Barry Shrier
Encyclopedia
Barry Shrier is an American born, UK based technology entrepreneur, inventor, and active environmental campaigner. His latest venture is Liberty Electric Cars Ltd, an international clean technology business designing and producing zero-emission battery electric vehicles. Previous ventures include Feefo, a service for providing consumer feedback for online merchants, and Liberty Europe Wireless Networks, a low-cost, high speed wireless telecommunications service. Barry is also a Director of Washington DC-based satellite venture LeoTerra LLC.
Barry appears frequently as Chairman or Keynote speaker at international conferences, trade shows, and MBA seminars on the subject of commercialising technology.
Barry is also Chairman of the Governors of the Unicorn School (for dyslexic children) in Oxfordshire since 1999, a mentor for The Princes Trust since 1996, and has been a trustee for the Oxford University research charity The Dyslexia Research Trust since 2004.
, a suburb of Cleveland in Ohio
where he attended Rocky River High School. In 1979 Barry attended Middlebury College
, Vermont, graduating with high grades in 1985 with a BA in Politics. He did his post-graduate research with his Tutor the noted Cambridge Sovietologist Peter Reddaway and in 1989 he received an MSc in Politics from the London School of Economics
(University of London
).
. While at LSE he worked as an aide to former Head of NATO Lord Robertson
(then George Robertson, MP – Opposition Spokesman for Foreign Affairs) writing speeches and meeting foreign dignitairies. He then worked for US Senator Pete Wilson
in San Francisco. During that time he joined the Reagan-Bush re-election campaign as personal assistant to Lee Atwater, chairman of the Republican National Committee.
recruited Barry in 2001 to head up Paybox, an international mobile payment system (the world’s first). Barry led the roll-out of the service in 5 countries across Europe and was the European spokesman often cited in international news reports.
In October 2003 Barry founded the Liberty Europe Network Limited, providing wireless broadband telecommunications services. In 2006, Barry became a Non-Executive Director of Washington DC-based satellite venture Leoterra LLC, a company launching low-orbit satellites to deliver global mobile broadband services.
In 2007, Barry began working in environmental protection and climate change, founding Liberty Electric Cars which designs and markets electric cars and The Zero-Emission Vehicle Foundation. He has invented and is the co-author of patented new zero-carbon technologies. The Z.E.V.F. was created to “speed up the roll-out of electric cars”. In an interview with Director Magazine, Barry explained his decision to focus his career on addressing global warming, saying he:
As the founder and Chairman of the ZEVF – the Zero Emission Vehicle Foundation – a trade organisation working to eliminate car pollution and therefore help to address global warming in April 2009 Barry Shrier met with UK governmental leader Lord Mandelson to call on the government to take an active role in speeding up the roll-out of electric cars; thereby reducing the nations dependency on foreign oil, improving health in inner cities, and reducing carbon emissions. Barry was the leading advocate of the demand stimulus incentive scheme which the British government later adopted as the £5k rebate
from consumers buying electric cars.
Barry Shrier also serves on former BT Chief Technologist Peter Cochrane’s consultancy panel Cochrane Associates.
, BBC TV and Radio
, the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch
, and The Financial Times., and can be seen in numerous media interviews on YouTube.
Barry appears frequently as Chairman or Keynote speaker at international conferences, trade shows, and MBA seminars on the subject of commercialising technology.
Barry is also Chairman of the Governors of the Unicorn School (for dyslexic children) in Oxfordshire since 1999, a mentor for The Princes Trust since 1996, and has been a trustee for the Oxford University research charity The Dyslexia Research Trust since 2004.
Early life
Barry Shrier was born in 1961 as the youngest of three children, and grew up in Rocky RiverRocky River, Ohio
Rocky River is an affluent western suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, United States located in Cuyahoga County approximately nine miles west of Public Square in downtown Cleveland. The city is named for the river that forms its eastern border...
