Cheesecake Energy Ltd (CEL), an energy storage startup developing compressed air and thermal energy storage technology, has announced new appointments to its Board of Directors today. The new appointments aim to strengthen CEL during a critical moment in the company’s development, as the imperative for energy storage innovation is intensifying worldwide.
The Nottingham-based company recently announced a £1M seed investment round led by Imperial College Innovation Fund (ICIF) to fuel the development of the company’s eTanker energy storage system. The appointment of the new Board board members will support CEL in their ambition to become the supplier of choice globally for medium-duration energy storage.
The new board members represent a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences, all of whom believe in CEL’s mission to unlock a fast and affordable transition to a low carbon future.
CEL is pleased to welcome the following new board members:
Adam Parr, Executive Chairman: Adam Parr is an Oxford-based businessman, venture capitalist and academic. Over a 30-year career Adam has lived and worked in Japan, Africa, Australia and Europe in the fields of law, finance, industry and sport, including five years as chief executive and chairman of the Williams Formula One team. Adam chairs Oxford Semantic Technologies, a spin-out of the University of Oxford, and is a director of Apolitical and The Downforce Trust.
Dr Josephine Wapakabulo, Non-executive Director: Dr Josephine Wapakabulo is an entrepreneur whose mission is now squarely focused on promoting renewable energy, regenerative agriculture and technology start-ups. An electrical engineer with a PhD from Loughborough University in data science, and MBA from INSEAD, Josephine spent eight years at Rolls-Royce plc, before joining the Walk Free anti-slavery foundation as Chief Operating Officer. Josephine returned to Uganda to serve as the inaugural chief executive of its National Oil Company. Josephine is a member of the Bloomberg New Economy Climate Council and Adjunct Teaching Fellow at the University of Western Australia.
Gareth Brett, Non-executive Director: Following a long career in utilities, banking and independent power, Gareth turned his focus to the energy transition by joining Highview Power in 2006 to help develop its large- scale, long-duration energy storage technology based on liquid air. He took on the CEO role in January 2009 and led the company through its successful technology development phase until 2018. He is a passionate advocate of longer-duration energy storage systems and remains involved in Highview as part- time CTO. Gareth is an electrical engineer having graduated from Bristol University in 1981.
Brijesh Roy, Investment Manager: Brijesh Roy is Seed Investment Manager at Imperial College London, leading the Imperial College Innovation EIS fund in partnership with Parkwalk Advisors. He previously worked at Mercia Technologies Plc and Oxford University Innovation, where he incubated and spun out Nightstar Therapeutics to create one of Oxford’s most successful spinouts. Brijesh has a PhD in nitric oxide biochemistry.
James Alexandroff, Board Observer: James Alexandroff studied law at the University of Bristol, qualified as a solicitor in London with Clifford Chance before becoming a fund manager in Edinburgh and then Hong Kong. He co-founded Arisaig Partners, an emerging markets-focused investment management firm headquartered in Singapore, gifting his ownership to the Perivoli Trust. He now advises the Trustees of Perivoli Innovations, which invests in early-stage businesses which aim to have a positive social impact, and is a Trustee of the Perivoli Foundation which supports in particular a nursery school teacher training programme in Sub-Saharan Africa, where he serves as Programme Director, and the Perivoli Africa Research Centre at the University of Bristol.
“We’re delighted to welcome these new members to our Board of Directors. With each member’s record of excellence in their field, we firmly believe that this board will lead CEL to new heights of success. I’m looking forward to working alongside them as we develop our sustainable energy storage technology at a time when the world needs it most,” said CEO Mike Simpson.
“I am delighted to be leading the CEL Board and welcome the opportunity to play a role in the company’s continued growth,” said Executive Chairman Adam Parr. “I am committed to CEL’s founding principles of being a sustainable, innovative energy storage company and look forward to working closely with the CEL team to help scale the company and meet the growing demand for energy storage globally.”
