Lee Brandie

Entrepreneurial board level executive with over 25 years founding, running and exiting businesses across energy, brand and digital marketing, and hospitality.

Currently

Founder and Chief Executive of Storm Renewables Ltd, leading OpenGrid, a platform that lets households and businesses trade energy directly with each other, Storm Energy, a solar, battery storage and EV charging consultancy, and Brandie AI, an AI strategy consultancy, while advising RG Electrical on building its renewables division. Track record includes taking Global E&C's strategy and business development function from the ground up through to the company's sale to SCF Partners in 2023, and founding and running Wired Studio, a growth agency spanning Aberdeen and London. Now seeking non executive, interim, flexible or full time director level appointments where that breadth of founder, growth and strategy experience adds value.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Storm Renewables Ltd (2024-03 – Present)

Trading as OpenGrid, Storm Energy and Brandie AI. Founded the group to build OpenGrid, a platform enabling households and businesses to trade energy directly with each other, currently progressing through the regulatory steps toward an Ofgem supply licence.

• Built Storm Energy into a working consultancy delivering solar PV, battery storage and EV charging infrastructure for commercial and residential clients
• Launched Brandie AI, an AI strategy and implementation consultancy
• Retained concurrently as renewables consultant to RG Electrical (Scotland) Ltd, an established Aberdeen family run electrical contractor, building its solar PV, EV charging and green technology division from scratch
• Uses AI extensively across the group for financial modelling and the operational work that used to take the most time

Strategy and Business Development Director at Global E&C, later Nexos (2019-03 – 2023-11)

Progressed through four roles in under five years: Marketing and Business Development Consultant, Business Development Manager, Head of Strategy and Business Development, then Strategy and Business Development Director.

• Built and led the strategy, business development and marketing function
• Part of the leadership team through the process that led to the company's sale to SCF Partners, now operating as D2Zero, in late 2023

Founder and Managing Director at Wired Studio (2012-05 – 2019-01)

Founded and built a growth agency delivering brand strategy, design and digital marketing for clients across Aberdeen and London.

• Grew the business across two markets over nearly seven years before a full exit in January 2019

Founder and Managing Director at Muchacho (2015-09 – 2023-04)

Founded and ran Aberdeen's first Mexican street food brand for almost eight years alongside other executive roles.

• Launched pop up community events through the pandemic lockdowns to keep the business and its community going

Commercial Director at Libra Business Development (2011-01 – 2013-06)

• Helped client businesses sharpen their marketing and business development strategy and go to market propositions

Business Manager at Space Solutions (2005-02 – 2010-12)

• Grew the Relocations and Operations division
• Created the Facilities Management division from a standing start and scaled it to more than £3 million in revenue within two years

Founder and Managing Director at Be Media (2002-01 – 2005-12)

Founded and ran an advertising and digital marketing agency combining traditional design principles with early digital marketing and media buying.

Business Development Manager at ServiceMaster (1998-09 – 2002-03)

Business development role within the UK arm of the global cleaning and restoration franchise network.