Team

Chief Executive Officer

Rod Lerwell

I’ve been CEO of WBE since 2015 and have been proud of what we have achieved in that time. I have been in waste and energy for over two decades, with over a decade of that in Wales. I’m very proud to come from South Wales and contribute to the region’s development and transition from heavy carbon industries to a green, sustainable and circular economy.

I’m active in the business and industrial community here, and believe we won’t get the large-scale change we need to reach the UK’s CO2 reduction targets without a lot of partnership-building and cooperation.

I read Electrical and Electronic Engineering and an MBA at the University of Wales in Swansea.

WBE provides most of the power in the Neath Port Talbot region to both homes and industry. We do all this as well as sustainably manage our wonderful Welsh forests so they are preserved for future generations.

Outside of work I enjoy wine and viticulture, travel and am constantly on the lookout for new technologies and ways of doing things in the renewable energy and forestry sectors. I love what I do as we make a difference to reducing the UK’s dependence on fossil fuels. I’m very positive about what the future holds, not just for our current operations, but our proposals to expand our operations into other bio enterprises such as food and algae production, CO2 capture, and other exciting innovations coming through our investor, Greensphere Capital’s portfolio companies.

Plant Manager

Simon Thomas

My early career spans the heavy, chemical, energy, waste and recycling industries – all highly regulated business sectors. I had a strong desire to build on this previous experience, whilst moving towards a more socially conscious way of managing industry. The green energy sector seemed perfect for me, and when I was offered the role at WBE, the challenge was too good to pass up.

I’m passionate about what we do here in the world of green tech and energy and I like to keep up to date with advancements in the field. 

My favourite innovation in energy tech I’ve seen is Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES). It uses the changing states of air (by cooling air to liquid and storing it under pressure along with the subsequent reheating of the stored liquid by ambient temperature to evaporate the liquid into gas, turning a turbine generating electricity). This is predominantly for the generation of electricity for short periods (up to 12 hours) and theoretically replacing the need for battery storage units as balancing or peak energy reserves.

Growing up on a farm, the only logical career for me was that of an engineer, having spent years dismantling and rebuilding tractors and farm equipment, always looking for ways to improve them.

My first job was an Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship program with British Steel. Having successfully completed the four year apprenticeship, I was employed as a Shift Engineer  responsible for a team of nine engineers. Whilst in this position I studied for my degree at University of Wales attaining a BEng Hons in Electrical Power & Instrumentations Systems.

My hope for the next 50 years is that I’d like to see the evolution of the infrastructure in South Wales to be at the forefront of sustainable energy globally, along with the continued realisation of natural resource preservation and circular technologies.

Having worked and lived away for a number of years, my intention was always to return to Wales and start a family, due to the wealth of scenery, countryside and community Wales is famous for.

When I’m not at work or spending time with the family, I can be found clay shooting, playing golf poorly or being an avid armchair rugby spectator, having hung up my boots some time ago.

Group Finance Director

Ben Newton

Ben has over 20 years experience in senior financial, operational and strategy roles across multiple industries, with the last 4 years spent in Operating Partner roles in Private Equity. Ben qualified as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen and has a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and an MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University.

Group Director

Barry Collins

WBE is a portfolio company of Greensphere Capital. Barry has been with the Private Equity firm in various capacities for seven years including overseeing the biomass plant operations and is Group Director of WBE..

He is a Chartered Accountant with over two decades of cross-sector experience, having spent 15+ years in PE-backed businesses as CFO and in other senior finance, commercial and investment strategy roles. Barry is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds a BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes.

Group Technical Director

Sri Brahma

Sri has extensive expertise in the sustainable farming, seed technology, food processing and organic waste processing industries for over 10 years. As a qualified agricultural scientist, seed technologist and long-standing operator in sustainable agriculture and organic waste, Sri has engaged with leading technologies in green energy production as well. Sri has held a number of roles from Vale Green Energy, ReFood, Biffa and Severn Trent. Sri has a  Bachelors degree with Distinction in B Tech Biotechnology at Allahabad Agricultural University, India, and an MSc Applied Sciences at Nottingham Trent University.