Keynote Speaker OWL North 2025: Emma Thompson, MSOE, Executive Director, Society of Operations Engineers
Emma brings over 22 years of experience in the engineering sector, spanning both Professional Engineering Institutions and corporate engineering environments. As an accomplished Executive Director, Emma combines strategic leadership with deep sector insight to drive organisational growth, operational efficiency, and stakeholder engagement.
Her expertise lies in optimising business operations, leading cross-functional teams, and delivering measurable improvements across departments. Emma is known for her ability to streamline processes, implement strategic initiatives aligned with organisational objectives, and build strong partnerships that support revenue growth and market expansion.
A passionate advocate for engineering excellence, Emma is committed to advancing the profession and fostering a culture of continuous improvement through collaboration, innovation, and leadership.
Host OWL North 2025: Mick Sweetmore, Head of Fleet and Engineering, Merseyside Police
Mick is a very experienced senior manager currently working in the public sector with over 38 years of involvement in the road transport industry.
He is currently introducing alternative technology vehicles to meet local, national and Government targets.
He is a keen advocate for diversity in the workplace, with a passion for encouraging and promoting women in engineering and fostering a diverse workforce.
Mick is associated with the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) locally and nationally. He is the current Honorary Secretary of the North West Goods Vehicle Maintenance Advisory and Liaison Committee (NWGVMLC).
Mick is a fully qualified vehicle engineer, having served a recognised apprenticeship in commercial vehicle engineering.
Speaker OWL North 2025: Austin Shields, Senior Manager – Fleet Services, Westmorland and Furness Council
Austin Shields is Senior Manager for the Fleet Services Team at Westmorland and Furness Council. The Council operates a predominantly in-house mixed fleet of around 380 vehicles. The Team of 48 staff consists of a fleet maintenance service, a fleet compliance and workforce training function, plus a back-office fleet management element. The Council will shortly be publishing a Fleet Decarbonisation and Replacement Strategy, developed in conjunction with Cenex, covering the period from 2025 to 2035. The Strategy will see the Council establish a regular replacement programme for its vehicles and sensibly decarbonise the fleet, having regard to the challenges of covering a large, predominantly rural area.
Speaker OWL North 2025: Vicente Jofré, Matamala, Fleet Decarbonisation Specialist, CENEX
Vicente Jofre leads on waste and recycling vehicle projects at Cenex, offering expert guidance to public and private sector organisations transitioning to zero-emission operations. Since joining Cenex in 2022, he has contributed to various projects, including vehicle trials, fleet planning, infrastructure assessments, and market research. Vicente is a key driver behind the Welsh ULEV Waste and Recycling Programme, has run hydrogen and battery electric RCV trials, and advised multiple organisations on their strategies for fleet decarbonisation. Cenex supports fleets in accelerating and de-risking their transition to zero-emission vehicles by developing tailored strategies, identifying the best-fit technologies, and maximising the impact of vehicle trials and deployments.
Speaker OWL North 2025: Tim Gale, Infrastructure Strategy Consultant – Fleet and Infrastructure, CENEX
Tim leads fleet infrastructure planning at Cenex, providing expert information, modelling, and guidance to clients transitioning to EVs across the public and private sectors. Since joining Cenex in 2022, Tim has worked on a variety of projects, including providing expert advice and training for Local Authority officers through Cenex’s NEVIS knowledge repository and CPD-accredited LA Electric Vehicle Infrastructure training course, and creating strategies for the rollout of public and fleet EVI for a range of LAs.
Speaker OWL North 2025: Kane Benham, Specialist Consultant – Sustainability, OPS Consul
With over 25 years of experience, Kane specialises in driving sustainable growth by integrating advanced ESG strategies into operations and supply chain management. As a trusted advisor to Business Owners and Directors, he champions transformative change and embeds sustainability at the heart of business practices to deliver long-term value.
Kane’s portfolio of professional certifications underpins a proven track record of leading complex, large-scale projects – consistently delivering high-quality outcomes on time and within budget. He excels at identifying operational improvement opportunities, implementing strategic initiatives, and optimising business performance through a sustainability-focused lens.
Speaker OWL North 2025: James Hendry, Assistant Director, Environment, Climate Change and Open Spaces, Basildon Borough Council
James Hendry is an MSc-qualified strategic leader with 20 years of experience in Environmental Services and Waste Management, who enjoys leading by inspiring and empowering people, with a focus on building strong relationships.
James holds a Fleet Operator’s License and COTC, is a Chartered Waste Manager with MCIWM accreditation, and is experienced in Local Government, dedicated to delivering excellence, driving change, and advocating for the positive impact we can all make on our immediate and broader environment.
In James’ current role, he is responsible for delivering Basildon Council’s Corporate Plan ambitions in Environment and Climate Change. In James’ current role, he is responsible for delivering Basildon Council’s Corporate Plan ambitions in Environment and Climate Change. He is currently working on providing an in-house Grounds Maintenance Service and on the Borough’s first-ever Park to achieve Green Flag status.
Speaker OWL North 2025: Alan Underdown, Head of Borough Operations, Environmental Services, Basildon Borough Council
Alan Underdown is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in operational management and public service delivery. As Head of Borough Operations, he oversees strategic planning, service coordination, and performance improvement across key borough functions. Known for his collaborative approach and commitment to excellence, Alan drives innovation and efficiency while maintaining high service standards for residents. With a strong background in operational services and stakeholder engagement, he leads teams with clarity and purpose. Alan is passionate about building resilient communities and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within local government operations.
Speaker OWL North 2025: John Granby, Chief Commercial Officer, OurNet.Emergy
John Granby began his career in marketing, and he then built a successful temperature-controlled logistics company from scratch before selling out in his thirties. He’s subsequently had over 20 years’ experience across all segments of the automotive industry, with ten years in Trucks. The last three years have been devoted exclusively to the sale and marketing of both electric and hydrogen-electric trucks, along with the required infrastructure. Having worked successfully in the UK, EU, and North American markets, John hopes to guide many of the friends he has made during his career through their transition to net zero.
Event host OWL: Jason Airey, MD, Connected Management Services
Jason aims to help customers reduce costs, comply with regulations, and increase operational efficiency. As a connected fleet specialist, Jason is proud to lead a team of world-leading engineers who design and manufacture vehicle telematics systems in the UK.
Jason specialises in making a difference and has been instrumental in setting up the Optimised Waste & Logistics (OWL) and the Westminster Commission for Road Air Quality. These innovation partnerships are helping shape best practices and increase road safety in the waste, transport, and logistics sectors.
Jason has pioneered telematics systems for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), helping them increase first-time fix rates and enabling their customers to manage their fleets more efficiently.