British executives lack the skills to lead the way

The Sunday Times
January 18, 2009

Andrew Molony, founder of Greenjobs.co.uk
GREEN JOBS are the fastest-growing part of the market – it’s where everyone wants to work at the moment. The appeal is partly cultural; you can work in this area, have a social conscience and be seen as progressive. More importantly, it is stable. Nobody expects the bubble to burst.
At the executive level, Britain is lagging behind. British executives don’t have the skills in this area to take the top jobs and we are seeing a lot of them going to people from Scandinavia and other parts of Europe where they are about 15 years ahead of us. The experience they have in terms of corporate thinking, and at an engineering level in renewable energy, just can’t be replicated in Britain.
For executives who want to move over to work in the green sector it’s crucial that they demonstrate some kind of commitment to environmental issues. If you go for an interview, you will be asked. Use the skills you have and pair them up with a proven green track record.