Dr Leven will report to Richard Tarboton, the Director of BT’s Energy and Carbon Unit. The role of this unit is increasingly important to BT as it delivers projects to improve energy efficiency and reduce BT’s carbon footprint. It also manages the purchasing of energy supplies and the control of energy consumption. The unit drives BT’s renewable energy programme and wind farm scheme, which aims to generate up to 25 per cent of the company’s existing UK electricity requirements by 2016. Dr Leven’s role will include the strategic development of BT’s energy policy initiatives, the handling of legislative issues and formulation of business cases for the reduction of energy consumption, costs and carbon emissions.
Dr Leven previously occupied a similar role at DaimlerChrysler in Germany, where he was Corporate Energy Manager for over three years. Before entering industry, he lead a research team working on the Rational Use of Energy at Stuttgart University. Having trained as a mechanical engineer, he has a PhD in industrial energy management from Stuttgart University. He spends his leisure time with his wife and two children, and enjoys reading, playing squash and jogging.
Dr Leven said: “Energy management is crucial to any organisation that is serious about its role in tackling climate change. BT has an excellent record in delivering on its commitments to the environment, and I look forward to taking an active role in shaping and delivering its energy and carbon management strategy.”
BT has measured its carbon footprint since 1991, and has an ambitious target to cut its carbon emissions globally by 80% on 1996 levels by 2020. The company currently counters its own electricity consumption – currently 0.7% of the UK’s total - by operating one of the largest green energy contracts in the world.