We are delighted to once again be attending the ChemUK Expo.
As well as exhibiting, we will be hosting a panel session, which will aim to provide ChemUK attendees with a comprehensive, end-to-end roadmap for funding the next generation of industrial decarbonisation and energy transition projects.
The panel will address the critical multi-billion-pound investment gap by tracing the flow of capital, identifying key de-risking mechanisms, and detailing the commercial certainties required to take projects from concept to final investment decision.
Our speakers:
Joanne Smith, NEPIC (panel session host)
Joanne joined NEPIC as Business Development Director in 2020 and became CEO—and NEPIC’s first female leader—in 2024. With over 30 years’ experience across the public, private and voluntary sectors in North East England, she is a seasoned business specialist known for building strong strategic relationships, strengthened through roles at the North East Chamber of Commerce and Stockton‑on‑Tees Borough Council. Named among the North East’s Most Influential 500, she is widely recognised as one of the region’s best‑connected leaders.
Dr Emily Sidhu, National Wealth Fund
Emily has over 20 years of experience working in public sector financial institutions. She was previously at UK Export Finance for almost 18 years, where her last role was as Head of Project Finance Risk. Emily is currently a Managing Director in the Investment and Advisory team at the National Wealth Fund with product expertise in guarantees and debt, and a sector focus of CCUS, hydrogen, SAF, heat networks and water.
Ricardo Martinez, Krbn – Private Equity
Ricardo is the Founding Partner at KRBN Holdings, a London-based firm that invests in and advises early-stage and growth companies across climate, circular economy, and wellbeing.
He has extensive experience in investment banking and corporate finance across the UK, Europe and Emerging Markets, having originated and executed complex debt and equity financings for multinationals and financial sponsors in climate, energy, and sustainable infrastructure. Ricardo spent much of his banking career in the Infrastructure and Energy Group at HSBC. Most recently, he was Managing Director at Delphos, a premier financial advisory firm where he led the Energy and Decarbonisation practice across developed and emerging markets.
Matthew Wilson, Navigator Terminals
Matthew serves as Head of New Energy Markets at Navigator Terminals, where he leads the strategy, design, and delivery of infrastructure projects supporting Europe’s transition to a low‑carbon economy. He works with teams across the organisation to advance solutions for flexible CO₂ logistics and develop infrastructure for hydrogen, ammonia, CCUS, and sustainable aviation fuel, positioning Navigator as a key enabler in emerging energy markets.
Daren Smith, Tees Valley Industrial Net Zero Leadership Group
Daren brings over 35 years of technical and commercial leadership across upstream and downstream oil and gas operations. A former site director and board member at SABIC UK Petrochemicals Ltd, he has deep expertise in managing COMAH Tier 1 assets, overseeing process safety performance, driving major accident hazard (MAH) risk reduction, and leading emergency and incident command structures. His background spans asset integrity management, reliability engineering, operational excellence, and continuous improvement through LEAN and Six Sigma methodologies.
We hope to see lots of our members there – find us on stand M60 to catch up with the NEPIC team.