Meet our people

Rokas Labokas’ career path as the operations manager at Gren Klaipėda is closely intertwined with the company. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Klaipėda University, Rokas took a tour of the former Fortum Klaipėda, sparking his interest in waste management and energy fields.

“I knew there was a waste-to-energy plant in Klaipėda, but my imagination painted a grim picture with lots of garbage and bad smells. However, during the tour led by my current colleague, Tomas Danyla, I was impressed by the tidy surroundings, advanced technology, and modern equipment, especially the control panel. Right after the tour, I felt compelled to contribute to the work being done at this plant,” says the Klaipėda native.

During his university internship, Rokas applied directly to Gren Klaipėda by delivering a motivational letter to the security post. Within a few weeks, he received an invitation to discuss internship opportunities. Once again, the company’s communication culture stood out to the young student – straightforwardness, clarity, and an open invitation to take on tasks rather than merely waiting out the internship. Ramūnas Jakovlevas, the laboratory and work safety engineer at Gren Klaipėda, became Rokas’ first mentor at the plant, introducing him to the company’s structure, operations, and relevant legal regulations.

Rokas recalls that his two-month internship went smoothly. Colleagues invited him to join them for lunch and after-work meetings, and he received valuable advice and assistance in completing his tasks. After finishing his internship, he enrolled in a master’s program in Kaunas. However, shortly after the academic year began, he received a significant call offering him a position at Gren Klaipėda.

“For a year, I worked as a mechanic-diagnostician despite not being the best mechanic myself (laughs). However, my colleagues noticed I handled ‘Excel’ better than a wrench. I am incredibly grateful to the mechanics’ team – Algimantas, Viktoras, and Artūras – for introducing me to the equipment and actively involving me in the repair department. Later, I participated in a process engineer job competition and emerged victorious. That’s when I truly understood the machinery and delved into the plant’s processes. It felt like I had just begun, but the opportunity to become the operations manager arose within a year. Many found it surprising due to my young age, but the plant manager, Donatas, took a chance on me, and I hope I haven’t let him down,” Rokas shares his career journey.

He expresses immense gratitude to the entire team, which treated him not as a student but as a colleague from the start, entrusting him with significant responsibilities and patiently answering his numerous questions. Being embraced as an equal colleague by his peers warmed his heart.

As the operations manager, Rokas’ mornings consist of reviewing production schedules, assessing the plant’s situation, and ensuring production stays on track. He oversees a team of 16 individuals, strategizing to meet production targets and emission standards. This involves both short-term and long-term planning and active participation in meetings. However, there are times when unforeseen issues arise, disrupting the schedule and requiring immediate attention.

Quoting Lithuanian singer Andrius Mamontovas, Rokas jests, “As long as there are first times, you’re young.” He emphasizes that working in the operational management team keeps one on their toes, as each day brings new challenges.

Advising others who would like to join Gren, Rokas highlights several core values of the company. Despite wishing for a world without garbage, he acknowledges the reality of increasing consumption and waste. However, he finds pride in Gren Klaipėda’s multifaceted approach to waste management, which includes generating heat and electricity for Klaipėda. He understands that waste-to-energy conversion may not be universally accepted but feels content knowing he’s doing his best for the environment.

Rokas also notes Gren Klaipėda’s departure from outdated management models, embracing a Scandinavian work ethos of trying, learning from mistakes, and fostering innovation. Unlike other companies where employees are mere titles, Gren Klaipėda fosters a familial atmosphere where colleagues are known by name, not just their roles.

Margo Külaots, who is heading Gren in Estonia, marks 30 years of working with us on July 1st. Although our company wasn’t called Gren in 1994, Margo feels like he’s been part of six different companies in the past three decades. “I think that every new company has taught me something new and given me the chance to grow. Each phase has been different and has enriched me with valuable experience. Every change in a company is like a milestone where you see how the market appreciates the company,” he says, noting that last 3 years in Gren has been more focused on enhancing the company’s value and growth. And a nice fact is that Gren also has its anniversary at the beginning of July.

