home :: About EcoSTEPS :: EcoSTEPS Team :: Len Houwers

Len Houwers

Len Houwers is a Professional Engineer and independent Consultant with over twenty years experience in the chemical processing industry and related energy industries. His experiences include technical, management and governance roles with the Dow Chemical Company (9 years) and Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd (13 years).

Len’s business experience includes strategy facilitation and development, contract preparation, evaluation and negotiation, joint venture management, insurance negotiations, economic evaluation (including risk analysis), and line management of both large (>100) and small multidisciplinary teams. Len has developed and negotiated the main energy contracts, including gas supply for the Kapuni Ammonia Urea Plant and identified and developed an entry opportunity into an oil and gas exploration permit. In addition he was chairman of Learning Energy NZ Ltd, and Encoate Ltd, a joint venture company between Ballance Agri-Nutrients and AgResearch NZ Ltd. Particular strengths lie in the areas of strategic planning, analysis, project and contract management, and business process / change management.

Len’s organisational experience includes being project manager on HR strategy and organisational design, strategy facilitation and development leading into the Corporate Plan, developing the divisional corporate plans, and over 20 years experience in developing and monitoring budgets and planning processes.

Recent, relevant, assignments include:

• Project Manager for Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd developing a business case for a strategic investment.
• Consultant for Shell Todd Oil Services advising on their Maintenance processes and organisational structure.
• Consultant for a US based explorer advising on New Zealand exploration environment and strategies for country entry.
• Analyst for Transact Ltd providing an overview of the New Zealand gas market and ten year forecast on gas demand.

Qualifications
BE (Hons) (Chemical and Process) [University of Canterbury, NZ]
BBS (Finance) [Massey University, NZ]