Wolfe Power Club Podcast

In this episode of the Wolfe Power Club, Monica Collings OBE, Chair of POWERful Women, joins us to discuss the 2026 State of the Nation Report and what it reveals about leadership in the UK energy sector.
We explore the "glacial-freeze" on why progress towards 40% female representation in senior leadership has stagnated, with 13 major energy boards still having no women and the pipeline to executive roles remaining stuck at 34%. Monica shares her perspective on what's holding the industry back, why it matters for business performance and what leaders need to do next.
We review the 5-point action plan and add 3 further areas related to brand, money and families.
Read the POWERful Women State of the Nation Report 2026 here: https://powerfulwomen.org.uk/annual-state-of-the-nation/reportscreens/2026/PfW_2026_report.pdf
POWERful Women website: https://powerfulwomen.org.uk/
BIOGRAPHY
Monica Collings OBE is an award-winning influential leader. She was formerly Chief Executive at So Energy and was at the time, the only female leading a domestic energy supplier. She now has a portfolio Non-Executive Director spanning energy and utilities, environmental and risk management services and is currently the Chair of POWERful Women.
ABOUT THE HOST
Host Alex Wolfe has over 20 years of experience in the energy industry, including previously serving as Commercial Director at Certas Energy and Director of the South, with responsibility for 900 fuel HGVs. In addition, he has led M&A activity, ran Hollies Truck Stop, and was a Director of the 5th largest fuel company in the UK. Currently, Alex not only hosts the Wolfe Power Club Podcast but also chairs The Spectator Energy Summit. 
Season Two is in Partnership with The Spectator
Tickets for the upcoming The Spectator Energy Summit, on Monday 30th November 2026, are available on sale. Use code: WPC50 for 50% off your purchase
If you would like to partner with The Spectator Energy Summit, please contact Alex on LinkedIn or jacob@wolfepowerclub.com

Follow Our Socials
Website: https://www.wolfepowerclub.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WolfePowerClub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfe-power-club/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfepowerclub/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wolfe.power.club
 
Wolfe Power Club Production Team
Director of Government Relations: Max Austin
Sales & Development Executive: Jacob Ryder
Designer: Nick Pelekanos
Editor: Adam Woodward
Social Media Manager: Bella Carter
 
Recorded at Studio 55

Kherson has become one of the defining symbols of civilian resilience during the war in Ukraine, with residents continuing daily life despite constant shelling, drone attacks and repeated strikes on energy infrastructure.
Alex Wolfe is joined by Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, Deputy Head of Kherson Region, live from Ukraine alongside Dan Whitehead from Medical Life Lines Ukraine, the UK charity that has delivered more than 130 ambulances and emergency vehicles to frontline communities since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
They discuss the reality of life inside Kherson today, the destruction of hospitals and power systems, sanctions loopholes, energy security and the challenge of maintaining international support as the war continues. The episode also explores reconstruction, civilian resilience and why energy remains central to both Ukraine’s future and wider European security.
Special thanks to Viktoriia Maryshchuk for translation support during this episode.

Read and donate to Medical Life Lines Ukraine here: https://www.medicallifelines.org.uk/

BIOGRAPHY
Oleksandr Tolokonnikov is a Ukrainian journalist, photojournalist and government official from Kherson who became internationally known as a spokesperson for the Kherson Regional Military Administration during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A prominent public voice from frontline Kherson, he has documented Russian attacks and humanitarian conditions through media appearances, interviews and photography. In 2025, he was appointed Deputy Head of the Kherson Regional State Administration, overseeing digital development, information policy and international cooperation.
Medical Life Lines Ukraine is a Wimbledon-based NGO that has delivered more than 130 ambulances and emergency response vehicles filled with humanitarian aid to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. One of Ukraine’s leading international medical aid partners, the organisation has become a major supplier of ambulances and emergency equipment to the country’s Ministry of Health. Daniel Whitehead has been part of the team since 2022, helping drive aid convoys to Ukraine while building UK-Ukraine partnerships, fundraising efforts and volunteer networks alongside his full-time work as a lawyer in London.
ABOUT THE HOST
Host Alex Wolfe has over 20 years of experience in the energy industry, including previously serving as Commercial Director at Certas Energy and Director of the South, with responsibility for 900 fuel HGVs. In addition, he has led M&A activity, ran Hollies Truck Stop, and was a Director of the 5th largest fuel company in the UK. Currently, Alex not only hosts the Wolfe Power Club Podcast but also chairs The Spectator Energy Summit. 
Season Two is in Partnership with The Spectator
Tickets for the upcoming The Spectator Energy Summit, on Monday 30th November 2026, are available on sale. Use code: WPC50 for 50% off your purchase
If you would like to partner with The Spectator Energy Summit, please contact Alex on LinkedIn or jacob@wolfepowerclub.com