Margo’s career in the energy sector was a coincidence as he was studying economic cybernetics at the University of Tartu in the early 1990s. “Newly independent Estonia faced hard times, with scarcity of everything, including fuel for cars and boilers. I remember learning mathematics in the university’s computer center with our coats on because there was no fuel for district heating. So, the switch of district heating from fuel oil and gas to local fuels—wood and peat—started. Tiit Veeber, one of the project leaders, asked me to join this change. The fuel switch program was funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, and by the time the boilers were to be changed, fuel contracts had to be made, fuels had to be bought, and supply logistics set up. This was my responsibility. At first, I hesitated because I had no knowledge of this field and banking was the trendy career choice at the time, with job offers in that sector waiting. Finally, I agreed because Tiit had only seen peat in his neighbor’s shed, and knowing the emerging market economy was said to be more important. Besides, it was a pioneering project for the Estonian energy sector,” Margo says. Margo studied economic cybernetics at the University of Tartu, but law and architecture were also possible options. “I believe that it’s not enough to just attend university once in your twenties and then coast through the rest of your life on that knowledge. I’ve always tried to learn something new from time to time. I’ve furthered my education at the New Energy Business School in the Netherlands, learning about new energy solutions, and four years ago, I earned a second master’s degree in ‘Digital Transformation in Enterprise’ from Tallinn University of Technology’s IT faculty. Sometimes I think I should have studied architecture as well,” he jokes. Margo believes in always reading more books for self-education, but he’s not the type of person to be overly inspired by a single book and rush to implement its ideas in real life.

Margo is proud of his professional achievements. He is pleased that he managed to procure fuel and ensure supplies for the converted boilers and moved fuel purchasing to an energy-content basis. Starting peat production from scratch, obtaining mining permits, preparing peat fields, buying equipment, and beginning production was a significant effort. Over the years, two biofuel-powered cogeneration plants have been built with his involvement, which were among the first in Estonia. The district cooling systems in Tartu and Pärnu were also the first in the Baltics, and the heat storage facility completed in Tartu in the fall of 2023 was the first in Estonia.

Those who do a lot, achieve a lot. As a top executive in a modern company, Margo often works in different locations and doesn’t have a typical workday. “My workdays are most similar in the mornings. I get up quite early and start working early as well. Early morning is a good, quiet time. I believe that every day should have a certain amount of laziness and time to think, it creates creativity—you start thinking and inventing ways to make life easier or more interesting,” he says.

Margo has adapted his management styles over the years. He dislikes micromanagement and likes some order in daily tasks, to avoid getting stuck and having to make new decisions every time.
He says, “I became a company leader right after university, but there were only two of us in that company, so we had to handle everything ourselves. This experience gave me a solid foundation—I knew how to get things done, but on the other hand, it didn’t teach me how to delegate. I’ve had to learn delegation to prevent exhaustion. I think the most important thing as a leader is to stay human.”

Margo acknowledges that stressful work periods require the ability to switch off. He values simple hobbies because they don’t require special preparation. He enjoys walking and cycling, often biking to work. Additionally, he listens to a wide variety of music and is interested in art collecting, gardening, and architecture.

He advises new and future colleagues to assess whether the company’s values and goals align with their own. This, he says, is extremely important because one should believe in the company’s mission and principles. “Working against your own beliefs is very tough, so it’s better if they match from the start. I believe that work and activities should have a broader purpose than just making money,” he states.

“Since I started my career at Gren, I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience that has fostered my professional growth. From an intern to a district heating engineer – each day at Gren has been a valuable and exciting journey!”

Līga Benīte took her first steps in Gren as an intern in 2017. She was a student passionate about engineering and energy industry and Gren seemed the right company to learn more and develop her skills.

Līga’s sincere interest and hard-working nature was noticed and appreciated by her colleagues. After the internship, Gren offered Liga a project assistant role that she could do in parallel with her undergraduate studies.

“That was my steppingstone. Being an assistant for an experienced project engineer gave me a lot of experience and deeper understanding of the whole process, e.g., how district heating system works, how customers are connected to the network, and what is the most important – how to improve heat energy supply to our customers. During this time, I also participated in the process of improving the map of Jelgava district heating network.”

From that project onwards, Liga was entrusted with different tasks that fostered her professional growth and Gren team became an integral part of her learning journey. In parallel with her master’s degree studies at the university,

Līga worked as a secretary at Gren’s biomass CHP plant in Jelgava, substituting a colleague on a maternity leave.

