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. Greg Jackson isnt your average energy company CEO. In order to provide you with the latest digital energy web services you need to use the latest and greatest web browsers. Registered office: UK House, 5th floor, 164-182 Oxford Street, London, W1D 1NN. Theyre not doing it because they care about the planet, and theyre not doing it because they care about bills.. [58], Octopus Energy licenses their proprietary customer management system called Kraken, which runs on Amazon's cloud computing service. A business leader is someone who doesnt look to make quick money, but really wants to change their industry for the better, do something different and lead from the front, rather than worry about what their competitors are doing. [35] As a result of these acquisitions, Octopus now has retail, generation or technology licences in 13 countries across four continents. He says it took years to find the 10m he needed to launch Octopus. Greg: The desire for their colleagues to be happy and successful. Rachel started her career in utilities as a consultant where she worked on a number of international energy industry privatisation and restructuring projects. The boss of Octopus Energy has a small tub, which pleases him as it is efficient and fills quickly. You are also expanding globally into Australia and Japan, making you one of the fastest growing green energy companies globally. He's founded a number of successful businesses, including e-commerce company C360, built HomeServe's innovation business and is an angel investor in a wide range of tech start-ups. 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About   The customer accounts will be migrated onto Kraken from 2023, increasing the number of energy accounts contracted to be served via Kraken to over 20million worldwide. [64] Kraken also has strategic partnerships with Hanwha Group and Tokyo Gas. [1] What advice do you have for other businesses on environmental sustainability and its impact on climate change? Our first guest is Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Octopus Energy who will kick the series off on Thursday 26 January. 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. Launched in 2016, Octopus Energy's mission is to bring cheaper, greener power to all through technology. 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: I prefer the term business leader to entrepreneur, and they can come in all shapes and sizes. In November 2021, Octopus acquired Italian energy retailer SATO Luce e Gas, rebranding the business as Octopus Energy Italy, investing an initial 51m and targeting 5% of the Italian market by 2025. The only energy supplier Which? Greg Jackson is CEO of Octopus Energy, which is valued at more than 1.4billion . Im just gobsmacked anyones opposing this., Does being a flag-bearer for green energy get him in hot water at dinner parties? Launched in 2016, the company's mission is to bring cheaper, greener power to all. Octopus Energy is currently value at $2 billion, how did this evaluation come about? 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. Events  She loves supporting kind, high performing teams and individuals who want to positively change the world. Recommended Provider accolade five years in a row. What inspired this leadership technique and what are the pros and cons of Octopus Energy not having a HR department? He writes on a range of topics including inflation, Brexit, the Bank of England, the world of work and the cost of living crisis. Deepak has been involved as a partner to Octopus Energy Group since 2018. Jackson, 50, grew up near Middlesbrough. Octopuss other renewables ventures include a huge push to replace gas boilers with heat pumps, and investment in what will be the worlds longest subsea power cable, linking Devon to a vast solar farm in the Moroccan desert. Octopus Energy Group is a British renewable energy group specialising in sustainable energy. Rumours are that he may be training Zack "The Assassin" Stiles, 16 year old, in the future. 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. Our weekly culture newsletter from books and art to pop culture and memes sent every Friday. For those that don't know Octopus Energy, they are UK's fastest growing green energy retailer and are currently valued at $2 billion. As of September 2021 the company has over three million domestic and business customers, making it the fourth largest energy supplier 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. Greg: While we cant change who our founders are, our leadership team is made up of 50% women, with BAME, LGBT+ and working class representation throughout. [28], In October 2022, Octopus reached an agreement to acquire Bulb Energy's 1.5 million customers. Prior to that Stuart spent 6 years with Barclays Bank, including a stint running a 5bn credit card business and 10 years as a strategy consultant. This interview was originally published on our sister platform, ChangeinAfrica Magazine, the content is wholly owned by Innoglo Ltd. Mon - Fri: Respond with 24 hrs Theres some blokes with phones, and what theyve always done is phoned up coal and gas power stations and told them to turn on and off. Zoisa also runs Octopus Energy's renewable generation arm, which recently announced the acquisition of a 3GW portfolio of renewable energy assets across