BLUE INSIGHT BROADENS SCOPE WITH APPOINTMENT OF NEW SENIOR ADVISORS

Experts Hilary McMahon and Jon Stewart provide strategic advisory and change management consultation across key areas of sustainability and business transformation at a critical time for the marine and energy markets

BLUE Insight, the business advisory and research arm of BLUE Communications (BLUE), the leading business, brand, PR, and communications consultancy for the marine and energy markets, today announced the appointment of two new Senior Advisors, Hilary McMahon and Jon Stewart.

The move widens BLUE Insight’s knowledge and experience from the marine fuels market into strategic business advisory services spanning many of the key verticals of change at a critical time for the marine and energy markets. These challenges are reshaping corporate strategies and include the requirement to manage and implement a transition to cleaner energy sources and to demonstrate tangible sustainability performance improvements across all operational touch points. The transformation of global supply chains is also causing marine operators and energy providers to re-evaluate their agility and resilience. All of these factors operate against a backdrop of digitalisation, ESG-led financial assessment and greater public accountability.

In conjunction with Adrian Tolson, BLUE Insight’s Director and Lead, the new Senior Advisors will provide knowledge-led consultancy services in relation to the following critical areas of development:

• Clean technology development and planning

• Environmental regulatory insight, strategy and compliance

• Marine fuels market insight and bunkering strategy

• Port infrastructure development

• Environmental Social Governance (ESG) decarbonisation and sustainability strategy planning

• Sustainable finance and funding

• Low and zero carbon fuels insight; energy transition strategy and stress testing

• Refining and cargo markets insights and trends.

Hilary McMahon has more than 20 years of experience in sustainability and the role of the private sector in solving the climate crisis.  She has held a number of leadership roles, including the former Director of Intelligence at Sir Richard Branson’s Carbon War Room, and previously as an expert and as a thought leader at the World Resources Institute, the United Nations, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the European Commission.  She was also a Judge for the MIT Co-Lab, Echoing Green Fellowship and Yale Low Carbon Case competition, a reviewer for the World Energy Outlook, a selection committee member for Bloomberg New Energy Finance and a nominee for the C3E Energy Award.

At BLUE Insight she will bring this knowledge to the fore advising on specific areas, including existing and breakthrough technologies such as low carbon solutions and global climate policy, EU and UK related public financial support, private low-carbon investment opportunities, greening ports and their adaptation to climate change, as well as sustainability impact tracking and reporting.

With over 30 years of experience within the maritime industry, Jon Stewart has played an important role in the development of ship’s equipment for the management of wastewater and ballast water. In 2005 he founded International Maritime Technology Consultants, Inc. (IMTCI) to provide consultancy to manufacturers of vessels’ environmental systems with a focus on systems optimisation and type approvals as well as regulatory guidance. Acting as technical advisor to various delegations of IMO sub-committees including MEPC, PPR and III. Jon has been at the forefront of assisting administrations and organisations with the implementation of environmental regulations for ballast water and air emissions.

Commenting on the appointments, Adrian Tolson, Director and Lead, BLUE Insight, said:

“The marine and energy markets are significantly and quickly transforming on the back of the global energy transition. This is causing unparalleled complexity and uncertainty for many organisations throughout these industries. Right now, they need access to knowledge and insight from people who have in-depth experience of these markets, and an understanding of how business models are evolving, so that they can develop the right strategies for growth, compliance, and competitive advantage. Hilary and Jon align very much with BLUE’s mantra of ‘in depth influence’, bringing the specialist knowledge and the consultancy calibre that companies are crying out for in these changing times.”