About Us

Oil — has there ever been a more contentious substance? Stop using it and economic chaos and societal collapse would follow within days, leading to mass human casualties. Carry on using it as we are, and climate impacts will wreak havoc, threatening economic and societal collapse with mass casualties within decades.

So where does this leave those of us who have made careers of supplying fossil fuels? Well, it’s complicated.

The Life After Oil project is born from that conundrum.

We are a collaboration of people with deep experience across the oil industry. Some made a conscious decision to leave more than thirty years ago; others still work in different parts of the oil and gas supply chain. Our community spans four continents and includes engineers, geologists and traders, alongside accountants, HR professionals and sales staff. Each has arrived at their own answer to the question of what role they want to play in helping shape the future.

We hope Life After Oil helps you confront the same question that everyone in our community has wrestled with: should I stay, or should I go?

Core team

Nick Smith

Nick grew up with the scent of kerosene and coal dust in the air and continues work to support the supply of essential fuels via Fuel Oil News, a trade title founded by his father. He’s been passionate about transition for many years, running his first environmental group in 1990. He runs a recruitment business that started nearly 30 years ago in the oil industry and is now focussed on the low carbon energy sector. Nick is the initiator of Life After Oil.

Guy Mansfield

Guy spent 25 years at a major energy company working across multiple continents. He transitioned from a career-driven role as Deputy CFO to become a board advisor and climate coach. His work now supports organisations focused on renewable energy and climate infrastructure.

Jo Alexander

Jo spent two separate periods at bp, leaving first after 11 years in 2015 and again in 2023 after a further three years. She now works as a freelance consultant in the NGO sector and is an aspiring author. Jo no longer believes profit-led businesses can drive systemic change and advocates for a slower, more considered way of living.

Neil Wallis

Neil began his career in the oil industry in the late 1980s at Texaco UK, working across planning, government affairs and downstream economics. He left the sector in the mid-1990s and built a career in communications. His work now focuses on energy transition and transport decarbonisation, shaping narratives that influence policy and public action.

Helena Farstad

Helena began her career at Uniqema, an ICI subsidiary, in 2003 before moving into the financial sector in 2008. She left corporate life in 2010 and continues to challenge what she sees as a harmful neoliberal economic system. Her work reflects an ongoing effort to untangle from structures she believes are socially and environmentally destructive.

Rhian Burge

Rhian is a highly experienced Marketing & Operations leader across recruitment, publishing, and specialist consultancy. She has led marketing strategy and delivery for multiple trade publications focused on the energy transition and renewables.

Advisors

Jackie Rothwell

Jackie spent nearly eleven years at BP building a career across major fossil fuel projects. She later worked on low-carbon and New Energy teams before she stepped away in order to work more directly on climate solutions. She now applies her experience to industrial decarbonisation efforts at Carbon Direct working towards credible net-zero outcomes.

Samantha Cooper

Samantha spent over 20 years at BP trading across products and regions, ultimately leading the Global Petrochemical Feedstock Trading book. She left the industry in 2015 to become a Director at Business Declares. Her work is driven by a commitment to sustainable living, social equity and climate action.

Russell Smith

Russell joined BP as a Geologist in 1981 and left in 2020 as Vice President of Global Projects. He now works as a freelance projects consultant for energy transition companies, governments and not-for-profits. His focus is on accelerating solutions to the climate crisis.

Caroline Dennett

Caroline Dennett spent over a decade working in the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry as a safety culture consultant, supporting frontline workers to improve safety in high-risk operations. In 2022, she publicly resigned her contract with Shell plc after concluding that the company’s climate pledges were fundamentally at odds with its actions. She now works across clean energy, social research and environmental justice, supporting communities, holding polluters to account and helping others navigate values-led career transitions.

Charlie Rickett

Charlie joined BP in 2014 as a project engineer and spent 11 years progressing to manage offshore wind projects. He is now a Package Manager at JERA Nex bp, a 50:50 joint venture between JERA Co. and bp. His role focuses on unlocking the potential of offshore wind energy.

Arjan Keizer

Arjan joined Shell in 2018 and left seven years later to co-found the climate movement Employees for Our Future. The group supports professionals calling for greater urgency in the energy transition. Arjan has also co-filed a Shell shareholder resolution demanding transparency on future profitability as oil and gas demand declines.

Our Supporters

Business Declares

Business Declares is a not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to inspire, encourage and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological and social emergency - the “polycrisis”.

Eleven

Eleven is a trusted recruitment partner in the global energy transition. What started in 1998 with a focus on oil and gas has transformed into a commitment to driving progress in renewable energy and alternative technology.

Fuel Oil News

The leading platform for the UK & Ireland fuel distribution industry. We champion the transition to a fossil-free future, while addressing immediate industry needs. Supporting Today. Shaping Tomorrow.