“In my opinion it was a very valuable experience. During this time, I learnt more about the work of other colleagues, got a deeper insight and better understanding about different processes and activities of other Gren companies, and even was involved in some cross-boarder projects.”

Today, Liga works as a district heating engineer. Her task is to implement LeanHeat Network program, which aims to optimize the district heating system of Jelgava city by modeling different situations in the network.

“My task is very important for our customers. I need to calculate and model how decreased network temperatures would impact our end-customers — it’s challenging, but it’s where improvements can be made.”

But it’s not just the technical aspects that Līga cherishes. It’s the heartwarming team spirit at Gren. Speaking about her favorite memories, Līga recalls: “Updating district heating network maps and schemes was special. I learned so much from the project engineer, starting from better understanding our customers’ needs to building network connections. All the way it felt like a teamwork in the truest sense.”

This sense of unity, of mutual respect and friendship, defines Līga’s experience at Gren. “We are more than colleagues; we are like a family. We help each other and brainstorm together, and there’s always someone to lend a hand or share a laugh. That’s the Gren team spirit.”

For those who would like to join Gren, Liga’s advice is simple: “Come with an open heart and a curious mind. Here, you won’t just learn about the energy industry; you’ll experience it on a global scale. Gren isn’t just a company; it’s a family that teaches and supports you on the way.”

“I am motivated to start new projects and see where they lead. I hope this will continue so that we can witness the ongoing trend of growth at Gren.”

Sakari Imelainen completed his studies in technology at Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland, jokingly referring to it as the last millennium – in 1999. During his studies, he interned at Fortum and later joined the company as a business economics engineer. Initially, Sakari prepared and submitted monthly reports for the power plants in Finland, delving into the company’s financial perspectives. After two years, he transitioned fully into the finance sector, becoming the controller for the heat business unit.

“When Fortum made a strategic decision to expand into the Baltic and other foreign countries, I moved to the investment department to work as a project manager, developing new projects in Finland, the Baltic region, Poland, and Sweden. Project development included a wide range of duties, including financial modelling, assessing risks, forming strategies, and evaluating the financials of the projects. So, I was involved in projects from their development stage and later saw with my own eyes how current Gren power plants e.g. Klaipeda and Jelgava were being built.”

One of the most impressive projects in Sakari’s career was constructing the Klaipėda cogeneration power plant. “I participated in this project from the beginning; it was the first ‘waste to energy’ power plant in the Baltic countries. Thanks to Vitalijus and the team who worked hard to build this power plant. We all know that there are various opinions about waste utilization for energy. It’s a tremendous achievement that this factory appeared in Klaipėda, and for me, it’s a great feeling to be part of such a significant project,” Sakari recounts.

Sakari joined the Gren team in 2022 after over 20 years of work at Fortum the nature of the work were familiar to him, and the opportunity to work at Gren was too good to pass.

Initially, the management structure of Gren reminded him of a startup: many things were still evolving. “When I came to Gren, I found myself amid the development of the needed functions for successful growth. It was a pleasant challenge that I embraced with enthusiasm. When we started working, our team had three people; today, we have ten and more,” Sakari rejoices in the growing team.

Asked what sets Gren apart from other energy business companies, Sakari states that although there is significant competition in the growth projects and the company name is still relatively unknown, the most remarkable advantage of Gren is the ability to respond quickly to customer needs and provide a well-thought-out and wide range of solutions. “However, it is also a challenge because we need to understand our market, grasp our identity, and start offering solutions, professionalism, and experience that we have. It will be challenging and interesting   and we will succeed,” Sakari is confident.

I have always been guided by a zest for knowledge and new experiences and Gren as a Northern European company provides everything I sought in a career. The company’s culture and its vibrant international environment support those who are driven to achieve more.”

Ruslans Karapkins started his career in Gren in 2016 as an operator at Jelgava biomass combined heat and power (CHP) plant – the largest bio-CHP plant in Latvia. The young fellow who had just graduated from the University with a master’s degree in Power Engineering took this as an opportunity to learn more and develop himself in the energy industry. Besides his new workplace was in his hometown where he had lived and studied and had his family. “The time when I worked as an operator at a CHP plant was very valuable experience-wise. I could learn how the plant works, about all the different mechanisms and equipment that it has, and that secure smooth and efficient operation. This knowledge was essential in my further career.”

