greg jackson octopus wife
Best advice he has been given Integrity is what you do when no ones watching., Biggest career mistake Not seeking backers for the idea of Octopus Energy sooner., Word he overuses Brilliant. consumer organisation. And I genuinely hope they all go on to great things, even if thats not necessarily at Octopus Energy. After graduating I joined Procter & Gamble and went through management training, owned and turned around a number of small ventures, and I even managed a factory that made and sold Mirrors at one point. It takes seven years to get a windfarm through the planning process and connected to the grid. I think Im too opinionated. You can tell if someone grew up in a cold house: we often prefer baths when you get out of the shower you get a real shock, he says. Currently, Octopus Energy has more than 750,000 customers with 100 per cent renewable electricity, despite only setting up three years ago. [1] As for the future, Octopus is looking to go global, kicking off by launching in Australia this October in partnership with Hanwha Group, a leading solar panel manufacturer, expanding the move to greener energy. Its actually more than that: bringing down energy costs is one of the reasons I started the business, he says. A quick update on the week in companies, markets, finance and the world of work. The campaign won the 2020 Marketing Week Masters award for utilities, and the 2020 Energy Institute award for Public Engagement. The green energy firm's founder on his sympathy for those struggling with bills - and his exasperation at net zero opponents He now runs Octopus, the green energy supplier founded in 2015 and valued at 4bn, with more than 3 million customers in 14 countries and backers including former US vice-president Al Gore. Octopus and Tokyo Gas agreed to launch the Octopus brand in Japan via a 30:70 joint venture to provide electricity from renewable sources, amongst other services. Following an IPO and acquisition by Oracle Utilities she moved to London with her family in 2018 before coming to Octopus Energy Group to lead global sales for Kraken Technologies. Weve established an incredibly flat structure here at Octopus, which allows people to make roles their own, and find what really works for them to make them happy to come to work every day. These days, Greg Jackson is the founder behind the only energy company recommended by Which?. We need to learn from the pandemic, Jackson says. Is it profit, value or something else? [21], The same month saw Octopus launch the not-for-profit Octopus Centre for Net Zero (OCNZ), a research organisation tasked with creating models and policy recommendations for potential paths to a green energy future. [37], In January 2022 Octopus Energy entered the French market with the acquisition of Plm nergie, a French energy start-up with 100,000 retail and corporate accounts. A lot of people have different views of what it means to be an entrepreneur and if this is different from being a businessman or woman. Lara leads the Kraken Technologies licensing arm of Octopus Energy Group - one of the fastest growing 'EnTech' companies worldwide, launched in 2016 to use technology to unlock a customer focused and affordable green energy revolution. Greg Jackson starts each day by flicking on the radio and scrunching into his bath. The green energy firms founder on his sympathy for those struggling with bills and his exasperation at net zero opponents. Greg is the founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group, the green energy tech pioneer based in the UK with over 3.1 million customers, further operations in 13 countries and over 23 million accounts licensed worldwide to its green technology platform, Kraken. Registered office: UK House, 5th floor, 164-182 Oxford Street, London, W1D 1NN. We want a similar effort to the vaccine rollout, says Jackson, sweeping bags of Frazzles aside. I read an article recently where you said Octopus Energy dont have a HR department. Plm was subsequently rebranded as Octopus Energy France. James is an e-commerce specialist who was the brains behind a number of high profile tech platforms for clients such as the UK Labour Party, Citroen and Hermes, among others. Greg Jackson is the founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group, the energy technology group with 3.5 million customers globally, operations in 14 countries and a 4.4bn portfolio of renewable energy assets. [5], By April 2018, the company had 198,000 customers and had made an energy procurement deal with Shell. Fellow green energy group Bulb went bust last November and remains in special administration. Octopus Energy for Business works with companies to provide future-proof energy services, supplying them with 100% renewable and fairly priced power. She has done this all while maintaining some of the very best customer service ratings in the industry. Greg Jackson is CEO/Founder at Octopus Energy Ltd. See Greg Jackson's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. As of September 2021 the company has over three million domestic and business customers, making it the fourth largest energy supplier in the UK.