Beyond targets, Chris’ story

Joined 2018, UK – I started at Lightsource bp as a consultant on an initial six month contract to support the CFO on a number of defined projects. I had every intention of moving on at the end of the term, yet years later, I’m still here. In those first six months I was drawn by the energy, ambition and culture of the company, and when the offer of a full time role came about, it was one of the easiest decision I’ve had to make.

I’ve always been someone that’s looking for the next challenge once existing deliverables have been met, and Lightsource bp offered that challenge – I’d been working as a Finance Director for a listed organisation outside of London for a few years and after we’d delivered a number of M&A transactions, the role became largely compliance focused and the drive, and passion for change diminished.  When the opportunity came to join LSbp, it was abundantly clear that following bp’s investments, there were huge ambitions to take the business to the next level.  What I really think sets the business apart from others is its inclusive and collaborative culture which encourages you to seek responsibility and accountability, to identify challenges and develop solutions across the Group.  It’s an energising place to work.

I spent a lot of my career involved in major projects with immovable deadlines, incredible team ethic and constant evolution and high pressure to deliver (e.g. 2012 London Olympics).  These roles certainly prepared me for life at Lightsource bp. That’s something I definitely value about working here, the constant collaboration and camaraderie between teams. Everyone’s aligned and moving in the right direction, and we all have a significant contribution into the growth, and the pace of that growth, and play a key role in meeting the hugely ambitious targets we’ve got in front of us.

 Since joining the company, I’ve had the privilege of working with some great people to help shape our Finance team, (which is growing in terms of scale, diversity and capability), and maturing our systems, processes and controls to support the rapid growth of the business. I’m as excited to see what the future holds for Lightsource bp, as I was when I started with the business.  How will the shape of the organisation mature and evolve over the next few years to ensure we remain agile, what impact will digitisation have on the way we work, what new markets and technologies will the business be targeting to meet our 2025 targets and beyond?  The journey so far has been diverse, challenging and rewarding in equal measure but there’s a whole lot more to be excited about.

Chris Rowland, Finance Director

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