seven countries. What defines a successful entrepreneur? [30], In May 2020, Australian electricity and gas supplier Origin Energy paid A$507 million for a 20% stake in Octopus. Its Kraken platform was designed to take the traditional worry about renewable energy that wind and sunlight vary in availability and turn it into a virtue, by forecasting and monitoring the output of wind turbines and solar panels, and deciding where the energy should be used or stored when it is abundant. The Kent areas where house prices rose the most in 2022. Jackson applauds Boris Johnsons aspiration to make the UK the Saudi Arabia of wind, and believes such a project could transform our economy: If we build enough wind generation to meet our winter needs, nine months of the year were going to have unbelievably cheap electricity. We have an aim to reach over 100 million customers by 2027, whether thats via other companies licensing Kraken or customers joining Octopus Energy, so we never say never for any country or continent, even if we dont have any plans to at the moment. More recently in my work history Ive specialised in creating technology & ecommerce platforms, something me and Octopus Energy CTO James Eddison did together for clients such as Greene King and SAP. Sunday: 8am - 11pm, Interview with Entrepreneur - Greg Jackson - CEO of Octopus Energy. [72], Responding to Octopus Energy's decision on Twitter, Andrew Neil, founder of GB News, said "Let me know if you want to advertise. Jon played a key role in establishing leading Australian challengers Simply Energy (now part of Engie) and Alinta East Coast retail holding a number of senior roles across operations, customer experience and market development. Could Octopus become another Bulb? We are doing the same thing in clean, green energy. Jacksons career has been far from typical for the energy business. 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. 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. Jon holds an MBA in Business Administration from La Trobe University and Chifley Business School. Passionate, creative, innovative CEO, entrepreneur and investor. Greg: Passionate young people who believe in our mission. Launched in 2016, the companys mission is to bring cheaper, greener power to all. He's founded a number of successful businesses, including e-commerce company C360, built HomeServe's innovation business and is an angel investor in a wide range of tech start-ups. We took the 15 years it usually takes to make a vaccine, and did it in less than a year. Jon has worked for the last 18 years building a number of successful energy challengers, service innovators and disruptors across both Australia and the UK. I lived through rip-roaring inflation in the 1980s and double-digit interest rates. What would you say is the most important trait of a successful entrepreneurs? The boss has now stated that it has "never . A day later, Generation Investment Management, a fund chaired by Al Gore, committed to a $600m investment in Octopus. Please refresh the page and try again. What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs? Youll be able to fuel your car for free, make steel for free, do indoor farming with virtually zero energy costs. But the current reality is that in government, too, the pace of change is frustratingly slow: a wind farm can be built in 12 months, and an undersea cable between the UK and France can be laid in ten days, but approval and grid connections can take years. Theyve been characterised as inexperienced and foolhardy for not hedging their energy far enough in advance. I also have had non-executive and chairman roles at peer-to-peer lender Zopa and Consultant Connect. Coaches Honored with Jackson/Winkeljohn Dat, How a powerhouse MMA gym rose out of necessity and is helping others, Ranking the 10 Best Camps in MMA Right Now, Rankings Spotlight: MMAs Top 5 Fight Gyms, "War And Peace In Jackson's Gym - SI.com - Magazine", "Fighters Only World Mixed Martial Arts Awards 2010 - 2009 Winners", "Bellator's 'Fight Master' reality series set for summer debut on Spike TV", Jacksons Wink MMA Academy - Official Website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greg_Jackson_(MMA_trainer)&oldid=1055483227, Sportspeople from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 November 2021, at 03:38. Customers on the tariff get a 20% discount on the unit price when the turbines are spinning, and a 50% discount when the wind is above 8m/s (20 mph). Currently, Octopus Energy has more than 750,000 customers with 100 per cent renewable electricity, despite only setting up three years ago. Upon the acquisition, Octopus announced it was targeting a million Spanish energy accounts under its brand by 2027. Now we see this as a national security issue as well if thats not the final nail I dont know what to do.. [52], Also in November 2021, Octopus Energy Group signed a deal with Elia Group at COP26 to build a "smart" green grid across Belgium and Germany. [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. Greg: Believe it or not, I dropped out of school at 16 to start creating video games before eventually going to Cambridge University. It has enabled us to lower our costs to serve up to 75% compared to some of our competitors Thanks to Kraken, we are able to scale our customer service team quickly to take on new customers and keep them happy. 