Liz Allan 00:00
On today's podcast, I have Ben Kilbey, founder and CEO of Bold Voodoo. I love that name! Thank you, Ben, for finally joining us.

Ben Kilbey [00:00:34]:
Thank you for having me, Liz. It’s a pleasure.

Liz Allan [00:00:40]:
I’m chuffed that your wife listens to this. Hello to her! What’s her name?

Ben Kilbey [00:00:48]:  
Natalie. Hi, Natalie!

Liz Allan [00:00:49]:  
Thanks for listening! Let’s start with your background. What did you do before founding Bold Voodoo?

**Ben Kilbey [00:01:04]:**  
I started in journalism, covering various industries and later moved to Standard & Poor’s, where I worked on the metals desk. That was around the time when the energy transition really took off, and I started exploring that space. Eventually, I joined Britishvolt. It all started through LinkedIn during COVID, where I was writing about energy transition topics like gigafactories. That’s how I came across Britishvolt and ended up interviewing the founder, Arun Majumdar. About six to nine months later, he asked if I would be interested in joining as the communications lead, and the rest is history.

Liz Allan [00:02:42]:
Britishvolt was quite a ride.

Ben Kilbey [00:02:44]:
Yes, it was a rollercoaster. We took Britishvolt from being unknown to becoming a unicorn, then into liquidation in early 2023. While working at Britishvolt, I also started a newsletter called *The Trend is Your Friend* to keep the internal team and journalists on the same page. It evolved into what is now part of Bold Voodoo’s communication strategy. We united the UK battery industry through partnerships, which helped create connections, leading to what I’m doing now.

Liz Allan [00:05:14]:
You mentioned that Bold Voodoo emerged after Britishvolt went into liquidation. Can you explain how that transition happened?

Ben Kilbey [00:05:20]: 
Yeah, I saw the communication gaps in the industry and realized there was an opportunity to fill those. After Britishvolt’s liquidation, I decided to go solo. I started working with partners like Octopus Energy and Volta Energy Technologies. I wanted to offer a more personalized, tactical approach to communication rather than the typical strategic style. And it’s been amazing working with such innovative companies.

Liz Allan [00:07:00]:  
It’s impressive that, as a small business, you’re working with such big names like Octopus Energy. How did you manage to achieve that?

Ben Kilbey [00:07:10]:
It's about offering something different and adding value. For me, it’s not just about being a service provider but also about being a collaborator. I build trust and relationships, which are essential. I work closely with my partners, and it’s not always about financial gain. Sometimes, it’s about helping each other succeed.

Liz Allan [00:09:00]:
You also mentioned "Stop Burning Stuff*. Can you explain what that is and how you got involved?

Ben Kilbey [00:09:05]:
Sure! Stop Burning Stuff is a campaign that counters misinformation about EVs and energy transition. It was born from my work with Quentin Willson and Robert Llewellyn. The campaign aims to counter negative rhetoric and misinformation, especially during a time when the media was particularly harsh on EVs. We’ve had successes, including getting retractions from major media outlets when they published incorrect information.

Ben Kilbey [00:09:49]:
I met Quentin Willson when I was working at Britishvolt. It was a chance encounter on LinkedIn, and we hit it off quickly. Quentin and his son Max came to Britishvolt to create some incredible videos to help tell the Britishvolt story, which was amazing. After Britishvolt went into liquidation, Quentin brought me into FairCharge, his campaign group, in April 2023 to help with communications. Around the same time, I was getting to know Robert Llewellyn and Dan Caesar from Fully Charged, and we began talking about the potential to work together on a larger narrative about the energy transition.

Ben Kilbey [00:10:45]:
That’s when Stop Burning Stuff was born. It came from the realization that misinformation was rampant, especially around EVs and renewable energy. There was a lot of misleading information circulating, so we knew we had to push back. The campaign has been impactful in countering misinformation and presenting factual evidence to the public. We’ve even managed to shift the views of traditionally EV-skeptical media outlets. For example, one of the more hostile newspapers is now starting to accept the benefits of EVs, which is a huge win for us.

