Alex Gilbert combines his work in international finance with a busy family life – and still finds time to keep up with his old QE friends.
Alex (OE 1990–1995), who has a background in “cleantech” venture capital and low-carbon development, is an Investment Manager at Amber Green, the sustainable investment brand of the global Amber Infrastructure Group.
With a first-class degree in Economics and a Masters in Advanced Energy and Environmental Studies (Distinction) from the Centre for Alternative Technology in Powys, mid-Wales, Alex has worked in the arenas of energy and low-carbon for 16 years across investment, sales and consultancy. He joined Amber in 2011, where he was given responsibility for sourcing new investment opportunities.
He has primarily focused on Amber’s successfully deployed JESSICA Funds (funds for Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas, an initiative of the European Commission developed with the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank), which include the London Energy Efficiency Fund (LEEF) and the Scottish Partnership for Regeneration in Urban Centres (SPRUCE). “Amber is the Fund Manager for £200m of capital across three of these sustainable investment vehicles, which match government money with private-sector capital to deliver public infrastructure, regeneration and green energy projects across the UK.”
His work involves investment opportunity origination, transaction execution and compliance reporting. Alex is responsible for project management, pipeline development and asset management. He is also in regular communication with London’s developers and sponsors of district heating, energy efficiency and renewables schemes.
Married with a daughter aged seven and a four-year-old son, Alex enjoys sport and travel. He has run and captained two football club and twice represented Great Britain in the European Maccabi Games – the largest Jewish sports event in the continent. He is also a regular and competitive cyclist and triathlete, as well as being a fully qualified nutritionist, with an Advanced Diploma in Nutrition.
He regularly speaks at national and international industry seminars on energy and has given his time and expertise to assess opportunities for the Social Enterprise Investment Fund of Big Issue Invest, the social investment arm connected to The Big Issue street newspaper.
“I am still very much in contact with my school-mates,” says Alex. In fact, he has met fellow OEs several times during the autumn, adding: “We have our next ‘QE Exiles’ quarterly drinks on December 22nd.”
Alex has recently re-established contact with the School, visiting Headmaster Neil Enright and coming to this term’s Year 11 Careers Convention as one of the OEs giving careers advice to boys and their parents.