In the early 2010s, Rory O’Sullivan was living in London, and had only recently entered the energy industry after a decade in construction. He had his eye on one particular prize: an advanced nuclear fission technology, molten salt reactors, which was largely overlooked.

He says: ‘The industry was evolving rapidly, and I saw the Award as an opportunity to not only showcase my work but also to connect with like-minded professionals pushing the sector forward. Life then was fast-paced – I was focused on making an impact in nuclear energy, building relationships, and exploring ways to advance clean, reliable power solutions.’

Meanwhile, fellow winner Marek Kubik was living across the Irish Sea in Belfast, Northern Ireland, working at a thermal power plant. At the time he was an active branch member in Northern Ireland; he served as Vice Chair of the Young Professionals Network. But he knew he wouldn’t stop there.

As to his motivations for applying, Kubik reflects: ‘At an early point in your career, you seek out ways to differentiate yourself and stand out, as well as draw attention to the work you’re doing and why it’s important – the EI Awards were just such an opportunity.’

Both young men were brought together at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in November 2015. Of the night, O’Sullivan remembers: ‘The event itself was a fantastic gathering of talent and innovation from across the energy sector. I remember the moment my name was announced – it was both thrilling and humbling. It’s always an honor to be recognised by peers and industry leaders, and standing on that stage reinforced my commitment to making a meaningful contribution to the field.’

For Kubik, the most memorable part wasn’t the dinner or the event – as nice as he remembers it being – but rather the pre-Award interview. ‘I remember being asked how much battery storage we would see deployed in the UK in five years (by 2020) and I confidently said over 1 GWh, which was met with some polite smiles and incredulity. Understandable, considering I was predicting around 200 times growth in five years. I remember this clearly because my prediction ended up eerily spot on: by the end of 2020 there were 1,026 MWh of grid batteries online.’

What happened next? 
Ten years is a long time in anyone’s estimation, particularly so for two dynamic energy professionals, buoyed up by industry recognition.

O’Sullivan considers that the Award helped him personally and professionally. ‘Winning the Award was a confidence boost early in my career. It provided validation that my contributions were meaningful and encouraged me to push forward with even greater ambition. Professionally, it expanded my network significantly – I met people through the event who have remained valuable collaborators and mentors over the years.’

Another meeting was to prove fateful. Shortly after receiving the Award, he met the inventor of the Moltex technology, Dr Ian Scott, who was debating what he would do with the idea.

O’Sullivan picks up the story: ‘Seeing its potential, I brought some of the technical team I had put together to Moltex, to help develop it into what it is today. In 2018, I moved to Canada [after] we were selected by NB Power to progress the deployment of the technology there.’

Now, as CEO of Moltex Energy, he is working to validate the company’s waste recycling process to solve legacy nuclear waste challenges, with significant funding from the federal government. It’s important stuff, he points out: ‘This work has the potential to change the economics of nuclear energy while addressing one of the industry's longest-standing challenges.’

In 2015, things were also about to change for Kubik. He recalls: ‘I was thinking deeply about what the impact of the falling cost curves for wind and solar would mean for “traditional” energy businesses and how they would need to evolve to remain relevant. The work that helped me get this EI recognition back in 2015 was leading the effort to deploy the first commercial grid-scale battery energy storage project in Europe, a tiny 10 MW/5 MWh by today’s standards – but back then this was the largest operational lithium-ion project in all of EMEA.’

He moved overseas the following year to join a start-up to sell battery energy storage products and services to utilities and developers. In 2018 he helped found a joint venture with Siemens that became known as Fluence (which is in the shortlist for an award in 2025 – see Box). Fluence scaled fast into a global leader in grid-scale storage, reaching a unicorn valuation in 2021 and then a $4.7bn IPO later that year.

Having risen to Managing Director for Western Europe and Israel at Fluence, Kubik took another huge jump in late 2023, moving to Saudi Arabia to join urban development project NEOM, which is planned to be powered by 100% renewable energy. He now works in the flexibility leadership team at NEOM’s energy company, or in his words, ‘playing a key role in figuring out how to build and run a 100% renewable grid on wind, solar and batteries about 20 years faster than the rest of the world’.

Kubik praises the value of the International Energy Awards in recognising young and emerging talent.

O’Sullivan expands on that point: ‘The energy industry is undergoing a massive transformation, and young professionals bring fresh ideas, new approaches and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Recognising their contributions not only motivates individuals but also signals to the broader industry that innovation and leadership at all levels are essential for progress.’

He goes on to consider the role of membership organisations such as the Energy Institute, which he says can foster collaboration, education and influence policy. ‘As the industry faces increasing regulatory, financial and technological challenges, these organisations can help by providing clearer pathways for professional development, advocating for sound policy decisions, and creating spaces where industry leaders and emerging talent can connect. Supporting innovation and cross-sector collaboration will be key to navigating the energy transition effectively.’

The International Energy Awards return on 27 February 2025 at the QEII Centre in London.

• Further reading: ‘Winners of the 2024 International Energy Awards’. Profiles of the outstanding winners of the Energy Institute’s 2024 International Energy Awards, presented at the International Energy Week Dinner on 29 February 2024 at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London. 
• Find more about the winners of the Energy Institute’s 23rd annual awards, which highlighted the talent, innovation and expertise in a wide-ranging sector being transformed on the road to net zero.