Please join us in extending a very warm welcome to our newest board member, Professor Paul de Leeuw.

Professor de Leeuw is Director of Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) Energy Transition Institute and has extensive energy industry connections from over 34 years’ experience in the oil and gas sector.

We have always endeavoured to foster deeper links between local education and the North-East’s energy sector and Professor de Leeuw is ideally placed to help us in this mission!

Professor de Leeuw, who is also Chairman of the National Energy Skills Accelerator, said “I’m delighted to join the board and the team at ISA at this critical time. With the rapid societal changes, it is key that we prepare the next generation with the critical skills required and to include them in shaping the future.”

Commenting on the appointment, our Head of School, Nick Little, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Professor Paul de Leeuw as our newest Board member.

“His business acumen coupled with his focus on involving our young people in the conversations on matters affecting the energy sector makes him the perfect fit for ISA. Paul brings an invaluable knowledge of the local area as well as a deep understanding of the challenges facing the energy sector which will play a key role in raising awareness among our students of what the future holds.

“Our children will live in a different world to the one we grew up in so it’s imperative that we redefine learning areas and practices to prepare students for a world where some of them will work in jobs that don’t yet exist,” he said.

Professor de Leeuw is a senior industry leader who has worked for a wide range of companies, including Shell, Marathon Oil, Amoco, BP, Venture Production and Centrica.

He is also currently Chair of PlanSea Solutions. As an experienced non-executive director, he has over 20 years of involvement in public, private and voluntary sector organisations.

He is also a regular contributor to industry events and a frequent media commentator on issues and developments in the international energy sector.