Mark Allison
Owner – Power Sonic
Creator – Apprentice 121
Mark is the owner of Power Sonic, a specialist electrical installation company serving all areas of industry but with a particular focus on solar PV and battery storage solutions.
He is the creator of Apprentice 121, a community that was born during Covid-19 in early 2020 and now supports those training and employing trainees in the electrical sector.
Mark is also a content creator in the solar, battery, EV and wider electrical industry, and is the co-host and co-founder of the renewables podcast.
At the ECN Awards 2024, Mark was awarded the Special Recognition Award for his outstanding contributions to the industry.
Frank Bertie
Managing Director – NAPIT
Frank has been an integral part of the electrical installation industry for over four decades. Initially starting out in the Scottish electrical contracting industry, Frank moved to London in the late 1980s to begin specialising in inspection and testing.
As NAPIT Managing Director, Frank sits on a wide range of influential industry committees, including the BSI/IET Wiring Regulation Committee JPEL/64 and Sub Committee A, BSI Committees, EAS Management Committee, Electrical Safety Roundtable, and the Electrical Safety First Technical Committee.
Mark Coles
Head of Technical Regulations – IET
Mark is Head of Technical Regulations at the IET and is responsible for the development of BS 7671, IET Guidance Notes and associated Codes of Practice. Mark is a very experienced standards maker and a leader in standards making. He holds the convenorships of numerous international and European technical committees and is an appointed UK expert on many others, setting standards for low voltage electrical installations across the world.
Mark is also the Committee Manager for JPEL/64, the UK technical committee responsible for BS 7671, Requirements for Electrical Installations, The IET Wiring Regulations. Mark speaks regularly at industry events, writes articles for the IET publication Wiring Matters and other IET and trade publications.
Paul Collins
Technical Director – NICEIC
Paul started his career as an electrical apprentice in 1990. He moved on to become a NICEIC Qualified Supervisor and gained vast experience in the electrotechnical, gas, plumbing, heating, and renewable sectors before joining NICEIC in 2009.
Paul has held a number of positions within NICEIC, including Helpline Engineer, Head of Consulting, Head of NICEIC, Head of Operations and, most recently, Head of Technical Services. In his role as Technical Director, Paul continues to represent NICEIC on various committees and working groups
Richard Harvey
Electrical Installation Safety Engineer – Electrical Safety First
With a robust foundation of over 30 years in the electrical industry, Richard’s career is a tapestry of diverse experiences across multiple sectors. His journey began in 1991 as an apprentice with a local contractor. His expertise spans a wide range of projects, including industrial, agricultural, commercial, domestic, hazardous areas and renewable energy.
Richard established his own electrical contracting business, steering it to success for more than 10 years. His transition into the educational realm saw him imparting his vast knowledge to adult learners and apprentices, fulfilling the role of a lecturer at a Further Education college and a private training provider.
As an Electrical Installation Safety Engineer at Electrical Safety First (ESF), Richard is instrumental in the development and enhancement of the organisation’s Best Practice Guides. His expertise is crucial in spearheading dialogues with prominent industry figures, championing the progression of electrical safety standards. Additionally, Richard holds esteemed positions on the JPEL sub-committee panels B and D.
Nick Hayler
Director of Member Services and Head of Building Electrical Systems – BEAMA
Nick has over 30 years of experience in the electrical industry, working for a well-known UK privately owned manufacturer of cable management systems. He joined BEAMA, the UK trade association for electrical infrastructure and systems, in 2022 as the Head of Building Electrical Systems and continues his work in supporting manufacturers in the development of product standards, regulation and policy in the UK and internationally with a passion for product and fire safety. With his additional role of Director of Member services he works across all the BEAMA product sectors, promoting cross sector collaboration and engagement and the acceleration of electrification in the UK.
He is a proud member of the IET and a Chartered Engineer. Nick also engages in local education support activities, promoting engineering careers as an Enterprise Advisor.
Chris Horne
Electrical Lecturer – Riverside College
Chris Horne is an Electrical Lecturer from Warrington and has been teaching for over 20 years. He commenced his electrical apprenticeship in 1979 with a local electrical company and worked for local companies after gaining his electrical qualification.
He started his own business as a local electrician within Warrington and carried all aspects of electrical work over the next 10 years. During the recession of 2008, he decided to end his business and start a career in teaching electrical installation at Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale. This was followed by a placement at Warrington Collegiate and Chris now teaches at Riverside College in Widnes.
Chris describes teaching as his true vocation and he was voted eFIXX College Lecturer of the Year in 2023.
Gary Parker
Senior Technical Manager – ECA
Gary Parker, ECA Senior Technical Manager, has over 25 years’ experience in electrical contracting, standardisation and membership organisations. He is an experienced and practical engineer, having worked in heavy industry, water treatment, medical locations and general electrical contracting. Gary is a Chartered Engineer, a Member of the IET, a Member of CIBSE, and represents ECA on numerous British and International Standards Committees.
Griff Thomas
Managing Director – GTEC Training
Griff Thomas is MD of GTEC Training (part of United Living Group) which is one of the UK’s leading renewables training providers, delivering courses for heat pumps, solar, battery storage, electric vehicle charging, and supporting energy efficiency measures at locations throughout the UK.
An expert in his field, Griff has overseen the development of most of the national renewable technology standards and has spearheaded a number of government-backed industry initiatives, such as the Renewable Heat Installer Training & Support Scheme (RHITSS). A trusted expert, Griff undertakes renewable technology site visits for governmental and non-governmental schemes.
Darren Staniforth
Head of Technical Solutions – CEF
Darren started his electrical apprenticeship in the mid-90s for a small electrical contracting company in Cambridgeshire. There he completed his training and managed many large-scale projects such as senior school refurbishments. After several years on the tools and in offices managing projects, Darren was invited to apply for a position at Bedford College. This saw him learn to become a college lecturer.
After a number of years with Bedford College, Darren was leading the Electrical Installation Department and taking on new courses such as Part P and Solar PV. Darren was then encouraged to interview for a technical position with NICEIC. Whilst at NICEIC, Darren hosted the organisation’s technical events across the UK and represented its registered contractors’ interests at industry committees. Darren now heads up all customer facing events for CEF.
Paul Halbert
General Manager – Yesss Electrical (Southern)
Paul Halbert, who joins the ECN Awards judging panel for the very first time, brings with him over 26 years’ experience in the electrical wholesale sector. Having got started in the industry as a sales representative, Paul then moved up through the ranks, transitioning from branch manager, to group manager, to national key account manager, to national accounts sales manager, to head of national accounts, and finally into his current position of General Manager at Yesss Electrical.
Today, Paul boasts significant industry experience and expertise, and is an exceptional addition to the ECN Awards judging panel. Paul tells us that despite “falling into the industry by accident, I later became hooked” – and he has gone on to achieve a career in the industry that he never realised was available.
Gary Alder
Managing Director – New Wave Electrical
Gary Alder is a chartered engineer and fellow of the IET. Having started his journey as an apprentice in 2006, after becoming qualified and subsequently becoming Managing Director, he has gone on to lead multiple businesses, specialising in the water industry and control systems, culminating as the MEICA lead on the Tideway Super Sewer in west London. He is the podcast host of Hit the Lights and published author with his award-winning book, So you want to be an electrician?
Gary now leads New Wave Electrical Consulting as a specialist EICA design consultant to the water industry.