[2]. [61] In May 2021 it was announced that E.ON had completed the migration of all two million former npower customers to its Kraken-powered E.ON Next customer service platform. Greg: No country is off limits to Octopus Energy, we aim to bring cheaper, greener energy and world-class customer service to many people all over the world. Saturday: 8am - 10pm With the crisis that toppled so many suppliers continuing to rage, Jackson thinks the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is right to plough 15bn into addressing the cost of living: It makes economic sense for the government to find ways to bring bills and inflation down. The current energy crisis emerged towards the end of the legal work and due diligence that is needed for such a deal to happen, and provided a dramatic test of the companys ability to handle a large, rapidly developing challenge: We had to demonstrate to the investors that taking on Avro wouldnt get in the way of the long-term mission.. One business C360 that was subsequently acquired, was founded to pioneer a new way of using technology to drive marketing or as Greg puts it SaaS before it was trendy. Greg is also an investor in several tech start-ups and as an advisor, supports companies and entrepreneurs with fundraising, mergers, acquisitions and strategy. To be the first to hear about our events, get immediate access to new podcast episodes, and hear news picked just for you Join our community! What defines a successful entrepreneur? Theyre not doing it because they care about the planet, and theyre not doing it because they care about bills.. Fiona studied Engineering, Economics and Management at Oxford, and initially worked at BMW on a hydrogen fuel cell for an auxiliary power unit, as part of a hydrogen car that used a combustion engine. We also create industry leading technology that allows relentless efficiency and world class customer service, enabling us to retain our customers and keep them happy. Stuart Jackson is the Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Octopus Energy. [29], In September 2019 Octopus acquired German start-up 4hundred for 15m; the acquisition of 4hundred, which had 11,000 customers, was Octopus' first overseas expansion. Jackson, 50, grew up near Middlesbrough. Greg Jackson, CEO Greg Jackson Founder Octopus Energy agrees $600m deal with former-VP Al Gore backed sustainable investment fund We're over the moon to be able to announce our $600 million partnership with Generation Investment Management, a sustainable investment fund, co-chaired by former US Vice-President and climate champion Al Gore. Prior to joining Octopus Energy, Lara worked at US-based Opower, a customer engagement start-up and pioneer of Behavioural Energy Efficiency. Deepak Ravindran moved over to lead Kraken Utilities from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in 2022. Greg's vision of using technology to disrupt the energy market has enabled Octopus Energy to create tariffs which unlock the power of the green grid - offering cheaper electricity when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing. Refresh Our middle management team in operations - which makes up most of our team - fares even better, being made up of 80% women and most of them have been with us from the first 50 employees we hired, showing that people are happy here and like to stay. Stuart has a degree in Economics from Cambridge University. How would you define a successful business leader? In 72 hours, the six-year-old company had swelled to accommodate more customers than Scottish Power (to 3.1 million in total) and a higher valuation (approaching $5bn) than Centrica, the owner of British Gas. For those that don't know Octopus Energy, they are UK's fastest growing green energy retailer and are currently valued at $2 billion. Octopus Energy is also a leading investor in solar and wind energy, managing a 3.4bn portfolio of renewable energy assets across Europe. John is a highly experienced energy entrepreneur. Update your browser for a better web experience, here and all over the internet. Greg Jackson isnt your average energy company CEO. Located in Slough, the centre will train 1000 heat pump engineers per year and develop new heating systems. The mop-topped energy boss, dressed in grey T-shirt and jeans, has become the acceptable face of a pariah industry. By expanding to so many other countries and really capitalising on the technology we create, we are able to have an edge on the competition. What is the number one trait you look for in employees before recruiting them as part your team, and how has this requirement been integrated into the organisations culture and recruitment policy? Greg: It might be a bit clich, but i definitely admire what Elon Musk has done. Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. The acquisition was the first step in Octopus' $100m US expansion; at the time of the acquisition, Octopus announced it was aiming to acquire 25 million US customers, and 100 million global customers in total, by 2027. In regards to your global expansion plans, Octopus Energy is currently located in three continents, do you have any plans of expanding into Africa or acquiring any green energy businesses in Africa? John moved from managing Affect Energy to running Octopus' engineering fleet and developing the UK's first Heat Pump Research & Development Centre, along with the proposition to train over 1,000 heat pump engineers a year and produce 1,000 heat pumps a month through the new Octopus Energy factory in Northern Ireland. Im just gobsmacked anyones opposing this., Does being a flag-bearer for green energy get him in hot water at dinner parties? In our experience this leads to strong relationships between managers and team members, happier employees and higher productivity. Jackson explains need for market reform to move to renewable energy sooner. [7] In 2007, Jackson teamed up with striking coach Mike Winkeljohn, which was a seminal moment for Jackson's academy; since then, the gym has been known as Jackson Wink MMA Academy (JW MMA Academy),[8] representing the partnership between Jackson and Winkeljohn. Will Dunn is business editor of the New Statesman. KrakenFlexs cloud-based technology platform controls distributed energy assets such as large-scale batteries, EVs, or heat pumps with machine learning and AI to match electricity supply and demand, helping the electricity grid deal with the natural volatility of renewable generation. Interview with Entrepreneur - Greg Jackson - CEO of Octopus Energy. Jon is currently the Global Director of Operations for Octopus Energy Group and Kraken Technologies and a board member for a number of group companies in Europe and Asia Pacific regions.He has played a pivotal role in building and leading some of the most awarded and customer obsessed teams in the UK and abroad. You cant just enter this market by shaking your piggy bank. He believes suppliers with more than 10,000 customers should be subject to hedging checks. A relaxed evening talking with Greg Jackson, the founder and Phil Steele Future Technology Evangelist of Octopus Energy.You can email the Octopus team as ref. His morning routine echoes the tycoons underprivileged childhood. The UKs biggest energy companies might shrug off such strident criticism from a campaigner, but Octopus has rapidly ascended to challenge what Jackson, 50, calls the lazy oligopoly of the big six. [7] The same year, Octopus replaced SSE as the energy supplier for M&S Energy, a brand of Marks & Spencer,[8] and bought Affect Energy, which had 22,000 customers. Please talk us through your operating business model, how it generates value and how this gives you a competitive edge in the retail energy market? Until recently, he was also a non-executive Director for Zopa, the global pioneer of online peer to peer lending that is now Moneysupernarkets largest non-high street lender and is growing rapidly. About   Prior to Affect Energy, where John built up a strong reputation for good, local customer service in Sussex, he was Managing Director of Thermabead Ltd in Worcester. The boss of Octopus Energy has a small tub, which pleases him as it is efficient and fills quickly. Passionate, creative, innovative CEO, entrepreneur and investor. [68][69], In November 2021 Octopus financed 'Grace of the Sun', a large-scale art piece by Robert Montgomery made using the Little Sun solar lamps designed by Olafur Eliasson and Frederik Ottesen. Greg: Weve been rapidly growing and in December closed our second financing round with Tokyo Gas and Origin Energy in 2020, which increased our valuation to more than $2 billion. Greg: The desire for their colleagues to be happy and successful. As the Observer arrives at the headquarters near Oxford Circus, in central London, for our interview, Jackson cheerfully leaps up from his desk among the troops. It is truly bonkers, he says, that the UK persists with a system in which central planners decide what cables are going to go where you can centrally plan a system thats got 100 power stations. [49], In January 2021, Octopus acquired two 73 metre (240') wind turbines to power their 'Fan Club' tariff, which offers households living near its turbines cheaper electricity prices when the wind is blowing strongly. The