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Ian Philp is the Director of The Clean Energy Institute, a Canadian public-private partnership that aims connect high potential energy technologies with international market opportunities and to establish a flagship position in the global clean energy economy. Previously, Ian worked with a boutique investment bank focused on energy efficiency investments, and as an international trade lawyer defending Canada’s renewable FIT program. Ian was also a UN legal and constitutional advisor to the Iraqi Government from 2005-2007. He is an Atlantic Council Emerging Leaders in Environment & Energy Policy (ELEEP) Fellow, and was a 2011- 2012 Action Canada Fellow. You can connect with Ian here: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/ian-philp-b131b95 https://twitter.com/ian_philp
IN TOR 012 YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:
- Ian, a Canadian lawyer pushing for more radical innovation in energy, from consumption to production and grids, to policy.
- Ian’s track of career changes between politics, law, finance and energy, and how his acquired skills help him for his executive action at the Clean Energy Institute.
- The way Ontario deals with the public’s privacy concerns as they move forward with the smart grid, which will allow granular information about energy consumption patterns and the development of better data driven products and applications.
OUR CONVERSATION INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
Organizations
- Clean Energy Institute (CEI)
- Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commission
Topics
- Energy
- Trade agreements
- Law
- Finance, investment banking
- Energy innovation
- Public utilities
- The smart grid
- Privacy
Places
- Ontario, Canada
- Yemen
- Iraq
EPISODE CRIB NOTES
Ian’s background Work in politics, Prime Minister’s office. Liked policy, not politics. Legal advisory for governments: Yemen, Iraq. Drafting laws, amends. 2007: Law degree. Worked in Canadian energy trades. Felt pigeonholed as lawyer. “My interests were broader.“ MBA, acquires financial skills, worked in investment banking related to energy efficiency. Learned how to financially structure energy deals. Energy Institute: Creating opportunities, giving back to policy makers, promote innovation. Ian’s leap “In hindsight it looks kind of foolish.” His changes were done young in his career. Before 30, family and kids. In any case, changes must be propelled by belief. It was an accumulation of partners, efforts and interest. He made it a personal challenge to know all about energy. Soon enough, he was invited to work, voluntarily at first, then into larger policymaking roles. He came with something to offer beyond good wills. “That’s what gave me the job.” It was the result of many years of effort. Energized “An aha period.” Energy and climate change as business opportunities Coalitions excite him. Technologies and solution that allow people to work together. CEI is about dealing with energy issues related to private businesses and government. Ontario leads the world in some clean technologies. Smart grids provide a wealth of data. Almost all Ontario homes have smart meters. Data allows for the design of better products and systems, even behavioral apps that plug into the grid. Privacy concerns Privacy commission in Ontario is a world leader. Data can be granular yet anonymous. It will be an obstacle, but the benefits should be much higher than the cost, in the public eye. Ownership is key. Reliability is the cornerstone of utilities. But there are new opportunities people must be informed about so they are ready to accept change. “Transition is an ongoing job.“ Failure A job in the financing of energy projects. Last round of the interview. “I made my experience look better than it really was.” But he was not able to explain some concepts. Expectations are everything. If people see you as dishonest or not forthright: “it’s game over.“ Improving Communication skills are important- they are obtained by talking. Cold introductions are a good exercise. Be comfortable, accept no for an answer even though you will continuously. Advice “Start early.” Forgive yourself. “Failure and success are not under your control.“Please share, participate and leave feedback below!
If you have any feedback you’d like to share for me or Ian, please leave your thoughts in the comment section below! I read all of them and will definitely take part in the conversation. If you have any questions you’d like to ask me directly, head on over to the Ask Stephen section. Don’t be shy! Every question is important and I answer every single one. And, if you truly enjoyed this episode and want to make sure others know about it, please share it now:[feather_share show=”facebook, twitter, linkedin, google_plus” hide=”reddit, pinterest, tumblr, mail”]
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