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Jonathan Woodthorpe of nPower answers Barker's Dozen

Date: 06 February 2014

This week we're loving Waddle and dropping a sleeper.
Jonathan Woodthorpe, head of e-mobility at nPower

1. What was your first job?

A Saturday job doing maintenance at a Debenhams store.

 

2. What was your first company car?

A black Vauxhall Astra 1.8 CDi. There must have been about six in the car park at work - very popular in its day.

 

3. What did you listen to on your last car journey?

I'd like to say some cool music, but alas it was actually the Radio 4 Today programme. How times change as you get older!

 

4. What one thing do you wish you could do better?

Play football - I've always struggled to apply any kind of skill. At school I was always put in defence and just used sheer presence to win the ball. Not pretty!

 

5. What's your biggest achievement?

Developing a clear strategy for e-mobility in the UK with executive board endorsement.

 

6. Who are your role models?

My childhood hero was Chris Waddle. He had all the footballing skill I didn't have, although his penalty taking has a lot to be desired.

 

7.  What's the stupidest thing you've done?

Asking my wife to help carry a railway sleeper through the house into the back garden. After two yards she let go under the weight and it nearly crashed through the kitchen floor.  With no other help at hand I had to place pipes under the sleeper and roll it across the floor. 

 

8. What was the most hotly debated topic at your last meeting?

Product development. In the EV market there are a lot of different business models and incentive schemes emerging, so deciding which products to develop when clear business cases are not always proven can create good debate.

 

9. What's in your garage?

To be honest all the usual stuff: bikes, ladders, tools, paints, a sledge. Oh, and, of course, a beer fridge!

 

10. What's the worst thing about your job?

Ironically for someone in the transport sector it's probably travel. or to be more precise, getting held up on the motorway network.

 

11. What one law would you make or change?

Sod's Law. If you think it's going to happen, it usually does.

 

12. What keeps you awake at night?

Will Sheffield Wednesday ever make it back to the top flight of football?

 

13. Who is your ideal celebrity date?

I think Penelope Cruz because we both share a passion for electric vehicles.

FACTFILE
 
Name: Jonathan Woodthorpe
Company: nPower
Job title: Head of e-mobility
Home town: Leeds
Family: Married with one child
Age: 41
Sum up your company in 13 words or fewer: nPower, part of the RWE Group, is a leading integrated UK energy company.

 



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