From Big Energy to Deep Green with Ecotricity’s CEO

Written By Daisy Culver

In recent years, sustainability has risked becoming little more than a marketing tactic — or worse, quietly dropped from business strategies altogether. But Stroud-based Ecotricity, founded in 1995 by pioneer Dale Vince, remains solid in its unwavering commitment to a better future for our planet. The evolution from a single wind turbine to a £500 million turnover enterprise has been far from typical, and in 2025, it remains the UK’s greenest energy company — innovative, relentless, and unapologetically purpose-driven.

At the company's helm is CEO Asif Rehmanwala, whose journey from the world of big energy to the disruptive, purpose-driven Ecotricity is as compelling as the company’s mission itself. We invited Asif Hub 8’s co-working space MX to learn more about his journey and the future of renewable energy. 

A Journey Shaped by Change 

Born in Cheltenham in the mid-1970s to parents who had migrated from India, Asif’s early life was shaped by determination and resilience. His grandfather came to the UK in the 1960s, eventually settling in Gloucestershire and working night shifts in a steelworks. His mother arrived aged 16 and began work immediately.

Education was a bit of a challenge in the early days. Asif candidly reflects on attending under-resourced schools where teachers often taught subjects they weren’t trained in. “It was tough. I wanted to succeed but didn’t always have the tools.” Having said that, he only has good words to say about the teachers and other pupils - “They were all nice and tried their best,” he says.  Despite the challenges, he earned strong GCSEs, secured a place at a better-resourced sixth form, and went on to study business at Staffordshire University — drawn by the promise of a new, well-funded business school.

His turning point came during a sandwich year at OFFER (now Ofgem). His analytical skills, commercial acumen and emotional intelligence stood out. OFFER took the unprecedented step of funding his final year of university, allowing him to finish his degree while working two days a week — an experience that earned him first-class honours and set the tone for what was to come.

Big Energy, Big Lessons

After university, Asif was encouraged by his mentors at Ofgem to move into industry — and he joined Powergen (now E.ON) in 2001. Over the next decade, he held a series of increasingly senior roles, moving through regulation, commercial strategy, forecasting, and risk. He acted as a key cultural bridge between UK and German teams following E.ON’s acquisition and was regularly flying to Germany to support alignment across leadership.

“I worked with some brilliant minds,” he recalls — name-checking leaders like Lisa Woolhouse, Tony Cocker, Simon Skillings and Michael Lewis. “But I started to realise I wanted to lead in a different way. Not just perform well — but make a difference.”

Asif Rehmanwala and Dale Vince at Ecotricity’s offices in Stroud

Meeting Dale Vince and Making the Leap

That difference came in the form of a headhunt. In 2010, he was invited to meet Dale Vince — the founder of Ecotricity and a former New Age traveller who had built the world’s first green energy company by erecting a wind turbine in Nailsworth in the early ‘90s. At the time, Ecotricity had 65 employees and £30 million in revenue. 

“It was a leap — from a global corporation to a small office in Gloucestershire,” Asif says. “But I was instantly inspired by Dale’s ambition, values, and belief in decarbonising not just energy, but transport and food too.”

He joined as Commercial Director, quickly rising to Chief Operating Officer, and eventually, in 2020, became CEO of Ecotricity. Two years later, he was appointed CEO of the wider Green Britain Group — the parent company encompassing Ecotricity and its fast-growing ecosystem of ethical ventures also founded by Dale Vince.

Green Britain Group now generates over £500 million in annual revenue and employs more than 800 people. Its portfolio includes:

  • Britwind – Manufacturer of small-scale wind turbines designed for homes and businesses, supporting decentralised renewable generation.

  • Ecotalk – A mobile phone network that uses profits to fund nature restoration projects across the UK, in partnership with the RSPB and other conservation bodies.

  • Devil’s Kitchen – A vegan food company that produces sustainable, plant-based meals for schools across the country, helping young people eat better and reduce their environmental impact.

  • Sky Diamond – A revolutionary business creating lab-grown diamonds from atmospheric carbon using 100% renewable energy, offering an ethical alternative to traditional mining.

  • Forest Green Rovers FC – The world’s first carbon-neutral football club and the only fully vegan club in the English Football League, widely recognised by the UN and FIFA for its sustainability leadership. Asif is the Vice Chairman.

Together, these companies form a bold, values-led group committed to environmental action, ethical business, and building a better world through innovation and integrity.

A Culture Built on Values

 With all of its events fully vegan — from team lunches to the UK’s first plant-based staff canteen — and a policy of putting “planet before profit,” Green Britain operates differently from most corporates. And it shows in the culture.

“We’re fast, we’re fleet-footed,” says Asif. “But we’ve blended the rigour of big business with the agility of a mission-driven company. There’s no red tape for the sake of it. We empower our people.”

He runs monthly CEO inductions for all new starters and builds leadership around three core principles: engage, enable, empower. The aim? “So people feel energised to be the best version of themselves — not just for work, but for their families, friends, communities.”  

Deep Green in a Shallow Green World

Ecotricity refers to itself as “deep green” — generating its own energy, owning its supply chain, and reinvesting profits into meaningful change. In contrast, Asif reflects, many so-called green energy suppliers emerged over the past decade offering cheap deals without infrastructure. The 2022 energy crisis exposed their fragility: over 30 UK suppliers collapsed within 18 months. Ecotricity not only survived — it grew.

“This isn’t a trend for us,” he says. “We’re the world’s first green energy company. That history matters — and so does the future we’re building.”  The offices are now modern and make for a pleasant working environment.

Smart Energy, Smarter Future

Looking ahead, Asif believes the future of energy is hyperlocal and data-led. “Over the next decade, we’ll see a revolution. Millions of homes will generate, store, and trade their own energy. Batteries, solar panels, EV charging, smart tariffs — this is the direction we’re heading.”

Green Britain is actively exploring large-scale smart energy solutions and hopes to catalyse more decentralised power systems across the UK. “It’s like mobile phones,” he says. “In 2007, most people didn’t have a smartphone. Now you can’t imagine life without one. Energy will be the same.”

Giving Back, Paying It Forward

Asif’s story is one of mentorship, purpose and community — themes that continue to shape his leadership. He still lives in Gloucestershire, serves as a non-executive director at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, is Chairman of local charity organisation and has recently taken on the role of youth football coach for his youngest son’s grassroots team (FC Lakeside).

He credits his success to “meeting the right people at the right time (especially Dale) — and being ready to step up.” Now, his focus is on being that person for others.

“I’m in the prime of my leadership years,” he says. “The next chapter is about giving back. Setting the strategy. Championing meaningful change. And making sure the work we do now benefits generations to come.”

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Daisy Culver
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