The Importance of Government Relations - PAUL BEIJER

We travel to THE HAGUE to meet PAUL BEIJER a deep thinker on strategy, finance, and government relations.

Chris Caldwell talks to Paul about the importance of positive interactions with government bodies when dealing with strategies for renewable energy and climate change.

Paul is Managing director and founder of GR-IQ, a government relations consultancy and he is also former VP of government relations at SHELL as well as Country Chair of the LBS Alumni Energy Club.

Paul’s specialty is government relations (aka public affairs). This corporate function is dedicated to ensuring a business understands the regulatory and governmental environment in which it acts – and then deciding how to influence that environment to meet the firm’s objectives. 

Clean energy as a sector is perhaps more exposed to governmental behaviour than any other transformational technology around today. From carbon pricing to contracts for difference, grid infrastructure to charging networks, how the state regulates and invests can make or break its green energy market. And yet government relations departments are a rare sight on a renewables firm’s organisational chart. 

"... if there's one topic they find really challenging to make decisions on and constantly have discussions about, it's the metrics of good government relations..."

"Of course, we are now facing a pretty existential crisis, but also a pretty unique opportunity. And I'm sure we're going to talk more about what that looks like. But that's the backdrop that politicians also need to convince their populations that change is needed because it's going to be painful and costly."

You can find out more about Paul here:

https://www.gr-iq.com/#about-us

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Throughout season 1, we talk about how the scope of the challenge before us is beyond that of any one individual or any one solution. We talk to thinkers, researchers, policymakers, and business leaders. They discuss a diversity of ideas and solutions to global climate and environmental issues and why they matter.

Season 1 is presented by Chris Caldwell and produced by UNITED RENEWABLES in association with LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL, ALUMNI ENERGY CLUB.

For more information visit: unitedrenewables.co.uk/resources

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