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? What we have to do now is a million times more complicated., The result of this simplified central planning could be seen the previous week, when electricity prices were colossally high, we were having to use lots of back-up supplies [and] we were literally paying wind generators in Scotland to turn off, because there werent enough cables connecting Scotland, where the electricity was being generated, to England, where we needed it., The solution, he says, is for the energy grid to become more like the internet. You also cannot deny the sheer will and determination of Jeff Bezos, and how he has managed to create not only the worlds largest online shopping and delivery site, but also revolutionise cloud computing via AWS, something we have made huge use of with our business. Both investors back businesses that drive sustainability, promote green energy and tackle climate change. It could cost taxpayers 2bn. 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. 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. [44] In July 2021, Octopus acquired sister company Octopus Renewables which claims to be the UK's largest investor in solar farms, and also invests in wind power and anaerobic digesters. As a result, he was suspended from school for instigating fights on more than one occasion. Greg: When I meet all of our new starters - which I always make sure to do during introductory training - the ones that stand out to me are the ones that ask themselves what they can do for the company, rather than what the company can do for them, they look at their own skills and wants, see what they can bring to the table and do their best. .more. has recommended 5 years in a row. [20], In November 2020 Octopus acquired Manchester-based smart grid energy software company Upside Energy, which in June 2021 rebranded as KrakenFlex. You have cofounded a number of companies over the last 20 plus years, so its fair to say you are a serial entrepreneur. Update your browser for a better web experience, here and all over the internet. Were nothing like Bulb.. [24], In July 2021 Octopus rose 12 places on the UK Customer Service Index to 17th, making it the only energy company in the Top 50. Greg is an experienced digital entrepreneur, passionate about making the green energy revolution affordable through technology. Greg: The pandemic certainly hasnt slowed us down. We need to learn from the pandemic, Jackson says. As someone whose LinkedIn profile professes a love of disrupting industries that underserve customers and society, its no surprise Greg is passionate about enhancing the customer experience. At Octopus he has responsibility for finance, procurement & market risk management, customer acquisition and data science. KrakenFlex is currently contracted to manage over 1,600 MW of power with further 2 GWs of renewable generation to come online through 2022. I read an article recently where you said Octopus Energy dont have a HR department. Love building organisations around people, disrupting industries which underserve customers and society. 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. Despite the current crisis of price and supply in the gas market, its described by BP as resilient and by Centrica as more affordable than other energy sources. Our Founder, Hubert Nomamiukor organised a Q&A session with Greg Jackson, the CEO of Octopus Energy, to capture his entrepreneurial journey, influences and perspectives. 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. [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? 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. [60], In March 2020 it was announced that E.ON and its Npower subsidiary had licensed the technology to manage their combined 10 million customers. . [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. 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! Whats your take on this concept and how diverse is your leadership ranks in Octopus Energy? Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy! [62][63] The Kraken software was also licensed to Australia's Origin Energy as part of their May 2020 agreement. Rachels remit is to create the regulations and markets needed to achieve net zero quickly and affordably. Read more . Jackson reaffirmed that Octopus had not boycotted the channel. Rachel joined Octopus Energy in 2021, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge following more than two decades of experience in energy regulation. [12][13], In both 2018 and 2019, Octopus was the only energy supplier to earn "Recommended Provider" status from the Which? 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. As a company we are completely digital, so we asked everybody to take their laptops home on Friday, and when lockdown was announced on Monday, our team just plugged the headsets into their laptops and continued working as usual. The mop-topped energy boss, dressed in grey T-shirt and jeans, has become the acceptable face of a pariah industry. [23], In March 2021 the Financial Times listed Octopus at number 23 on their list of the fastest growing companies in Europe. 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. Jackson said that Octopus would be monitoring GB News content to ensure the channel would not be in breach of Octopus' advertising policy. This blog is the second in a series of business advice from Octopus Energy's founder and CEO Greg Jackson. 