In the Driving Seat: Andy Eastlake, Managing Director, LowCVP
After 27 years at Millbrook (now the home of the LCV event) Andy Eastlake took over the helm at the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership in 2012 and has continued to champion his passion for proving the credentials of low carbon fuels and vehicles and to ensure low emissions remain at the heart of UK automotive future…
Name
Andy Eastlake
Company
Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP)
Position
Managing Director
Apart from that
Director of CENEX
Fellow of Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Active member of many advisory groups for low carbon and low emissions initiatives
Association with NAA
My first association with the North West was in 1984 working on speedo calibration with GM’s parts group in Kirkby. Through Millbrook and GM, I had many visits to the area and worked with the team at Shell’s Thornton facilities on fuel testing. Of course I’ve been aware of the NAA for several years and have been impressed by the collaborative approach which is very similar to how the LowCVP works, so I see us as natural bedfellows.
Oh, and my wife was born on the Wirral so we are regular visitors!
Personal
Married with two teenage daughters so much of my time is spent providing a taxi service (low carbon of course) around Milton Keynes. When possible (and before climate change melts the glaciers) I enjoy snow boarding and skiing holidays with my extended family and a certain amount of DiY at home. My colleagues at CENEX might also describe me as luncheon afficionado!
Favourite football team
Errrr what’s football? I’m afraid that I really don’t follow football, and living in Milton Keynes with a wife who worked in Wimbledon there could have been a little tension for a few years. I do follow some motorsport and have been encouraged by the advent of Formula e last year.
Musical performer
Mostly modern country (primarily to embarrass my daughters) so Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood and even Randy Travis?
Movie
The Bourne Series – with Matt Damon, not the one with Jeremy Renner, or Top Gun for the memories of my university years. (I hear Top Gun 2 is underway now, is 30 years a record wait for a sequel?)
Books
I tend to read lowbrow crime and thrillers while on holiday but am reading “Work Rules!” by Lazlo Bock at the moment.
Best motoring moment
Working at Millbrook for nearly 30 years I was fortunate to experience many iconic cars on arguably the best facility in the UK, such as testing the Lotus Carlton in 1989, 165mph on the mile straight in the Jaguar XJ220, certifying the original TVR Griffith 500, introducing the first OEM CNG-powered van, the amusing experience of driveability testing a full-size American SUV around the lanes of Bedfordshire, and sitting for 14 hours on a Routemaster bus on route 159 to develop the seminal MLTB Bus Test cycle. One of my best experiences (not being a racing driver myself) was being taken around Brands hatch in the Autogas-powered Vectra challenge car we had developed to promote LPG in the BTCC series. But my favourite memories are probably of my first car at the age of 18, a 2.3l CF LWB minibus! I was everyone’s best mate at University with that.
Best business advice you’ve ever received?
One previous boss encouraged me that a problem shared is a problem halved? And it is certainly true that talking to people you respect always helps put things in the right perspective. One mantra I do believe is that there are at least two sides to every argument, but given all the same information and evidence most people would come to the same conclusion, so the key is making sure everyone has all the evidence.
