ROUNDTABLE | Net Zero Innovation to grow the economy and improve livelihoods. Hosted by UK Research and Innovation.
Net Zero Week in Parliament is openly inviting MPs and policy aides, Peers and civil servants to attend events between Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th July.
If you would like to attend this roundtable discussion, please email the host at buildingagreenfuture@ukri.org
Roundtable details:
Monday 7th July 2025 | 17:00 – 18:00 | Room N, Portcullis House.
Roundtable synopsis:
Building a green economy is a win-win endeavour for people, businesses and communities. Investment in great research and innovation enables reductions in carbon emissions while helping people to lead better lives. Our science means we know what we need to do to reach a low-carbon economy, and how to do this while delivering high-skill, high-wage jobs, warm homes, good health, better transport and smarter public services. This panel will explore how the UK’s world leading R&I ecosystem is helping to deliver a sustainable and equitable Net Zero future, driving prosperity and improving lives and livelihoods for communities across the UK.
*This event is Sponsored by Will Stone MP.
Panellists:
Professor Sir Jim McDonald GBE FREng FRSE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Strathclyde.
Professor Sir Jim McDonald is Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, Chair of Scottish Enterprise and Vice Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. President of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2019-2024, he currently holds several senior non-executive business appointments including with Scottish Power plc, the UK National Physical Laboratory and Supernode Ltd. Professor McDonald was awarded a Knighthood for Services to Education, Engineering and the Economy and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire for his Services to Engineering, to Education and to Energy.
Margarita Skarkou, Senior Principal – Private Equity Investments, DWS Group.
Margarita is a Senior Principal at DWS Infrastructure, responsible for leading the origination and execution of sustainable infrastructure investment opportunities and managing portfolio companies. She’s also a Non-Executive Credit Committee member at Innovate UK and Advisory Board member at UKRI for the Building a Green Future theme. An experienced investor into climatetech and sustainability companies across all stages, from pre seed onwards, and across several asset classes, Margarita is passionate about improving resilience and decarbonising our economy. She holds a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Edinburgh.
Rachael Owens, Co-Director, National Retrofit Hub.
Rachael Owens is co-Director of the National Retrofit Hub, a non-profit collaborative organisation that brings together those involved in the sector to enable the local delivery of retrofit at scale. Rachael is an architect, sits on the NLA Retrofit and Conservation expert panel and in 2024 won the Architects Journal AJ100 Sustainability Leader of the Year award.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, Director of the Digital Factory, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).
Stephen Fitzpatrick is Director of the Digital Factory at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and leads the UKRI-funded ReMake Value Retention Centre (RVRC), advancing circular economy practices in high-integrity sectors like transport and energy. He also serves on the UKRI Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Strategic Advisory Team for Manufacturing and Circular Economy, providing strategic guidance on national research priorities.
Attendance:
Book your attendance at this roundtable event by contacting the host at buildingagreenfuture@ukri.org
