How it all started

Over lunch in early 2019, Chris and Charlene reflected on the changing world and the need for climate and nature-friendly economies and societies. They agreed that sustainability and built environment professionals needed to step up and seize the opportunities they’d unlock when they did.
Six months later, Accelar Limited was open for business.
As a purpose-driven venture, Accelar was formed to accelerate the green transition. Covid couldn’t stop us, and the team has continued to scale up to work with more clients.

Flexibility and adaptability have been in Accelar’s DNA since day one, which is why we’ve always encouraged a hub-based / remote working model – not just for work-life balance, but to improve our environmental impact too.

As a dedicated team of specialists, we’re actively shaping and delivering on our clients’ and our own green strategies. Each member of the Accelar team directly contributes to our development and sustainability performance – because we only hire people who share our purpose.

But this is just the tip of the Accelar iceberg. To learn more, contact us today.

Our team

Chris Fry

Managing Director

Chris unlocks powerful insights and implementable solutions for our clients. His advice is based on many years’ experience in business strategy, leadership, communications and operational management. He is Chair of the Ecosystems Knowledge Network, and holds a number of other key advisory positions in relation to green finance and net zero carbon. He’s passionate about innovation, and believes collaboration makes the green transition possible.

Charlene Baker

Founder & Director

Charlene’s interest as a chartered Town Planner is the spatial impact of humans on the natural environment. Her work revolves around infrastructure and regeneration, and she’s accustomed to taking some of the most complex projects in the country and determining how to embed sustainability into the process. She is an advisor on the Sustainability West Midlands External Committee and thrives on supporting and seeing sustainability increasingly driving project, company and investment decisions.

Clare Ollerenshaw

Associate Director

Clare's area of expertise is in supporting clients to identify and seize the decarbonisation and other sustainability opportunities a circular economy can bring. She has a proven track record in stakeholder management across infrastructure and the built environment, including working with governments, local authorities, businesses and not-for-profits. Clare has a strong interest in developing partnerships to achieve impactful outcomes for all parties, and is a full Member of the Association for Project Managers.

Michael Smith

Principal Consultant

Having learnt his trade in the Financial Services sector, Michael uses data to identify trends and solutions to promote improvement. He’s an economist with expertise in green finance and climate resilience, and is experienced in risk management. He’s passionate about sustainability, and knows how to bridge the gap between the technical side of data houses and the digital dashboards that provide clarity. Michael supports on our green finance offering across adaptation, natural capital, retrofit and transport.

Rupert Oscroft

Analyst

With experience in strategic analysis, project management, and engineering, Rupert has developed a keen interest in the identification and delivery of tangible insights for stakeholders, from field to board room level. His Master’s in Chemical Engineering provides a strong technical understanding of the solutions required to accelerate the green transition. He is a passionate advocate for sustainable advancement, including the use of pioneering software and technology to maximise the benefit to end users and the wider environment.

Michael Samways

Director

Michael identifies opportunities and innovative solutions for our clients and turns them in to viable projects and programmes. This can, and has, included everything from energy efficiency retrofits for residential, commercial and public buildings, civic infrastructure such as parks, leisure and new roads, to new renewable and low carbon energy projects. Over a 25 year career Michael has developed the technical and commercial skills to produce business cases for both public and private investment.

Cara Clarke

Consultant

Cara is a recent graduate with a degree in Theoretical Physics. Her strong analytical mindset and passion for sustainability means she is equipped to address sustainability challenges with precision and dedication. Cara’s skills and interests in technology and project development enable her to develop practical and innovative solutions for clients.

Interested in joining us?

The busier and more successful we become, the more we need to grow. That’s why we’re looking to hire talented individuals who share our passion for advancing the green transition. We’re an inclusive, supportive and flexible bunch, and we value honesty and responsibility above all else. If you do too and you want to deliver long-lasting value, embrace innovation and improve the world we live in, please get in touch.