Three years later, in 2019, due to several job rotations, an Electrical Engineer vacancy at the CHP plant was opened. Ruslans felt that he is ready for the next step in his career and applied for the position in Internal competition. And he got it. Ruslans remembers: “I had a strong theoretical background in power engineering from the university, but little practical experience. Electrical engineer is responsible for all the electrical part of the plant, so I had to learn different legal aspects related to the power market as well as a lot of technical details. My previous experience as an operator was helpful and made the whole process much faster. But the most valuable thing was the support from my colleagues. The previous Electrical Engineer after his promotion continued to work in our plant and I could always turn to him for advice or discuss challenging matters.”

In autumn of 2023, Ruslans moved on in his career and accepted the position of Mechanical Engineer in Jelgava bio-CHP plant. This transition represented not just a career move but a commitment to continuous growth. Asked what motivates him to grow within Gren, Ruslans replies without hesitation: “Boundless opportunities for learning and collaboration. The international environment provides a platform to continually acquire new skills and experience. In my work I must communicate and collaborate not only with colleagues from other Baltic countries and Finland, but also with local and foreign partners. I like to spend a day or two together with engineers who provide maintenance services for our equipment. It is a very good opportunity to learn from practical experience and not by books.”

For those aspiring to ascend in the engineering field, Ruslans advises: “Be active, show interest in your colleagues’ work, and embrace every opportunity to learn. Whenever you have a chance, go and have a look at how other colleagues work, how they perform maintenance for different machinery, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and talk. You can only gain valuable knowledge and experience that may be useful in the future.”

Birutė Žiogaitė Vagonė, a process engineer at Gren Klaipėda, is a graduate of environmental engineering studies at Klaipėda University. She joined the Gren team almost a year and a half ago, seeking stable employment and opportunities for growth in engineering. Birutė reflects on her experience at Gren, noting that it is different from her previous roles due to the specificity of the work—her first time working with energy and heating networks.

Her workday begins with an analysis of the previous day’s production and challenges faced by colleagues, followed by analyses of heat and electricity production and smoke cleaning. If she notices any discrepancies, she investigates the causes, consults with colleagues, performs broader analyses, checks chemical material consumption, plans orders, and continuously improves spreadsheets.

In first year of her studies, she studied general engineering subjects such as theoretical mechanics, physics, material resistance, advanced mathematics, and drafting. Later, she delved into specialized subjects like cleaner production methods, chemistry, and technological processes.

After applying the theoretical knowledge gained during her studies, she worked practically for five years as a technologist and later as a process engineer in a company manufacturing automotive electrical wiring harnesses. During that time, Birutė was responsible for the production process, defect analysis, and improvement opportunities. She continued her career in a company specializing in ozone technology design, working as a technology engineer, analyzing customer requests, and providing specialized technological solutions.

The position of a process engineer means continuous surveillance, as the process can change at any moment. Being attentive, meticulous, insightful, and connecting different pieces of information help her improve her personal and professional skills. According to Birutė, success comes with diligence and adaptability, and her work at Gren is characterized by the dynamic nature of the processes.

When asked about her most significant achievement at Gren and future projects and goals, Birutė mentions that success is best spoken through implemented projects, and colleagues best evaluate the results. She appreciates the constructive and supportive teamwork at Gren, where colleagues willingly help and patiently explain processes. Regarding the company’s internal culture, she highlights that colleagues often discuss various topics, accept various suggestions, and come together as a team when needed.

For those aspiring to build a career at Gren, Birutė advises not to give up and to closely monitor job postings, as new positions are not frequent, and employee turnover is low. She suggests considering internships as valuable opportunities to familiarize oneself with the company’s processes, interact with industry professionals, and gain practical experience. Working in a cogeneration power plant in the region, which is the only one of its kind, is meaningful and exciting, according to Birutė.

Sustainability has always been important to Lucy and after graduating University, she actively sought out roles that would align with her values in this area. She started working in the Environment team of one of the large energy companies in the UK, measuring, calculating and reporting on emissions from the big coal and gas sites. “I initially thought the biggest impact I could make would be working on the big, old and polluting plants to improve them however, I soon realized action in this area was limited by old technology and lack of investment”. From there, Lucy changed tact and secured a role as a Project Developer for onshore wind. She secured planning permission for 5 sites in South West Scotland and went on to manage the construction of one of them.