Liz Allan [00:12:17]:
That’s a significant accomplishment. The misinformation around EVs and energy transition has been overwhelming. How did you approach building those relationships and changing the narrative?

Ben Kilbey [00:12:30]:
It all starts with building trust. We don’t go into these conversations combatively; instead, we focus on presenting the facts and having open dialogues with journalists and editors. Sometimes, it's a slow process, but it’s effective. For instance, when we saw incorrect stories in the media, we would politely reach out, provide the correct information, and over time, relationships developed. We’re not out there to fight with the media; we’re here to build relationships and ensure that the right information is getting to the public.

Liz Allan [00:13:42]:
That’s really admirable. So, how has Stop Burning Stuff impacted the broader conversation about energy transition and EVs?

Ben Kilbey [00:13:55]:
The whole purpose of Stop Burning Stuff is to stop misinformation and enable the energy transition by promoting accurate information. It’s about holding misinformation to account but also building a future where we stop relying on fossil fuels. This isn’t just an EV issue; it’s about the entire energy system. We’ve been able to shift some major narratives, and now we’re seeing that more media outlets are open to conversations about renewable energy and EVs. That’s a big part of our mission – to educate, not argue.

Liz Allan [00:15:35]:
It’s interesting to hear how you’re tackling this from a strategic communications perspective. What about the media retractions? Have there been any significant successes there?

Ben Kilbey [00:15:45]:
Yes, definitely. A good example is an article published by the Daily Mail, which claimed that EVs were causing potholes. We worked with our partners, including transport and energy organizations, to push back on that narrative. Eventually, the paper issued a retraction, and we were able to get more positive coverage from them later on. It’s a great example of how we can influence change by presenting the right facts in a diplomatic way. So, slowly but surely, we’re making progress.

Liz Allan [00:17:00]:
That’s fantastic! The work you’re doing is clearly having a significant impact. How easy is it to get media outlets to correct misinformation?

Ben Kilbey [00:17:10]:
It’s not always easy, but we've seen positive outcomes with persistence and presenting facts. Most journalists want to tell the right story, even if they have to issue corrections later. For instance, the Daily Mail retracted an article after we called out incorrect claims about EVs causing potholes.

Liz Allan [00:20:50]:  
Do you think the negativity towards EVs has calmed down with the transition to a new government?

Ben Kilbey [00:21:00]:
Yes, the current government seems more friendly towards EVs, at least in rhetoric. But it’s still early days, and we’ll see how things unfold. Misinformation is still out there, but we are seeing a more rational conversation emerging.

Liz Allan [00:26:30]:
You mentioned earlier that "The Trend is Your Friend" newsletter is an integral part of Bold Voodoo. Can you tell us more about it?

Ben Kilbey [00:29:47]: 
It started as an internal newsletter at Britishvolt and evolved into a key component of my communication strategy at Bold Voodoo. It’s a fortnightly newsletter that covers trends in the energy transition and EV industry. It’s read by journalists, industry leaders, and government officials. For me, it’s not about the quantity of readers but the quality. If the right people are reading it, it’s worth the effort.

Liz Allan [00:33:00]:
Where do you see Bold Voodoo in the next two or three years?

Ben Kilbey [00:33:10]:
I’d like Bold Voodoo to be recognised as one of the most effective communication partners in the industry. I don’t need 50 clients; I want to work with the right partners to drive positive change. I’m also keen on training juniors, giving them the skills to succeed and helping them grow within the industry.

Liz Allan [00:36:00]:
That’s fantastic, Ben. How can people get in touch with you?

Ben Kilbey [00:36:10]:
LinkedIn is the best place to find me. Just search for Ben Kilbey and Bold Voodoo. I’m always open to new connections and collaborations.

Liz Allan [00:37:00]:
Thank you, Ben, for such an insightful conversation. And thank you to everyone for listening!