Follow Our Socials
Website: https://www.wolfepowerclub.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WolfePowerClub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfe-power-club/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfepowerclub/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wolfe.power.club
 
Wolfe Power Club Production Team
Director of Government Relations: Max Austin
Sales & Development Executive: Jacob Ryder
Designer: Nick Pelekanos
Editor: Adam Woodward
Social Media Manager: Bella Carter
 
Recorded at Studio 55

From global LNG deals to senior advisory roles in government, Alison Flower has spent her career at the intersection of energy, politics, and leadership.
In this episode of Wolfe Power Club, Alison joins Alex Wolfe to talk about leadership during crisis, energy security, Net Zero and the growing pressure facing today’s energy leaders. They discuss resilience vs efficiency, emotional intelligence, graduate talent, flexible working and what the industry needs to do differently over the next decade.
The conversation also explores government decision-making, global supply risks, and why trust, teamwork and adaptability matter more than ever in the energy sector. 

Join Wolfe Power Club on Thursday 18th June 2026 for the Young Energy Professional Summer Party, organised by the Energy Institute

BIOGRAPHY
Alison Flower is a geostrategic energy expert with over 30 years of experience in the oil, gas and energy policy. She recently served as Senior Energy Advisor at the UK’s FCDO, advising on energy security, energy transition policy and energy diplomacy. Previously, she was at BG Group, where over her career, she influenced capital allocation and market strategies and contributed to global LNG growth. Alison has shaped investment decisions across 30+ fiscal regimes, delivered major gas and LNG projects and advised governments on energy security, transition and geopolitical risk. 

ABOUT THE HOST
Host Alex Wolfe has over 20 years of experience in the energy industry, including previously serving as Commercial Director at Certas Energy and Director of the South, with responsibility for 900 fuel HGVs. In addition, he has led M&A activity, ran Hollies Truck Stop, and was a Director of the 5th largest fuel company in the UK. Currently, Alex not only hosts the Wolfe Power Club Podcast, but also chairs The Spectator Energy Summit. 
If you would like to partner with The Spectator Energy Summit, on the 30th November 2026, please contact Alex on LinkedIn or jacob@wolfepowerclub.com.

#EnergyPodcast #LeadershipPodcast #EnergySecurity
Season Two is in Partnership with The Spectator
Tickets for the upcoming The Spectator Energy Summit, on Monday 30th November 2026, are available on sale. Use code: WPC50 for 50% off your purchase
If you would like to partner with The Spectator Energy Summit, please contact Alex on LinkedIn or jacob@wolfepowerclub.com

Follow Our Socials
Website: https://www.wolfepowerclub.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WolfePowerClub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfe-power-club/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfepowerclub/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wolfe.power.club
 
Wolfe Power Club Production Team
Director of Government Relations: Max Austin
Sales & Development Executive: Jacob Ryder
Designer: Nick Pelekanos
Editor: Adam Woodward
Social Media Manager: Bella Carter
 
Recorded at Studio 55

The UK is producing record amounts of wind energy, yet one billion (£) pounds worth is still being wasted while the country remains heavily reliant on imported gas.
In this episode, EnergyPathways plc CEO and Director Ben Clube joins Alex Wolfe to discuss how compressed air energy storage (CAES), large-scale gas storage and hydrogen infrastructure could help solve one of the biggest challenges facing the UK energy system: long-duration storage.
Ben explains why EnergyPathways is developing what could become one of the UK’s largest energy storage projects, using salt caverns off the Lancashire coast to store energy for up to 7 days+. The conversation explores grid resilience, energy security, hydrogen production, government policy, institutional investment and why long-duration storage could become a defining part of Britain’s energy future.

