© 2009 Green Ventures
About Us
We create new products, projects and partnerships to address key environmental challenges. In all of our work we seek to accelerate the pace of change to a more sustainable society.
Green Ventures is led by Phil Newby and Jonathan Selwyn, who between them have over 40 years experience working in the private, public and not for profit sectors. They are complemented by a team of expert Associates with a range of specialst skills.
Jonathan Selwyn, Director
Jonathan graduated from Essex University with a degree in Economics. After university he went to teach English in Japan and subsequently established an automotive supply business in the country with a Japanese business partner. Whilst in the country he witnessed at first hand the impact that unfettered economic growth can have on the environment as the Japanese 'bubble economy' reached its peak.
Having sold his businesss, and upon returning to the UK, Jonathan completed a Masters in Environmental Economics at University College London and went to work at national sustainable business charity, the UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development (UK CEED).
He rose through the ranks at UK CEED and was appointed Chief Executive in 1999. He successfully repositioned the centre as a leader in the research of, and support for, the environmental industries sector. He led the Centre through a period of significant growth, securing and managing £4.5 million of funding from the private and public sectors.
At UK CEED, Jonathan developed and led research teams working on European, national,
regional and locally funded projects. He led the Centre’s senior-
Jonathan stepped down from his role at UK CEED at the end of 2008 to join Phil as a Director in Green Ventures and also to become Chair of Governors at a local secondary school.
Jonathan is a leading authority in the areas of global environmental technology markets, low carbon policies and solutions and IT’s role in sustainable innovation.
Phil Newby – Director
Phil graduated from the Oxford School of Business with a degree in Languages and Business Studies.He started his career in Paris in 1990 working as a buyer for Les Galeries Lafayette, returning to London to work as a strategic management consultant in 1991. He subsequently worked on diverse projects for Ford, Shell, Inchcape and Oxfam before joining Thomas Cook as a project manager in 1993, leaving as Director of Group Property in 2003.
Phil joined English Nature in December 2003 as Executive Director with overall responsibility
for external and internal communications, external fund raising, customer service,
environmental management and information systems. He has had close involvement in
the development and setting-
In 2006 Phil left English Nature to found Green Ventures and is now leading projects ranging from the introduction of new and improved renewable technologies to the planning and delivery of ambitious sustainable property developments. Phil advises major organisations in the lowcarbon, renewables and waste sectors including public authorities and private companies such Royal Haskoning and BAM Nuttall. He is a founding member of the Peterborough Environmental Capital Partnership and an Associate Director of the UK Centre for Environmental and Economic Development.
In 1997, Phil and his partner opened Café Tangerine in Central London which they ran until selling the business and moving to the East Midlands, where they now live with their family. He has long standing associations with environmental and renewable energy initiatives and has built a high profile zero carbon house in a restored Victorian kitchen garden which is regularly visited by members of the public and professional groups from around the country.