Robert Matthews has worked for Forest Research in the UK for over 35 years, where currently he serves as a Science Group Leader. He and his team have a track record of research into the core forestry subjects of mensuration, growth and yield, and have produced the standard guides on forest mensuration procedures and yield prediction that are widely used in the UK forest sector.
Robert’s team are also engaged in research into the carbon and greenhouse gas balances of forests and wood product supply chains, and the roles of forests, forest management and wood products in climate change mitigation. They have published numerous studies on the carbon impacts of managing forests to produce biomass and bioenergy, undertaken for stakeholders including the UK Government, European Commission, environmental NGOs and biomass industries. These have included several assessments of options for policy incentive frameworks and forest carbon accounting systems to support forest management for climate change mitigation and the sustainable use of forest biomass.
Robert has contributed to IPCC Good Practice Guidance on preparing greenhouse gas inventories, serving as a Lead Author (wood products) and Review Editor (representation of land). He is also a Lead Author of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (Working Group III, Mitigation Pathways Compatible with Long-Term Goals).
Shauna is the Founding Director at the consultancy The Forest Link. She is a Forester and sustainability expert with more than 15 years working in cross-continental sustainable forest management, global forest investment management, and agricultural development with an expertise in tropical developing countries. She has worked for one of the world’s leading forest investment companies, as well as with several forest industry companies.
Shauna first studied as a Forester at the University of British Columbia, and since has earned a double Master of Science in Agricultural Development from the University of Copenhagen, and Tropical Forest Management from the Technical University of Dresden, and advanced project management training from Implement Consulting Group.
Contribution and experience
Kim is a Professional Engineer with over 25 years of broad international experience in the oil and gas, nuclear, hydropower, and mining sectors. Most recently, Kim was the Chief Operating Officer of the Cahill Group, one of Canada’s largest multi-disciplinary construction companies. Prior to joining the Cahill Group in 2013, Kim held a variety of progressive leadership roles from engineering design through to construction, commissioning, production operations and offshore field development with Petro-Canada (now Suncor Energy Inc.).
Kim is currently Board chair of Major Drilling International Inc. and a non-executive director of Pan American Silver Corp. Kim is also a founding member of Makwa-Cahill Limited Partnership, a nuclear qualified indigenous fabrication company. Kim is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree and an MBA. She also holds the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation & Diligent Climate Leadership certification. She is a graduate of the Rotman-Institute of Corporate Directors Education Program and was awarded her ICD.D designation.
Throughout her career, Kim has made significant engineering and project management contributions to complex major projects in the Canadian, Norwegian and UK energy sectors, bringing a wealth of strategy, operational leadership, and technical expertise to her roles. She has a deep appreciation and insight into the value of inclusive community partnerships particularly with indigenous groups and has held numerous volunteer leadership roles, including serving as Co-Chair of the 2025 Canada Games, Vice Chair of Memorial University’s Board of Regents, Vice Chair of the Marine Institute Advisory Committee, Chair of the Rhodes Scholarship selection committee and Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade.
Appointment to the Board:
October 2021
Board Committees:
- Chair of the Remuneration Committee
External appointments:
- Major Drilling International Inc (Non-Executive Director)
- Pan American Silver Corp (Non-Executive Director)
Contribution and experience
Erika’s extensive experience, gained from over 30 years working in global organisations, enables the delivery of change and growth in complex, world-leading businesses. Her broad knowledge has been built serving various parts of the chemicals industry, across a range of sectors from plastics, petrochemicals, agriculture and pharma.
Erika previously served as Senior Vice President Chemical Intermediates and Oxyfuels at multi-national chemical company LyondellBasell. Erika was also previously Senior Vice President at BASF Corporation, where she led the North American Chemical Intermediates business. Erika held other senior executive roles with BASF, covering manufacturing and production, engineering, strategy, and commercial business management. Passionate about STEM and DEI, she actively supports community workforce development programs, as well as a range of diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Erika sits on a variety of College of Engineering Advisory Boards, including those for the University of Houston and the Georgia Institute of Technology. She serves as a Board Trustee for The Chatfield Edge, a scholarship foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council, a non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate the development of black executives to C-Suite positions. Erika holds a BSc in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Houston.