companys flexibility platform KrakenFlex will be used together with Elia Groups energy data affiliate, re.alto, to enable electric vehicles, heat pumps and other green technologies to be used for grid balancing. Before joining Octopus, Rachel served as the Chief Executive of Ofwat, the UK's water regulator, and as a Senior Partner and Board member of Ofgem, the UK energy regulator. [16][17], In January 2020, ENGIE UK announced that it was selling its residential energy supply business (comprising around 70,000 UK residential customers) to Octopus. Octopus is also unusual in that, as well as selling to consumers, it derives more than half its value from the technology it licenses to other businesses in the UK and around the world (a model reminiscent of Amazon). Octopus is his magnum opus, taking on the tired, old energy market . The migration was hailed as being responsible for E.ON's financial recovery in the UK. Octopus Energy is one of the fastest growing energy firms to ever launch in Britain and is on track to join the Big Six utility providers. On 26 September, it was announced that Octopus would be taking on the 580,000 former customers of Avro Energy, which had ceased trading the previous week. [65], In 2019 Octopus launched a 'Portraits from the Precipice' campaign, which sought to raise awareness of climate change and encouraged customers to switch to greener energy deals. Events  These include: In March 2019, Octopus announced it had partnered with Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant, to optimise home energy use through the Agile Octopus time-of-use tariff. Alongside its tech, all Octopus marketing is developed in-house, from design and copy through to booking, sitting side by side with operations and customer support. After his parents split, his mother worked as a barmaid and later studied while on benefits. Now his mission is to turn Britain on to renewables, despite the efforts of a small noisy group, including Nigel Farage, attacking net zero goals. [4] Greg Jackson is the founder of the company and holds the position of chief executive. [35] As a result of these acquisitions, Octopus now has retail, generation or technology licences in 13 countries across four continents. Greg: Octopus is unusual. The division is also behind Octopus Energys Fan Club, a local energy tariff that provides cheaper energy when the wind blows. Our weekly culture newsletter from books and art to pop culture and memes sent every Friday. Greg: Passionate young people who believe in our mission. He writes on a range of topics including inflation, Brexit, the Bank of England, the world of work and the cost of living crisis. You can meet Greg Jackson and hear more about where he got where he is today at My Entrepreneurial Journey with Greg Jackson on Thursday, 21 November. In 2006, he sold a customer relationship tech business for 4.5m. Launched in 2016, the company's mission is to bring cheaper, greener power to all. By 2030, Octopus aims to supply around 2.5 million households with green electricity through Fan Club schemes. Spaces are limited for this very special event so make sure you dont miss out by signing up here. Octopus Energy Group operates a wide range of business divisions, including Octopus Energy Retail, Octopus Energy for Business, Octopus Energy Services, Octopus Electric Vehicles, Octopus Energy Generation, Octopus Hydrogen, Kraken, Kraken Flex and the not-for-profit Centre for Net Zero. We have already done this in countries like Australia, Germany, US, New Zealand and Japan, so we still have many more countries that could benefit from this technology and our business model. He spends around an hour each day dealing directly with customers to understand that experience better, along with discussing trade-offs such as pricing strategy and infrastructure. .more. What advice do you have for other businesses on environmental sustainability and its impact on climate change? [50][51] In November 2021, Octopus Energy announced plans to raise 4 billion to fund the global expansion of its Fan Club model, which would be expanded to include solar farms. We need to work like that now on the clean energy system., [See also: The power trap: Why the energy crisis is a crisis of politics], This article appears in the 13 Oct 2021 issue of the New Statesman, Perfect Storm. We need to work like that now on the clean energy system., Jackson accuses the management of the UK energy grid as being stuck in the past, describing the National Grid as a monopoly and its control room as like a minicab office. Greg Jackson is CEO of Octopus Energy, which is valued at more than 1.4billion . Gregory Jackson is an American mixed martial arts trainer who co-owns Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, widely considered one of the top MMA training