responsible for the delivery of Kingdom's ambitious new build housing programme for both social and mid-market rent across Fife, Perth & Kinross, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk.  Tricia is also responsible for realising Kingdom’s net zero ambitions across the business, including new and existing homes, offices and fleet delivering sustainable and wider community benefits for local communities.

Nick Clark, 

CEO, Ore Valley Housing Association

Nick Clark is the Chief Executive of Ore Valley Group which includes Ore Valley Housing Association and five further subsidiary companies.

Based in Cardenden in Fife, the organisation is focused on the delivery of social and mid-market tenure housing primarily in east-central Fife but has properties across the Kingdom.

Nick has been at Ore Valley for 16 years and became CEO in 2023 having worked previously as the organisation’s Corporate, Enterprise and Sustainability Manager. Prior to working at OVHA Nick held various roles in the sustainability and leisure industries.

The Ore Valley Group, despite its relatively small size, undertakes a diverse and wide-ranging portfolio of activities including social and mid-market rental properties, commercial real estate and office space, retail properties and ownership and operation of renewable energy assets as well as several varied community projects.

Rachel Shorney, 

Strategic Optimisation Manager, SPEN

Rachel is a Chartered Electrical Engineer with 35 years’ experience working for the electricity distribution network operator since pre-privatisation in 1990.

During this time Rachel has worked on designing new connections to the electricity distribution network, maintenance & fault restoration and delivery of large 132kV projects.

Rachel has been involved in facilitating generation connections onto the grid since 2010 and is now helping to prepare for net zero as the electricity industry transitions to the electrification of transport and heat networks as well as the associated effect of industrial decarbonisation on the distribution electricity network.

Rachel leads the Strategic Optimisation Team for SP Energy Networks, which involves working with Devolved Governments across the SP Energy Networks licence areas in Scotland, England and Wales, including Local Authorities, Regional Transport bodies and Industrial Clusters, to understand the strategic investment requirements for each regional area to help enable and support their decarbonisation plans.

Kate Spalding

Strategy Officer (NZIDP), Climate Change & Zero Waste – Planning Service, Fife Council

Kate is a Strategy Officer in Fife Council’s Climate Change and Zero Waste Team, joining in 2022. She has taken on a leading role in the work on the Net Zero Innovation and Delivery Programme which explores sector-specific skills gaps across the Southeast Scotland Region. This has resulted in 3 innovative feasibility studies being published, helping inform future retrofit and green heating skills and supply chain work for the region. This work is part of a UK-wide cohort which aims to accelerate action to net zero within the public sector.

Kate also organises a Climate Officers Group, a forum aimed at individuals working in the Climate Change sector across Scottish Local Authorities. The group meets regularly to share challenges, opportunities and inspirational projects, providing a supportive network for Climate Change Officers.

Prof. Sean Smith 

Chair of Future Construction, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh

Sean is based at the University of Edinburgh and is Chair of Future Construction, within the School of Engineering, and Director of the Centre for Future Infrastructure at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. He is also principal investigator for the UKRI £4.5M Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings.

Sean has recently led with other colleagues from the College sector the proposal to develop a Net Zero Accelerator Hub to advance the growth and increase skills training for southeast Scotland.

In 2017 he led the review into New Housing & Future Construction Skills for Scottish Government and led the proposal and successfully established the 7-year Housing, Construction Infrastructure (HCI) Skills Gateway for the Edinburgh & Southeast Scotland City Region Deal.

His work has been nominated or won over 45 industry or sector awards involving 17 new patented products, sustainable construction, international projects and developments sites across the UK.

Sean works extensively with industry, education and public sector and forming international research partnerships with over 40 countries. Since 2004 over £350 billion of UK housing assets have incorporated his technical designs.

Frazer Walker

Head of School – Engineering, Construction & Technical Skills, Fife College

Frazer Walker is one of two Heads within Fife College’s School of Engineering, Construction & Technical Skills. His responsibilities include supporting areas such as Art and Design, Built Environment, Construction Craft, Building Services, Supported Programmes, and Local Outreach Delivery.

Frazer started his career as an apprentice joiner, which gave him a practical understanding of the construction sector, and the skills needed to succeed in hands-on roles. With over twenty years of experience in further education, he works with teams to develop flexible, future-focused curricula that combine traditional trades with emerging technologies in construction, energy, and heat. He has been involved in projects aimed at building regional capacity and creating accessible pathways into meaningful careers, especially in civil engineering, retrofit, and green energy.

His recent work includes contributing to skills initiatives that connect learners with local industry and align with the Scottish Government’s net zero goals. Frazer is committed to employer engagement and collaborative planning to help learners across Fife develop the mindset and skills needed for the changing labour market.

