Logica hires smart grid expert
Logica, a leading IT and business services provider, has hired utilities technology specialist Paul King as their principal management consultant to provide clients with strategic guidance on smart grids.
King will also support Logica’s delivery of new technologies for Australia’s energy retailers and distributors. These innovative technologies include in-home display units, SCADA, distribution and outage management, asset management and smart metering.
Representing the Australian operation with Logica’s global utilities innovation centre and council in Europe, King will also drive Logica’s partner program to select and secure key industry alliances that will accelerate the delivery of new solutions and services for energy and utilities clients.
“The energy industry is undergoing a major transformation,” explains Hugh Bickerstaff, Managing Director, Solutions, Logica. “Innovation is driving rapid change across the sector as energy distributors and retailers look to emerging technologies to meet consumers’ increased energy demands and the use of renewable energy sources.”
“The new technologies entering the marketplace will create significant challenges for energy companies as they need to build an infrastructure that supports two-way data flows in real-time, the management of new devices like smart meters and the analysis of vast increases in data.”
“On top of these challenges, our clients are increasingly looking at the management of renewable energy sources. They will rely on strong support from companies like Logica that have both technological expertise and an inherent understanding of the sector,” said Bickerstaff.
Logica launched the results of Australia’s first Smart Grid Industry Study late last year. Interviewing executives from across Australia’s energy distribution companies, the study revealed that 100% of energy companies interviewed were committed to delivering smart grids.
King is enthusiastic about the market opportunity for Logica. “Globally the energy industry is at an inflexion point, where consumer expectations have driven both government policy and utility investment into areas that only a few years ago would have been considered blue sky. We expect to see a whole series of new opportunities as local utilities look to roll out a number of exciting consumer-focused technologies, such as home networks, electric vehicles and distributed generation.”
Logica has participated in many of the most innovative energy projects across the globe, including:
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The roll out of one of the world’s first smart grid infrastructures as part of the government-led consortium in Portugal with EDP
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Launched a customer portal to engage the community with a competition to reduce energy consumption with Vaxjo, Veab in Sweden
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Implemented a solution for 10,000 charging stations for electric cars in the Netherlands
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Deployed real-time management systems for wind farms in Portugal and the US
“Logica is well positioned to support the industry through this change particularly with the convergence of the operational network and IT infrastructures. It is the only services organisation with expertise across both, as well a deep understanding of the local market with over 30 years’ experience servicing Australia’s energy and utilities industries,” said King.
King brings over 20 years’ of broad based utility industry experience in change leadership, business development and strategic consulting for both utilities and technology companies servicing the sector. He has experience working across Asia, US, Europe and Australia. Previous roles include senior positions at TXU, Mitsui Babcock and more recently Honeywell.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Logica:
Logica is a business and technology service company, employing 39,000 people. It provides business consulting, systems integration and outsourcing to clients around the world, including many of Europe's largest businesses. Logica creates value for clients by successfully integrating people, business and technology. It is committed to long term collaboration, applying insight to create innovative answers to clients’ business needs. Logica is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and Euronext (Amsterdam) (LSE: LOG; Euronext: LOG).More information is available at www.logica.com.
Press contacts
Daya Lichtenstein – Primary Communication
Ph: 02 9212 3888
Email: dlichtenstein@primary-pr.com