, a suburb of Cleveland in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
where he attended Rocky River High School. In 1979 Barry attended Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
, Vermont, graduating with high grades in 1985 with a BA in Politics. He did his post-graduate research with his Tutor the noted Cambridge Sovietologist Peter Reddaway and in 1989 he received an MSc in Politics from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
).
Early career
During his university and post-graduate studies in politics Barry Shrier worked for leading American and British politicians. While still an undergraduate, he worked in Washington DC for United States Senator Tom HarkinTom Harkin
Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin is the junior United States Senator from Iowa and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives ....
. While at LSE he worked as an aide to former Head of NATO Lord Robertson
George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, is a British Labour Party politician who was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana in that position...
(then George Robertson, MP – Opposition Spokesman for Foreign Affairs) writing speeches and meeting foreign dignitairies. He then worked for US Senator Pete Wilson
Pete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
in San Francisco. During that time he joined the Reagan-Bush re-election campaign as personal assistant to Lee Atwater, chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Business Ventures and Environmental campaigning
Deutsche BankDeutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
recruited Barry in 2001 to head up Paybox, an international mobile payment system (the world’s first). Barry led the roll-out of the service in 5 countries across Europe and was the European spokesman often cited in international news reports.
In October 2003 Barry founded the Liberty Europe Network Limited, providing wireless broadband telecommunications services. In 2006, Barry became a Non-Executive Director of Washington DC-based satellite venture Leoterra LLC, a company launching low-orbit satellites to deliver global mobile broadband services.
In 2007, Barry began working in environmental protection and climate change, founding Liberty Electric Cars which designs and markets electric cars and The Zero-Emission Vehicle Foundation. He has invented and is the co-author of patented new zero-carbon technologies. The Z.E.V.F. was created to “speed up the roll-out of electric cars”. In an interview with Director Magazine, Barry explained his decision to focus his career on addressing global warming, saying he:
"wanted to focus on what appears to be our greatest challenge. I asked myself: "Do you want to be the generation which destroyed the planet or the generation that lead initiatives to solve the problem?"
As the founder and Chairman of the ZEVF – the Zero Emission Vehicle Foundation – a trade organisation working to eliminate car pollution and therefore help to address global warming in April 2009 Barry Shrier met with UK governmental leader Lord Mandelson to call on the government to take an active role in speeding up the roll-out of electric cars; thereby reducing the nations dependency on foreign oil, improving health in inner cities, and reducing carbon emissions. Barry was the leading advocate of the demand stimulus incentive scheme which the British government later adopted as the £5k rebate
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established by several national and local governments around the world as a financial incentive for consumers to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle....
from consumers buying electric cars.
Barry Shrier also serves on former BT Chief Technologist Peter Cochrane’s consultancy panel Cochrane Associates.
Charity initiatives
Barry is Chairman of the Governors of the Unicorn School (for dyslexic children) in Oxfordshire since 1999. The Unicorn School serves a wide catchment providing specialist education for children with learning difficulties. He also serves Prince Charles as a mentor for The Princes Trust since 1996, and has been a trustee for the Oxford University research charity The Dyslexia Research Trust since 2004.Television, radio, and print appearances
Barry has appeared on Sky TelevisionBritish Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
, BBC TV and Radio
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch
MarketWatch
MarketWatch operates a financial information website that provides business news, analysis and stock market data to some 6 million people. MarketWatch offers personal finance news and advice, tools for investors and access to industry research. Along with its flagship website, the company operates...
, and The Financial Times., and can be seen in numerous media interviews on YouTube.
Public Speaking
Barry Shrier often makes appearances at international events, as the Chairman or Keynote speaker, at for example the International Congress on Electric Cars. He predicted the end of the internal combustion engine, well before the current hype about electric cars, at a Williams Renault Formula1 sponsored event run by the Advanced Automotive Engineers conference.See also
- BBC – sample coverage of ventures led by Barry Shrier
- Barry Shrier
- Liberty Electric Cars
- Liberty Europe Wireless Networks Ltd