People Behind the Power

As companies in Northern Ireland move forward, skills, training and peer learning have never been more vital to growth. This month, we throw a spotlight on the people behind NI Chamber’s Learn Grow Excel SME partner, Power NI.

We meet the Key Account Management team at Power NI who have the knowledge and experience to guide SMEs and other organisations to the most cost-effective energy products for their business.

Jack Ferguson, Power NI’s Commercial Business Development Manager, comments: “Our business mantra is ‘Let’s Grow Together’ and it has been a privilege to have partnered with NI Chamber since January 2017, helping them deliver their Learn Grow Excel suite of programmes, enabling members to grow their organisations both locally and internationally, and ultimately drive the development of the regional economy.”

Jack leads a team of six key account managers who are regular attendees and contributors to NI Chamber’s events. He continued: “Whilst we look forward to inperson seminars and presentations returning, the range and scope of online content, workshops and training events delivered by NI Chamber has been impressive and no doubt they have helped guide and sustain SMEs through recent turbulent times.

“Although we can’t get out and about to meet people at Chamber events the way we used to, our team are on hand at virtual events and are happy to reach out to companies who want advice and support in terms of the best energy products and type of contract to deliver the best value for clients in terms of business performance.

“It’s a challenging and volatile marketplace and particularly with the impact of the past 18 months, prices are moving up and down. And for all suppliers here, there has been an upward squeeze on prices all round as we move out of the pandemic.

“Businesses are looking for good deals but also a partnership package with fantastic service that delivers long term and adds value. This is where our team of six come into their own. They have a broad range of experience and expertise in the energy industry and customer service, know the challenges faced by SMEs and are able to deliver the best value, support and energy-efficient products for business customers.”

Jack Ferguson

Jack continues: “We aim to really understand our customers – what makes them tick – and to guide them to the best products to suit their company and business needs. MDs, sales or facilities managers in SMEs are busy people and we try to assess their energy knowledge and tailor our service and product portfolio to deliver value and enable senior managers to get on with running their business instead of spending time analysing energy options.

“Businesses are increasingly looking for an energy partner, someone who can help businesses assess their energy usage, how to improve it and ultimately become more sustainable as a company. At Power NI, we’re evolving to become more than just your electricity supplier.”

For more information on Power NI, Northern Ireland’s largest energy supplier, visit powerni.co.uk/letsgrowtogether

Meet the Team

Kylie Best

Kylie has been a key member of the Power NI business development team since 2015, after a busy seven-year career in the print media industry looking after customer sales. Her all-around experience and knowledge of the energy sector, public sector organisations and SMEs has enabled her to become a trusted advisor to her clients both large and small. Kylie looks after a broad range of customers from local government to retail and hospitality, as well as liaising with many energy brokers. In her spare time, Kylie is a keen walker and has taken up cold water swimming at several beaches on the County Down coast.

Daniel Boyle

Daniel joined the Energia Group in September 2000, having gained several years of sales experience in the building products industry. In his 21 years with both Energia and Power NI, Daniel has worked with every size of business and specialises in complex products and support. His knowledge of the energy sector is extensive and he brings his expertise to very large commercial groups and government organisations, as well as hospitality groups, the education sector, the grocery trade and shopping complexes. With his young family getting older, Daniel has been able to pick up his past hobbies of golf and Bikram Yoga.

Ian Fraser

Ian joined the team at Power NI several years ago, bringing with him over 17 years of banking and financial services experience. During his career as a senior manager in the bank, Ian assisted large corporates in risk management and financial markets analysis. He shares his comprehensive expertise with his Power NI clients, particularly large manufacturing and retail businesses. Living in Belfast, Ian and his family are currently investing their spare time in a substantial renovation project and breathing new life into a characterful Victorian home.

Helen Gamble

With a background in finance and sales, Helen has 16 years under her belt at Power NI. After spending a decade in customer service and invoicing, Helen then joined the commercial business team as a Key Account Manager. She has a huge knowledge of all aspects of the electricity market locally. Helen looks after a full range of SME clients, focusing mostly on public sector, manufacturing and retail. Outside of servicing her portfolio of customers, Helen, who is from Lisburn, is a busy mum of two daughters.

Jonathan Gregg

Jonathan has an extensive business background with 25 years of experience in sales management and distribution across a wide range of telecoms, FMCG and other consumer companies. He also co-owned and operated his own retail distribution business. The knowledge and skills derived from managing a company allow him to better understand his key clients and their business needs. Outside work, he has had a topflight rugby career with Malone RFC, playing alongside and against many high-profile Ulster and Ireland players. He still has a passion for the game and follows the sport at club and international levels.

Neil McConkey

With substantial experience in the banking and financial services industry over 25 years, Neil brings a vast understanding of complex customer needs and goals to his SME and large company clients, particularly in the agri-food and manufacturing industries. In his banking days, Neil dealt extensively with energy sector companies and was already very familiar with energy issues when he joined Power NI early in 2020. Neil focuses on asking customers the right questions, listening to their ideas and, similar to a risk management approach, he weighs up the best solutions and adapts down the line when needed. A player and member of CIYMS since 1994, Neil is fully involved with the club and plays both cricket and veterans rugby.