Michael Liebreich

Catch Michael on Do Radio: It’s Not About Trees with John Lunn, 2nd - 8th November 2026.

Michael Liebreich is an entrepreneur, investor and energy transition expert, best known as the founder of New Energy Finance, the research and information business that became BloombergNEF following its acquisition by Bloomberg in 2009.

Michael studied engineering at Cambridge and attended Harvard Business School. His career has included management consulting, technology investment and international media, including senior roles at Associated Press Television and in technology investments during the dot-com era. He is also a former Olympic freestyle skier, having represented Great Britain in moguls skiing.

In 2004, Michael founded New Energy Finance, combining his background in engineering, business and information services to help investors understand the rapidly developing clean energy sector. Following its sale to Bloomberg, he continued to lead the business until 2014, before moving into a broader range of investment, advisory and public policy roles.

Today, Michael is co-managing partner of EcoPragma Capital, leads Liebreich Associates, and co-hosts the Cleaning Up podcast with Baroness Bryony Worthington. He has also served on the board of Transport for London, where his work included a particular focus on transport safety and organisational accountability.

Across his work, Michael brings together engineering, economics, investment and systems thinking to explore how the world can move towards cleaner, more affordable and more resilient energy. He describes his outlook as pragmatic optimism, believing that technological progress and economic opportunity can help drive the transition, provided we focus on practical solutions and are prepared to challenge existing systems.

DO Radio Show Notes

In this episode, John Lunn continues his conversation with Michael Liebreich, entrepreneur, investor, energy transition expert and founder of New Energy Finance, which later became BloombergNEF. In the second of their two-part discussion, they explore how Britain could make electricity more affordable, the practical decisions needed to accelerate electrification and why changing systems requires attention to incentives, culture and accountability.

The conversation begins with a question left hanging at the end of part one: if renewables can deliver cheaper electricity, why are British electricity bills still so high? Michael describes a cycle in which expensive electricity discourages households and businesses from switching to electric vehicles, heat pumps and industrial equipment, leaving the costs of the system spread across insufficient demand. He argues that greater electrification, combined with flexibility over when electricity is used, could help reverse that cycle and bring down costs.

Michael sets out his priorities for reform, including a clearer vision for the energy system, coherent plans for electrifying transport and heating, and electricity prices that reflect local supply and demand. He questions why communities near wind farms cannot benefit more directly from the power they generate, particularly when turbines are being switched off. He also challenges government spending on hydrogen and carbon capture, and argues for a pragmatic approach to North Sea production while the economy continues to depend on oil and gas.

A recurring theme is facing the direction of travel. Michael argues that the skills and experience of existing energy businesses have an important role in building the next energy system. From geothermal energy to offshore engineering, project management and risk assessment, he sees opportunities to apply the capabilities of the oil and gas industry to the transition. He also shares books and ideas that have shaped his thinking about responsibility, human agency and the difficult period between an old system and an emerging new one.

In an extended conversation recorded before the main interview, John and Michael explore risk through Michael’s experiences as an international freestyle skier. Their discussion moves from confidence, competition and teamwork to the different ways society responds to danger. Drawing on his time on the board of Transport for London, Michael raises serious concerns about the safety culture surrounding London’s buses and the lessons he believes remain unlearned from the Sandilands tram crash in Croydon. He calls for greater scrutiny of working conditions, contractual incentives and institutional accountability.

It’s a candid conversation about affordable energy, practical leadership and the responsibilities that come with running complex systems. Across electricity markets and public transport, Michael returns to the importance of examining how decisions are made, who carries the risks and what needs to change to deliver better outcomes.

It’s Not About Trees with John Lunn, 26th October - 1st November 2026.

Find Michael's earlier shows in the DO Radio Archive.