Rewriting the rules, Emilie’s story

Joined 2017, USA – I jumped at the opportunity to join Lightsource bp because I had a chance to work with friends and create a new type of US solar developer. While Lightsource bp was a well-established company in the UK, the US organization was starting from scratch, which meant building a brand and customer base, a project portfolio, and a highly efficient team. Coming from large corporations, I was excited to join a lean and highly entrepreneurial team, and have enjoyed working with them to define and execute on our US growth strategy.

As part of creating Lightsource bp’s US organization, I’ve been able to shape my own role and my team’s scope. To successfully develop a new business in this established US solar industry, we had to think creatively. For instance, my business development team’s scope goes beyond sales and origination and also includes M&A, power marketing, wholesale market operations, and strategy. We are nimble and adapt with the market. Often, these functions are siloed and have conflicting priorities, but integrating them introduced opportunity and efficiency. We are customer centric and flex to meet their needs. We provide the products customers want versus pushing products to customer and convincing them they want them.

The US has benefited from the unwavering support and great partnership with our UK leadership and bp. They provided us the flexibility to be unique. We hired seasoned US industry experts, who have incorporated lessons learned over long careers. We have not been encumbered by this is “how it’s always done” and instead say “this is how it was done, and therefore this is how we will do it at Lightsource bp”.

We have built an amazing team, it’s smart and fast-moving and fun. We are real people, who are dedicated to making a positive difference for our community through safe, reliable solar development and operations. I am proud to work at Lightsource bp and have enjoyed growing within the organization. There is never a shortage of work. If you are eager to take on more, more is always available. Lightsource bp is a company where, if you demonstrate your capability and eagerness to support the company’s success, you will be given the chance to write your own ticket.

Emilie Wangerman, Senior Vice President, Business Development, USA