Neil 's Story
Working in the fossil fuel industry
I joined Texaco UK’s Corporate Planning department in August 1987, my second serious job a couple of years after university, where I had studied politics and economics. Even then, though somewhat naively, I was already concerned about environmental issues. That awareness had deep roots. As a child, I vividly remember my parents disappearing for over a week to attend what I later learned was the first UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972. That same year, my father published one of the UK’s earliest environmental books, The New Battle of Britain.
In the late 1980s, the oil industry was viewed through a far less critical lens than today. Climate change was only just entering public consciousness, following James Hansen’s testimony to the US Congress in 1988 and Margaret Thatcher’s speech to the UN General Assembly in 1989. While oil spills and local environmental damage were recognised, the idea of an existential climate threat had not yet taken hold.
Within Texaco, I moved from Corporate Planning to Public Affairs and later to Downstream Planning. The work was varied and stimulating. Pay rises were frequent, share options generous, and younger employees were rotated regularly to broaden experience. There were also the perks, such as hosting journalists at the Texaco Trophy cricket matches. From a conventional career perspective, it was an attractive place to be.
Over time, however, as awareness grew of the industry’s role in global warming, I became increasingly uncomfortable. I found myself questioning whether I could have more impact from within the system or outside it. I even occasionally met Jeremy Leggett, by then Greenpeace’s Chief Scientist, for after-work drinks in Knightsbridge, half-jokingly plotting the downfall of the oil industry.
In the early 1990s, I decided to pursue postgraduate studies. Although I initially planned to leave Texaco, the company offered to fund a one-year MBA in International Business at Bradford University, on the condition that I returned afterwards.
When I realised it was time to leave
While at Bradford, I chose to write my dissertation on “Global warming, energy policy and implications for the oil industry.” Returning to Texaco, I felt energised and optimistic that my ideas might stimulate meaningful discussion and change.
Shortly after my return, I was invited to present to the Texaco UK Board on environmental challenges facing the company and the industry. The immediate response was encouraging. It felt as though the message had landed. However, over time it became clear that my ideas were not being welcomed at headquarters near New York. Subtle signals began filtering down that my focus should be directed elsewhere.
When a round of voluntary redundancies was announced a year or so later, I decided to take the opportunity. Leaving with some financial security, company shares and a west London flat made the transition easier, even if it also felt like benefiting from the very fossil legacy I was questioning.
What are you doing today?
Although I have never regretted leaving the oil industry, the decision was nerve-wracking at the time and felt like a leap into the unknown. I hesitated briefly, but once my redundancy was confirmed, I moved forward.
My immediate path was unconventional. I spent two years in Thailand with my girlfriend, working under the auspices of VSO. On returning to the UK, I took a short journalism course and began freelancing. It was challenging. I often spent more time chasing work and invoices than writing. Eventually, following an interview for an article, I was offered a permanent role at a non-profit organisation focused on energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
After nearly a decade at the Energy Saving Trust, I joined the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, later known as Zemo Partnership. My work gradually shifted from programme management into communications and leadership roles, with a strong focus on policy and influencing government and industry.
I was also a founder member of the Climate Clinic, set up with a group of NGOs and hosted at UK political party conferences in the mid-2000s. Over the years, I have organised countless conferences, parliamentary receptions and fringe events focused on the need for energy transition and climate action.
Parting reflections
I recently estimated that I have written more than two million words on climate and energy transition topics, many under other people’s bylines, and delivered many thousands more through talks and presentations. Much of this work has focused on practical climate solutions. Increasingly, I see the need to reframe climate change as an industrial and economic imperative, not just an environmental one.
I am aware that this can be interpreted as virtue signalling and that there are contradictions. I have flown, though rarely. I still eat meat, though less than before. I have invested in renewable energy, clean technology, home energy efficiency, solar panels and an electric car. Even so, I know my carbon footprint likely exceeds a fair global share.
At times, I worry that words are easy and ineffective, and that the real work is done by those building technologies and businesses. More often, however, I believe that societal change depends fundamentally on the stories we tell ourselves and the narratives that shape behaviour.
Looking back, I am glad of the path I took. Living and working with a sense of purpose has become increasingly important to me. In the end, the one person you always have to live with is yourself.