EnergyPathways website: https://energypathways.uk/

BIOGRAPHY
Ben Clube is the founder of EnergyPathways with over 30 years’ upstream experience across commercial, finance and operations roles. He previously founded clean energy company EnergyCapture Limited and, as a director at FAR Ltd, built the Africa business, leading breakthrough M&A and commercial deals that resulted in world-class offshore discoveries in Senegal. Previously, Ben held senior leadership roles at BHP Petroleum, including Vice President Finance, working on major international development and gas commercialisation projects across the UK, Australia, USA, Africa and Asia.

ABOUT THE HOST
Host Alex Wolfe has over 20 years of experience in the energy industry, including previously serving as Commercial Director at Certas Energy and Director of the South, with responsibility for 900 fuel HGVs. In addition, he has led M&A activity, ran Hollies Truck Stop, and was a Director of the 5th largest fuel company in the UK. Currently, Alex not only hosts the Wolfe Power Club Podcast, but also chairs The Spectator Energy Summit. 
If you would like to partner with The Spectator Energy Summit, on the 30th November 2026, please contact Alex on LinkedIn or jacob@wolfepowerclub.com.

Season Two is in Partnership with The Spectator
Tickets for the upcoming The Spectator Energy Summit, on Monday 30th November 2026, are available on sale. Use code: WPC50 for 50% off your purchase
If you would like to partner with The Spectator Energy Summit, please contact Alex on LinkedIn or jacob@wolfepowerclub.com

Follow Our Socials
Website: https://www.wolfepowerclub.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WolfePowerClub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfe-power-club/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfepowerclub/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wolfe.power.club
 
Wolfe Power Club Production Team
Director of Government Relations: Max Austin
Sales & Development Executive: Jacob Ryder
Designer: Nick Pelekanos
Editor: Adam Woodward
Social Media Manager: Bella Carter
 
Recorded at Studio 55

With two and a half months into the Iran Crisis, forecourt prices are affecting everyone in society. Alex Wolfe speaks with Petrol Retail Association Executive Director Gordon Balmer about rising fuel prices, recorded live at the NEC.
They discuss fuel duty, retailer margins, inflation, government relations and how forecourts are responding during a period of higher pump prices. Gordon also explains why local forecourts remain important to communities and the wider UK economy.

About Petrol Retail Association: https://www.ukpra.co.uk/

Gordon Balmer is the Executive Director of the UK Petrol Retail Association. Gordon has worked for the PRA since 2013, primarily as Commercial Manager, where he was responsible for all marketing and commercial activities and represented the PRA in meetings with a number of Government Departments. Gordon has extensive experience in the fuel industry, having worked for BP for 30 years. During this time he worked in fuel sales, strategic planning, project management, UK Fuel Card Manager and UK Country Manager where he was responsible for fuel cards, commercial fuel, automotive lubricants and fleet performance management.
Season Two is in Partnership with The Spectator
Tickets for the upcoming The Spectator Energy Summit, on Monday 30th November 2026, are available on sale. Use code: WPC50 for 50% off your purchase
If you would like to partner with The Spectator Energy Summit, please contact Alex on LinkedIn or jacob@wolfepowerclub.com

Follow Our Socials
Website: https://www.wolfepowerclub.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WolfePowerClub
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfe-power-club/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfepowerclub/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wolfe.power.club
 
Wolfe Power Club Production Team
Director of Government Relations: Max Austin
Sales & Development Executive: Jacob Ryder
Designer: Nick Pelekanos
Editor: Adam Woodward
Social Media Manager: Bella Carter
 
Recorded at Studio 55