centers in the world. The boss of Octopus Energy has a small tub, which pleases him as it is efficient and fills quickly. She is Chief Marketing and Product Officer at Octopus Energy. [73], Octopus was one of a number of brands who considered pulling their advertising from the channel, with others including IKEA, Vodafone, Nivea, Kopparberg, Grolsch, the Open University, OVO Energy and LV=. Epitomising the agile leadership that is synonymous with disruptive businesses, Zoisa leads both the generation the business retail arm of Octopus Energy. [62][63] The Kraken software was also licensed to Australia's Origin Energy as part of their May 2020 agreement. Jon holds an MBA in Business Administration from La Trobe University and Chifley Business School. [74], "Octopus Energy sees 160% jump in revenue but still records loss due to 'relentless investment', "Blame game begins after the failure of Bulb Energy", "Al Gore's firm buys 483m stake in Octopus Energy Group", "Octopus Energy to take on 100,000 Iresa customers", "M&S cuts ties with Big Six as it partners with Octopus for new energy brand", "Hanwha Reveals Plans of Launching "Next Generation" 100% Renewable Energy Retailer in Australia", "Hanwha Group chooses Octopus Energy technology platform for Aussie launch", "Octopus Energy and Co-op Energy confirm major 'strategic energy partnership', "About our partnership with Co-op Energy, including Flow Energy and GB Energy", "Energy Companies: Which? He began his career at consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble before running businesses including a coffee shop and a mirror manufacturer. Now we see this as a national security issue as well if thats not the final nail I dont know what to do.. Specialties: Technology. I learned a big chunk of what I know from a brilliant HR Director, Dennis Shuler at Procter & Gamble, who was a massive advocate of decentralisation and people centred management. Greg Jackson was born in Washington D.C. to Kris and Jim Jackson, who were Quakers originally from the Midwest. On 26 September, it was announced that Octopus would be taking on the 580,000 former customers of Avro Energy, which had ceased trading the previous week. Our CEO Greg explains why standing charges are higher on new energy tariffs, and why electricity standing charges have gone up more than gas ones. These are things we should do everything to avoid., He believes the energy crisis has underscored the need for Britain to move away from oil and gas. Registered number: 09263424. Octopus Energy was established in August 2015 as a subsidiary of Octopus Capital Limited. Its technology platform Kraken also achieves dramatically lower cost to serve than rivals, so cheaper, green power is delivered hand in hand with unbeaten customer satisfaction levels. Greg Jackson - Founder, CEO @ Octopus Energy - Crunchbase Person Profile Oops! [58], Octopus Energy licenses their proprietary customer management system called Kraken, which runs on Amazon's cloud computing service. Octopus Energy is a green energy company and one of the leaders when it comes to environmentally sustainable practices. Energy companies are going to end up more like technology companies, like AirBnB, Amazon, Google and Monzo says Greg. There was a problem! Our researched showed that Octopus Energy has grown its domestic customer based in UK, from just 198,000 customers in 2018 to over 1.5 million customers in 2020. Octopus energy is the UK's fourth largest energy provider, which boss Greg Jackson says he started because people were "paying too much" on their bills. HR in all companies will be looking for how they can improve value to businesses, and there are always conversations to be had about alternative models from which we can all learn. In 1992, after graduating from Rio Grande High School, Jackson founded his own martial art, Gaidojutsu, which combines rudimentary techniques from catch wrestling and Muay Thai with basic judo locks. [23], In March 2021 the Financial Times listed Octopus at number 23 on their list of the fastest growing companies in Europe. [30], In May 2020, Australian electricity and gas supplier Origin Energy paid A$507 million for a 20% stake in Octopus. [19], In 2020 Octopus completed two funding rounds totalling $577m, making the company the highest funded UK tech start-up that year. The collection of projects reflects Jacksons entrepreneurial background. Samuel Leroy Jackson (Washington D. C., 21 de diciembre de 1948), conocido como Samuel L. Jackson, es un actor y productor de cine, televisin y teatro estadounidense.Ha sido candidato al Premio scar, a los Globos de Oro y al Premio del Sindicato de Actores, as como ganador de un BAFTA al mejor actor de reparto y en 2022 se le entreg un scar honorfico a su trayectoria profesional. You cant become a car dealer if