Then followed a move into the world of biomass. Lucy started in the construction phase of a 30MW site in Sheffield and was responsible for managing the Environmental Permits, planning permission, boiler chemistry and external stakeholder engagement. When the plant was build, she moved into the Operations team as the Assistant Site Manager and eventually became the Site Manager where she led a large team of internal craftspeople as well as large contract base to deliver day to day operation, capital investment projects and large outages. The site was a renewable energy hub which included district heating, industrial scale battery storage and solar. Prior to leaving, Lucy was leading a project to decarbonize steel in Sheffield through the use of Hydrogen, bringing together companies from across the region to develop and trial the concept.

During her career, Lucy has also managed a large transformation project merging two large energy companies together, migrating customer accounts between systems and managing the run down of one of the businesses including sites, staff and processes.

Lucy joined Gren in December 2023 as the Head of Operations to manage the performance of the existing portfolio of assets. “I am passionate about delivering operational excellence across our portfolio and looking for ways to maximise revenue and reduce costs. I want to foster an environment where people are responsible and accountable for decisions and we work together with our contract partners to build a sustainable and consistent operation”.

After gaining four years of experience in the energy industry, Kiera joined Gren Energy Ltd with a strong desire to contribute to a sustainable future. Her previous roles and diverse industry experience led her to transition into the energy sector in 2018, following six months of traveling across Southeast Asia. Since then, Kiera has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and expertise within the industry.

“I am deeply passionate about supporting Gren’s goal of providing affordable, reliable green energy,” says Kiera. “I am eager to embrace the future and collaborate with a talented team and a company that fosters an inclusive work culture.”

Problem-solving and forward-thinking have always been Kiera’s forte. In her previous roles, she handled diverse responsibilities and adjusted to shifting priorities. Kiera thrives in dynamic, high-growth environments and finds satisfaction in the unpredictable nature of her workdays at Gren.

Kiera firmly believes that investing in employees’ personal and professional growth is essential for the success of any business. “Working in a startup environment allows for innovation and harnesses individual strengths,” she notes. Kiera is committed to driving standards and enhancing productivity across the organisation

“With over 50 years’ experience in the UK power industry and a few spells of international work, I have seen many changes in my career so far.

As a young engineer my focus for myself was all about gaining knowledge and expertise, becoming recognised through the contribution I was making towards improving plant operating efficiency, reliability, environmental and commercial performance.  Of course, as a young engineer I had other interests such as playing football and cricket, going to live shows, tinkering with cars and renovating houses.  About 25 years ago I became interested in the way that projects and programmes deliver change and have spent virtually all of my time since then developing and delivering projects and programmes in coal, gas, lignite, biomass, carbon capture, nuclear, and energy from waste, and I am looking forward to continuing this with Gren.”

One project that Dave is particularly proud of was a project to restore electrical supplies to a hospital in Batticoloa, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, after the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004.  At very short notice Dave was asked to put together a team of volunteers, source some emergency generation plant and other equipment to ship to Sri Lanka, and go there to manage the work.  Everything went almost to plan and Dave spent 3 full weeks on site returning to the UK after Easter.  The team bought tools for local workers and left their own there, they also donated a Mammogram Screening machine.  The smiles of the local people will last long in Dave’s memory as they were so grateful for what the team were doing at such a time.  A return trip is on Dave’s bucket list!

Leading and working in so many projects has taught Dave many things and not least of these is the importance of people and teamwork, its people that do the work and it’s the team that succeeds or fails together.  Lessons are learned, experience is gained, and personal and professional development happens so the next project benefits.

Projects deliver change, and projects that are well planned, prepared, resourced, led and work as a problem-solving team, can deliver great change, at a time when this is most needed.

As everyone who has worked with Dave knows, he is passionate about health and safety and encourages everyone to develop their competency and understanding in this area.  Dave believes this helps with confidence and communication amongst individuals as it supports a mutual respect for each other’s wellbeing and for those that carry out work for us in often challenging conditions.

Dave has been married to Linda for 27 years, they have two daughters in their twenties with boyfriends, and two Airedale Terriers.  Weekends are mostly spent around family activities and walking the dogs!