Dedicated to inclusive education and making a positive local impact, Frazer also supports Fife College’s community outreach efforts, ensuring opportunities reflect local needs and priorities across Fife.

Craig McLaren

National Planning Improvement Champion, Improvement Service

Craig McLaren is Scotland's first National Planning Improvement Champion. This role was established in the 2019 Planning Act to monitor planning performance and support improvement; to identify, share and apply good practice; and to establish strategic challenges and broker action. Craig is based in the Improvement Service and took up post in September 2023.

Prior to that he was Director of Scotland, Ireland and English Regions in the Royal Town Planning Institute; Director of the Scottish Centre for Regeneration in Communities Scotland/ Scottish Government; Chief Executive of SURF (Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum); Scottish Policy Officer at RTPI; and a planner in the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

Craig writes a regular column for The Planner magazine’s website called Planning Positive and is a Fellow of the RTPI, the RSA and the Academy of Social Sciences, and an Academician of the Academy of Urbanism. He has sat on the Boards of Scotland's Towns Partnership, Built Environment Forum Scotland, Greenspace Scotland, Resilient Scotland and the Jim Boyack Memorial Trust.

Gareth Farr

Head of Heat and By-Product Innovation, Mining Remediation Authority

Gareth joined  The Mining Remediation Authority in 2021 to help deliver his passion of mine water heat schemes. Gareth leads a national team who have successfully supported large mine water energy projects, including a 6MW scheme in Gateshead. With a passion for energy security and delivering real impact to coalfield communities Gareth has continued to work closely with stakeholders across Wales and the whole of Great Britain  to realise the potential of mine water heat. Prior to joining the Mining Remediation Authority Gareth worked for the British Geological Survey developing shallow low temperature geothermal research in mine water and urban aquifers and also at the Environment Agency. Gareth is a Chartered geologist with over 20 years of experience and is driven by finding geo-energy solutions across the coalfields of Great Britain.

Martin McGroaty

Lead Professional (minerals) - Planning Service, Fife Council 

Martin has been with Fife Council (and one of its three predecessor bodies, Kirkcaldy District Council) since 1990. The majority of that time was spent working in the Development Plan team, during which Martin developed an interest (some would say obsession) with issues related to the legacy of mining, and coal mining in particular, and developed a role as unofficial “liaison officer” between Fife Council and The Coal Authority. Following a move from Development Plans to Development Management in 2015, Martin was able to bring that interest to his new role as Minerals Officer for Fife Council, during which time he has been instrumental in raising awareness amongst colleagues, and across professional disciplines, of the issues related to the legacy of coal mining, with a particular emphasis on mine gas. Martin’s current role includes overseeing the restoration and re-use of former opencast coal sites in Fife, ensuring compliance with planning conditions across Fife’s mines and quarries, with a sideline on dealing with energy-related major planning applications.

Matthew Jordison

Net Zero Innovation Delivery Officer

Matthew Jordison is delivering innovative energy solutions within the public sector, with a particular focus on district energy schemes and heat networks—including pioneering work with mine water heating. With a mission to scale low-carbon heating from 2% to 20% of the UK heat market, Matthew has been instrumental in implementing energy efficiency initiatives across council-owned and public sector assets, including social housing.

A champion of stakeholder engagement, Matthew collaborates with psychologists at Northumbria University to identify and overcome non-technical barriers to resident participation. This work ensures effective communication strategies that maximize household onboarding to heat networks and net zero technologies. He also plays a key role in managing relationships with major stakeholders, including consultants, business groups, and government departments, to drive forward the national Heat Network Agenda.

In addition to technical delivery, Matthew provides strategic leadership in finance and business structuring, supporting the development of investment-ready models and partnership frameworks to expand the heat network to an additional 15,000 homes. His work in supply chain development includes identifying regional skills gaps and convening education, business, and economic development partners to upskill the local workforce.

Matthew is also a strong advocate for the economic potential of mine water heat networks. In the Northeast of England alone, this emerging sector represents a £13 billion infrastructure opportunity and the creation of up to 5,000 new green jobs. His work helps position the region as a national leader in sustainable energy innovation and inclusive economic growth.

As a recognized voice in the sector, Matthew regularly represents Gateshead at conferences and panels, sharing insights and case studies to support peer learning and enhance the intellectual capital of the Gateshead Heat Network.