you havent got the money to buy cars, says Jackson, exasperated. [6] Later in 2018, Octopus gained the 100,000 customers of Iresa Limited, under Ofgem's "supplier of last resort" process, after Iresa ceased trading. [45][46] At the time of the acquisition, the generation assets were reported to be worth over 3.4billion. Tellingly, before the age of 30, he had owned and/or managed a number of small businesses employing 4-60 people and turning over 400k to 4m. It was founded in 2015 with the backing of British fund management company Octopus Group, a British asset management company. Octopus's approach is certainly not for everyone. Could Octopus become another Bulb? He won the Coach of the Year award in 2009, 2010 and 2011. survey and was one of three recommended providers. Three Co-op brands were affected: Octopus acquired the customers of the GB Energy and Flow Energy brands, and began to operate the accounts of Co-op Energy customers on a white label basis, while Midcounties retained responsibility for acquiring new Co-op Energy customers. Or whether we organise a boycott of you". Greg Jackson is the founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group, which currently has over 3.1 million UK customers. Britains failure to invest in renewables led us into the gas crisis, says Jackson, and a revolution in energy supply and policy is urgently needed. Recommended Providers", "Best and worst energy companies for 2021 revealed", "ENGIE UK announces the sale of its residential energy supply business to Octopus Energy", "Mayor of London and Octopus Energy's London Power goes live", "Ten fast-growing scaleups drove UK tech boom in 2020, Tech Nations' report shows", "Octopus Energy acquires Upside Energy as it moves to open Manchester tech hub", "CEO Secrets: 'My billion pound company has no HR department', "FT 1000: the fifth annual list of Europe's fastest-growing companies", "UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) Institute of Customer Service", "Octopus Energy prepares for air-source heat pump revolution", "Octopus to take on failed Avro Energy's 580,000 stranded customers", "Energy firm to create 300 Manchester jobs through city region partnership", "UK government approves agreement between Bulb and Octopus Energy, providing certainty to 1.5 million customers", "Octopus Energy reaches into Germany with 15m capture of 4hundred", "Australia's Origin Energy to buy 20% stake in UK's Octopus Energy", "Octopus Energy gains unicorn status with 1bn valuation", "Octopus Energy launches into US market with startup acquisition", "Octopus Eyes Japan's Power Market with Tokyo Gas Joint Venture", "Octopus Energy expands into Italy with acquisition of SATO Luce e Gas", "Octopus Energy expands into Spain with Umeme acquisition", "Octopus Energy raises long-term investment to value startup at $5bn", "Stream of customers moving to energy supplier Octopus slows as gas price spikes", "Octopus offers transparency with wholesale price tariff", "Thousands were paid to use extra renewable electricity on windy weekend", "New energy tariff aims to slash charging cost for electric vehicle owners", "Octopus Energy integrates with Amazon Alexa for smart energy use", "Octopus Energy and Ebico join forces to make sustainable heating cheaper", "Octopus Investments increases solar portfolio financing", "FCA clears acquisition of Octopus Renewables by Octopus Energy", "Octopus Energy takes control of group renewables unit", "Tesla Energy Plan launched inviting homes to become part of Virtual Power Plant", "Octopus leans into wind power generation", "Octopus Energy launches 'world first' local time of use Fan Club tariff", "Octopus to Raise 4bn to Expand its 'Fan Club' Model for Local Renewables", "Octopus Energy Group signs deal with Elia Group for European smart green energy grid", "Octopus makes German wind investment as it plans future Fan Club tariff expansion", "Octopus to make offshore wind core investment focus", "Octopus rebrands roaming charge service to become 'Electric Universe', "Octopus Energy choses AWS as its preferred cloud provider for Kraken", "Good Energy turns to Octopus' Kraken for customer services platform", "E.ON allies with Octopus Energy to revamp UK retail business", "E.ON hails turnaround in UK retail business with 100m earnings jump", "Two million customers migrated to Kraken powered E.ON Next in 'record time', "EDF to move 5m customers to Octopus Energy Group digital platform", "How Kraken is waking up customer service for global partners", "We're working with Octopus Energy on a Climate Change Art Prize", "How Octopus Energy used art to get people to switch to green energy", "EI Awards 2020 recognise energy sector's 'indispensable contribution', "The Solar Powered Message of COP26 | Grace Of The Sun", "Ad slots were not planned by us.