On September 1st, AMPS will undergo a complete change of leadership. Longstanding Chairman Paul Aitken will step down after four years of guiding the Association through the rigours of the Pandemic, and Louise Hazel will take over as the AMPS Chair.
Louise said, “I am absolutely delighted and excited to be appointed Chair of AMPS, following on from the great work of my predecessor Paul Aitken, for which I, the Council and members, thank him.
Paul hands over an Association that is strong and committed to its members in a challenging and changing time for our industry. The Power Generation industry makes a significant contribution to the UK economy. Everything influences or impacts our ability to thrive, from the political landscape at home and abroad to environmental challenges and, crucially, skilled people to sustain and grow our members’ businesses.
I have been an active member of AMPS since joining the Council in March 2021. I have had the pleasure of working alongside dedicated fellow Council members committed to ensuring there is value for our members in everything we do. I would say my organisation, having been an AMPS member for around 34 years, is a testament to the importance of having an Association that represents and supports us.
If there is one thing I have learned along the way in my professional life that I will bring with me to the role of Chair, it is to ask questions and listen to understand. We have many members in our organisation of varying scales and sizes, each contributing to this vast and critical industry that we are part of. I encourage ongoing member engagement from all areas to help shape our strategy and value delivery and build a consensus of common purpose and interest. We will seek to listen to understand these common themes, bring this back to the Association and use our one voice to help pave the way for members’ success.
It's a cliché, but we all, directly or indirectly, help keep the lights on—one of the basic needs of people and businesses. We are in an industry to be proud of, and I’m looking forward to working closely with everyone involved in AMPS and our members, new and old.
Who is Louise Hazel? AMPS’ new Chair has had an interesting career and life so far…
Louise started her career in Scotland as a qualified accountant; she moved from accountancy into HR as part of a Succession Planning Strategy, and when the company relocated to Surrey, Louise and her husband, Jonathan, decided to make the West Midlands their home. Louise joined The Deritend Group as HR Director, her first venture directly into the world of engineering.
Louise then joined a relatively new Canadian onshore wind turbine company, Endurance Wind Power, as European HR Manager, gaining experience in the renewable energy sector and DNO grid connections. As well as handling the concerns of environmental and bird activists.
Finally, Louise is now Managing Director at the IPU Group Ltd, based in West Bromwich, having previously been HR & Operations Director. The IPU client base is global, with an export turnover of around 40% of their business.
Outgoing Chairman Paul Aitken said, “It has been an absolute honour to serve as AMPS Chairman through probably the toughest periods in my lifetime due to the pandemic, which I still find hard to believe even happened in the modern world we live in today.
After over four years, it is time to hand the baton over to my industry colleague and friend, Louise Hazel of the IPU Group, who is well placed to lead AMPS.”
My fellow Council members are excited about the future. AMPS is in a wonderful place today as we navigate the challenges of the modern world and all the different forms of energy that are being developed to help reduce our carbon emissions.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my industry colleagues on the Council, who, along with a whole host of others, volunteer their time free of charge.
I wish Louise the best for her term of office and can guarantee my 100% support as she takes AMPS forward over the next few years.”
David Oates, AMPS Director General, said, ‘’I would like to congratulate and thank Louise for taking on the role as Chair for AMPS, and I look forward to working closely with her as we continue to expand and grow the role of AMPS as the ‘voice of the industry’. I sincerely thank Paul for his effort and commitment over a prolonged period and for his ongoing support of AMPS as a Council member’’
