Alan Lowdon
Prof Alan Lowdon OBE is a respected energy and innovation leader with decades of global experience, particularly in offshore wind. He brings strong strategic insight, deep sector knowledge and an international perspective to our governance and long‑term direction.
Biography
Alan has more than 30 years’ experience across the international energy and utilities sectors, specialising in research and development, commercialisation, consultancy and knowledge transfer. His career includes senior roles at British Gas, Shell, Suez, Mott MacDonald and Jacobs, as well as leadership of university start-ups and research and technology organisations. He also served as Director of Technology & Innovation for the UK’s National Renewable Energy Centre.
For the past 15 years, Alan has focused primarily on advancing the global offshore wind sector, supporting innovation and the development of test and demonstration facilities. This work has enabled him to build strong transatlantic partnerships with the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and several leading universities, national laboratories and ocean-focused organisations.
Alan operates a portfolio of strategic roles, including Director of Strategic Development at the National Offshore Wind Institute in Massachusetts, Entrepreneur-in-Residence to the UK Government’s Global Entrepreneur Programme, and Professor in Practice at the Durham University Energy Institute. He also serves as a non-executive director and investor in three university spin-outs.
He holds BSc (Hons), MSc and PhD degrees in Applied/Engineering Mathematics, an MBA from Durham University Business School, and is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. In 2022, he was awarded an OBE for services to UK–US offshore wind collaboration.