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. I want them to feel happy and fulfilled by the work they do. 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. took on 600,000 customers from bust Avro Energy, a small noisy group, including Nigel Farage, attacking net zero goals. How we work  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. There was a problem! Stuart has a degree in Economics from Cambridge University. 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. A weekly round-up of some of the best articles featured in the most recent issue of the New Statesman, sent each Saturday. 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. What would you say are the most important traits business leaders should possess to be successful? The project, which coincided with COP26, was realised in Glasgow through collaboration with the local art community, and was designed as a call for global leaders to invest in renewable energies such as solar PV, in order to power a sustainable future. It was founded in 2015 with the backing of British fund management company Octopus Group, a British asset management company. Fellow green energy group Bulb went bust last November and remains in special administration. Octopus Energy is also a leading investor in solar and wind energy, managing a 3.4bn portfolio of renewable energy assets across Europe. He also has a wealth of experience in energy efficiency and looks after Octopus energy efficiency schemes alongside metering, solar, heat pumps and EV chargers. Octopus founding team are from tech rather than energy backgrounds and are determinedly using technology to drive down prices, enable great service and drive towards a renewable future through the smart grid, which is essential to decarbonise affordably. [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. 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. He now runs Octopus, the green energy supplier founded in. 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. Our team is made up of climate enthusiasts who know that switching people to green energy and growing that customer base around the world is the number one thing we can do to turn the tide on climate change. [36], In September 2021, Generation Investment Management, co-founded and chaired by Al Gore, purchased a 13% stake in Octopus Energy Group in a deal worth $600m. Refresh Its bollocks, Greg Jackson, the founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, replies, when I ask what he makes of this idea. Among the companies using Kraken is E.On, the second-largest electricity supplier in the UK. [26], In September 2021, Octopus was appointed as the Supplier of Last Resort (SOLR) for Avro Energy, acquiring Avro Energy's domestic customers and increasing their customer base to 3.1m customers. 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. Profit? It was the companys third major investment round since launching to the market. 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. 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. We'll cover a range of topics, including asking Greg what 2023 holds for the tech and energy sector at this challenging time, and which technologies he thinks are going to make a difference to the sector in the future. Last month Octopus pledged 50m to cut customer bills until Octobers price cap rise, part of a longer-term package worth 150m. Greg Jackson is CEO/Founder at Octopus Energy Ltd. See Greg Jackson's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. Registered number: 09263424. By 2030, Octopus aims to supply around 2.5 million households with green electricity through Fan Club schemes. These days, Greg Jackson is the founder behind the only energy company recommended by Which?. In 2009, Jackson released an instructional book about his fighting style called Jackson's MMA - The Stand Up Game. Greg is a serial tech entrepreneur and expert on all things business, having founded, sold and invested in a number of successful e-commerce businesses over the years. Support 100 years of independent journalism. .more. Weve never made a profit and were going to, but weve ploughed everything were going to make into customer support so were not going to make one this year, he says. Our Founder, Hubert Nomamiukor organised a Q&A session with Greg Jackson, the CEO of Octopus Energy, to capture his entrepreneurial journey, influences and perspectives. Deepak is a successful entrepreneur himself, taking the tech business he founded from concept to IPO. Headquartered in London, the company has operations in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States. [33], In December 2020, Tokyo Gas paid about 20 billion yen ($193 million) for a 9.7% stake in Octopus, valuing the company at $2.1bn. The campaign won the 2020 Marketing Week Masters award for utilities, and the 2020 Energy Institute award for Public Engagement. Spaces are limited for this very special event so make sure you dont miss out by signing up, To be the first to hear about our events, get immediate access to new podcast episodes, and hear news picked just for you . Aside from that, every experience has helped in some way or another, and been a vital lesson to learn to get me where I am today.
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