Zenergy Power appoints chairman to lead company into commercialisation

20 May 2010

Superconductor energy technology company Zenergy Power has appointed John Poulter as group chairman, replacing former chairman Michael Fitzgerald who will continue to provide guidance to the company as non-executive director.

During Fitzgerald’s time as chairman, since the company listed on AIM in August 2006, Zenergy has made a transition from a largely R&D-driven organisation to one with a growing industrial base.

Poulter brings first-hand experience of managing the expansion of high-growth electrical engineering companies to Zenergy, providing the team with industry knowledge and operational know-how particularly relevant to this new stage of the group’s development.

He held senior positions at a number of high-growth companies and from 1988 to 2008, including heading energy efficiency and management company Spectris firstly as its chief executive and then as non-executive chairman as it grew annual sales and market capitalisation from £75m and £50m, respectively, to over £700m and £1bn.

Poulter has also held directorships at Filtronic, 4imprint Group, and Smaller Companies Value Trust, in addition to roles at Kidde, RAC and Macquarie European Infrastructure.

Fitzgerald said, ‘Since our listing in August 2006, we have grown significantly and, as a result of our technical accomplishments, have transitioned from a largely research and development based organisation to one with a rapidly growing industrial and commercial base.

‘This has brought us to an exciting stage of our development and I have no doubt that the additional experience brought to us by the appointment of John will help ensure that we capitalise fully on our current market position.‘

Zenergy Power comprises three operating subsidiaries in Germany, the US and Australia.

In early 2009, the group’s fault current limiter device which reduces the damaging effects of large-scale power surges on electrical grids became the first superconductor smart grid device to be installed and operated in the US electricity grid.

Superconductors increase the energy efficiency and electrical output of metal industry induction heaters and hydropower sites, and enable fault current limiters to protect power grids from blackouts and direct-drive wind generators to be reduced in size.

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Tags: energy efficiency

This story was published on Thursday, May 20th, 2010 at 11:24 am and is filed under Europe, North America, energy efficiency, people. You can follow any responses to article entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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