Clare Reid

Director of Policy & Public Affairs, Prosper

Leads the Policy and Public Affairs work of Prosper (SCDI), an organisation with a 90-year history of convening conversations about inclusive economic growth in Scotland. is responsible for delivering Prosper’s blueprint for the Scottish economy. The 2015 and 2021 Blueprints identified a need to address the low levels of productivity among many of Scotland’s smaller businesses. To address this, she and the team at Prosper have been working in partnership with Scottish Government over the past 4 years to deliver the successful Peer Works partnership. With over 20 years’ experience of research and consulting experience she joined Prosper from the Robertson Group where she was Director of Research & Innovation. Prior to this she was Strategic Development Director at Experian leading their public sector work in Scotland and previously their Director of Strategy, Research & Economics. She is a member of the Productivity Institute Governing Council and has been a Lay member of the University of Edinburgh’s Court, Estates and Audit & Risk Committees.

Sean McManus

Project Manager – Operations, Brockwell Energy

With a robust career as a chartered Chemical Engineer, Sean McManus brings over a decade of experience designing and optimizing complex industrial systems. He began with an EPC contractor and a consultancy, enhancing chemical plant performance, before spending five impactful years in the plastic recycling industry. There, he designed and scaled a pioneering process to convert end-of-life waste plastics into liquid fuels, later serving as Engineering Manager for EU projects and Project Manager for a commercial-scale facility in the Netherlands.

Since joining Brockwell Energy in 2022, Sean has played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s Energy from Waste (EfW) capabilities. Joining the team just as ground was being broken at the Westfield site, he now serves as Project Manager - Operations, overseeing the safe and efficient operation of this state-of-the-art facility. His leadership ensures the plant meets rigorous safety and performance standards, delivering sustainable energy from waste for the region.

Sean contributes a strong engineering foundation and diverse experience across alternative energy, waste, and chemical industries to Brockwell Energy. His broad expertise and commitment to quality in delivery strengthen the company’s position as a leader in the UK energy market.

Jessica Stewart

Sustainability Manager, InchDairnie Whisky Ltd

Jess joined as the Sustainability Manager of InchDairnie Distillery in January 2024. Over the last 10 years she has worked on nature conservation and environmental issues both internationally and in Scotland, including with the UN Environment Programme. This has ranged from tracking progress towards biodiversity targets, to supporting community-based organisations in Scotland to take action for their local environment. She is looking forward to integrating sustainability into the company’s activities and processes.

Hamish Martin

Strategy Officer (LHEES), Climate Change & Zero Waste – Planning Service, Fife Council

Hamish Martin sits within Fife Council’s Climate Change & Zero Waste Team and is the officer responsible for the Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES). He will also be responsible for designating heat network zones as required by the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 and is taking forward wider energy plans across the Council area. Hamish also contributes to the Regional Energy Masterplan work in the Edinburgh and Southeast Scotland City Region Deal.

Prior to joining the council, he spent 7.5 years in environmental consultancy focussing on waste and resource management, working across the public, private and third sectors.

Hamish is an active member of the Local Authority Officer LHEES Forum and has inputted into national consultations and projects to further help the progression of LHEES. For his work on the LHEES he was awarded the BE-ST Accelerate to Zero Change Maker award in 2024.

Bobbie Milligan

Principal Engineer, Ramboll

Bobbie Milligan is a Principal Engineer in the Energy Design Team at Ramboll in Edinburgh. He has a Foundation of working in large power systems and over 6 years working in the Construction industry taking projects through RIBA stages 4-7 as a Renewables Engineer and Project Manager delivering energy, water, wastewater and District heating Systems for private and government clients in the UK and Ireland.

His expertise is in Energy Centre and Connected Plantroom Design, Control systems, Construction, Commissioning and Handover and more recently has been considered a European expert in Large Thermal Storage assessment.

At Ramboll he is involved in a range of projects from management of Master-planning tasks to heat network design and supporting of Outline Business Case Development for district heating projects.

Karen Primrose

Director, The Eden Campus, University of St Andrews

Karen Primrose is the Director of Eden Campus at the University of St Andrews. In this role, she is responsible for bringing together tenants, industry partners, and academic staff to foster innovation and deliver a low-carbon future for Scotland. Her work focuses on creating strategies to support new research and development facilities, with a particular emphasis on low-carbon innovation and sustainability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading the development and management of Eden Campus, a 33-acre site dedicated to energy transition, life sciences and sustainable aquaculture.
• Overseeing strategic planning, operations, stakeholder engagement, programme management, and fundraising for Eden Campus.
• Facilitating collaboration between academia, industry, government, and investors to accelerate the transfer of knowledge from research to real-world impact.

Karen’s background includes extensive experience in business, commercial contracts, compliance and estate management, making her well-placed to drive the University’s ambitions for innovation and sustainability at Eden Campus.