Graham Cooley | |
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Born | 1964 |
Nationality | British |
Education | BSc (Hons), PhD, MBA |
Alma mater | University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, Brunel University, University of Bradford, University of Oxford |
Occupation | Entrepreneur & Investor |
Father | Mike Cooley |
Graham Cooley PhD (born 1964) is a British entrepreneur and investor, known for his contributions to energy storage and hydrogen technologies. [1] [2] Over a career spanning more than 35 years serving as leader in notable British companies, Cooley played a significant role in the advancement of sustainable energy technologies. [3]
Graham Cooley was born in Slough, England in 1964 to Mike Cooley, an engineer, writer, and trade union leader and Shirley Cooley, a physics teacher. [4] He studied physics at the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology (now Cardiff University), earning a BSc (Hons) in 1985. [5] He completed his PhD in Materials Physics at Brunel University in 1989, where he currently holds an honorary professorship. [2] Cooley later pursued an MBA at the University of Bradford and a Diploma in Managing Innovation from the University of Oxford. [5]
Cooley began his professional career at the Central Electricity Research Laboratory (CERL) in Leatherhead in 1989, working as an R&D Manager. [6] Following the privatisation of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) in 1990, he joined National Power PLC, where he contributed to the development of the Regenesys energy storage technology. [7] He later served as Business Development Manager at both National Power and International Power PLC. [7]
In 2000, Cooley was appointed CEO of Antenova. [8] During his leadership, Antenova secured £9.4 million in venture capital funding and expanded its wireless communication product offerings before it was later acquired by discoverIE in 2021. [9]
Cooley subsequently became CEO of Metalysis in 2003, a University of Cambridge spin-out company. [7] From 2007 to 2009, Cooley led Sensortec, Universal Sensors, and Cawood PLC, focusing on industrial diagnostics and biosensor technologies. [7]
In 2009, Cooley was appointed CEO of ITM Power PLC, a manufacturer of electrolysers for green hydrogen production. [10] Cooley served as a member of the UK Government’s Hydrogen Advisory Council and chaired the ESG Committee at RenewableUK. [2]
Since 2023, Cooley has held several non-executive roles, including Director at Cadent Gas and Board Member of the Cadent Foundation. [2] He currently works at Light Science Technologies Holdings Plc, as Non-Executive Chairman from 2024, [11] and CAP-XX Ltd ., as Chairman from 2025. [12]
Cooley holds the title of Honorary Professor at Brunel University, London. [2] He is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET), and the Energy Institute (FEI). [2] He received the Bessemer Society Lifetime Fellowship Award [2] and has been named multiple times in the GreenFleet 100 list recognising his contributions to the decarbonisation of transport. [13]
Cooley divides his time between Yorkshire and Oxfordshire, where he lives with his wife and daughter.