Appointment to the Board:
October 2021
Board Committees:
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
Penny joined Drax in 2018 as Chief Transformation Officer, ensuring best practice is applied across our transformation programmes and overseeing HR, Legal, Company Secretariat, Property and Facilities, Physical and Cyber Security as well as Strategy and M&A. In December 2023, Penny was appointed as the Group’s Interim Chief Operating Officer.
Penny has spent her entire 30+ year career in the energy industry in a variety of roles in a number of different companies, including time with Engie as Director of Asset Optimisation and Digital, GDF Suez as EVP Strategy & Communications and International Power Limited as Director of Global Resources.
She also held business development roles at National Power and BG Group, and financial and commercial roles with BP. Penny has lived in both the United Arab Emirates and Thailand during her career.
Appointment to the Executive Committee:
Hillary has extensive experience heading up legal teams in the energy sector, having previously served in similar roles for ENGIE and International Power. She has acted as General Counsel for businesses located in the UK, US, Africa, Turkey and Continental Europe. During her career she has also advised on M&A transactions, power generation development and financing, and disputes.
Appointment to the Executive Committee:
As Drax expands its global presence and identifies international opportunities the role of our commercial teams becomes even more important. Maximising the value of the biomass and renewable power produced from the Drax portfolio is achieved through three key functions; the Biomass Sales and Customer Logistics function which manages the supply of our Biomass products to our large customers across Europe and Asia, the Trading and Optimisation function which trades and manages the fuel and power commodity in the UK energy markets, and the Customers business which supplies renewable energy and decarbonisation services to our large portfolio of business customers in the UK.
These three areas come together under Paul’s leadership and are aligned to deliver the Drax purpose and ambition, to be carbon negative by 2030, and enabling a zero-carbon, lower cost energy future. Together, they support a renewable energy system and support businesses to achieve their commercial and sustainability goals through the use of Biomass and renewable energy services. Biomass Sales to third parties is an important function in this as we seek new markets and opportunities for bioenergy and sustainable biomass globally.
Paul joined Drax as Chief Operating Officer, Haven Power, in May 2017, bringing extensive experience of the energy sector, across trading and retail over a 20+year career.
Appointment to the Executive Committee:
Matt White is Executive Vice President with Drax, where he leads the Pellet business. At the beginning of 2020, Matt joined Drax from Rockwater Energy, where he was Director, Manufacturing & Engineering. Matt’s 30+ year career has been in manufacturing management helping organizations grow and adapt to change, while increasing safety and efficiency by developing high-performing teams. Matt holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has worked in a number of sectors including Air Products and Chemicals, and Solvay.
Appointment to the Executive Committee:
Forest Research works for and with UK government departments and devolved administrations, forestry and land management stakeholders, environmental NGO’s, the European Union and internationally.
Forest Research’s objectives include:
- Providing evidence and expertise to inform the development and delivery of UK and European forestry related policies
- Providing innovative applied research, development, monitoring, scientific services, forestry data services and professional training to UK, European and international forestry stakeholders
- Facilitating knowledge exchange directly, and/or in partnership with others, to UK, European and international audiences
- Working in partnership with others to promote the development and uptake of tree and forest science expertise
Forest Research’s work is founded on the principle that research and evidence are central to informed policy-making and sustainable land management practices. Its priorities are to provide the science and evidence to: protect its trees and forests; enhance forest ecosystem resilience and service provision; ensure sustainable management and adaptation of its forests to climate change; effect knowledge exchange and; grow its business.
Forest Research has joined Drax’s Independent Advisory Board on Sustainable Biomass as an ex-officio observer, in which Robert Matthews is currently in position. This means it participates fully in the activities of the board but plays no role in shaping recommendations to Drax.
