Tanner Routh, '16 BCom, '22 MBA

BAA: Tell us something about your professional journey?

I spent the first 10 years of my career in economic development – working with different levels of government in Canada to partner with industry in bringing investment to the country, primarily the Edmonton region. The projects I worked on here spanned everything from building factories and warehouses, to spotlighting Edmonton’s AI/ML prowess on the international stage. As a part of this, I also helped support Canada’s 150th birthday through the Canada 150 program, which saw 300 million dollars invested in legacy community infrastructure (think swimming pools, theaters, etc.) which was a very special initiative to have been a part of.

Now, I have taken my skills in working with people and deal-brokering to focus specifically on stakeholder engagement in Scotland, where I work with SP Energy Networks, part of ScottishPower and the Iberdrola Group based out of Spain. Here, I work with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that we can deliver multi-million pound projects that connect the ever growing amount of renewable energy in the UK to the grid and consumers.

BAA: What drove you to pursue an MBA from ASB? And how has an MBA from this school changed you personally and professionally?

Originally, my desire for an MBA came from the fact that the title was now a ‘need to have’ rather than a ‘nice to have’ for my career path at the time. When I was applying for the program, I was certain that I wanted to work for a NGO doing economic development, like the UN, World Bank, or Commonwealth, and they all required a higher level of education than a Bachelor’s. Obviously, things changed along the way, but I’m still happy to have undertaken my MBA during the pandemic as it meant I had something to focus on outside of work. Doing my MBA at the ASB specifically was partially driven by Covid – I didn’t see a need to move somewhere else in Canada or the world and leave behind my support network given the uncertainty, but I had also heard great things about the program from many people in my industry which caught my attention.

As far as how I’ve changed, I would have absolutely said that I was good at time-management before my MBA, but now that it’s wrapped I can confidently say that to be the case. I undertook my MBA on a full-time basis while also working-full time, and trying to manage a semblance of a social life, so juggling all of this took a bit of getting used to, but with a trusty calendar, anything is possible.

BAA: Are there any special moments from your MBA that you would like to share with us?

The classes and extracurriculars were all great, but for me it was definitely getting to meet new people and reconnecting with old friends who I had originally met during my undergraduate degree. So much of my work always revolves around meeting new people and learning about new ideas, so to be able to ‘supercharge’ that through my MBA was the best. I loved meeting up with everyone after class at Dewey’s for a quick catch up before we all went home for the night, and some of the trips we planned along the way to the mountains and Calgary – certainly will remember those trips with my MBA pals for a long time to come!

BAA: How did the transition from Edmonton to Glasgow, Scotland take place? Any similarities between the cities?

Luckily for me, moving from sleepy Stony Plain to Glasgow wasn’t too much of a challenge as I’d been to Scotland a few times already and had a few friends here. My last trip to Glasgow was actually in 2019, just before the pandemic! Glasgow is actually very similar to Edmonton, a bit gritty around the edges, but full of great people, great restaurants and an amazing arts scene. The mountains (if we can call them that as a Rockies snob), are also really close, so it’s easy to get out for a quick hike, just like home. Obviously, any time you immigrate, there are a few extra challenges compared to just visiting as a tourist, and learning how to be an adult again can be a bit challenging, but we get there in the end.

BAA: What initiatives or projects are you most excited about in your role as Stakeholder Engagement Lead, particularly in relation to promoting 100% green energy?

Unfortunately I can’t give too many specifics, but I’m lucky enough to be working specifically on the (in my opinion) marquee overarching project that is enabling our energy grid to be responsive, rather than just producers pushing energy onto it. This will see SP Energy Networks change from being a Distribution Network Operator (DNO), to a Distribution System Operator (DSO), along with all other network operators in the UK. I don’t touch as much on renewable generation right now, but one day! I have some great colleagues on these projects, which make it all the more worthwhile.

BAA: Can you elaborate on some of the key strategies and challenges involved in transitioning the network from a push model to a responsive grid?

Have you ever had to rewire a house while keeping the lights on and the fridge and wifi running? That’s the closest thing I can think of!  It’s incredibly complex work that is fundamentally changing the way we operate as an electricity network provider in the UK.  My line of work in Stakeholder Engagement is crucial here to ensure that everyone in the areas we operate is on the same page at the same time, both internally and externally.  To do this, we create strategies which are usually iterative, course correcting as we learn and grow. Luckily, I’m not one of the engineers or planners who take care of the actual transition, I focus on bringing the key players, including politicians, CEOs, homeowners, and more, to the table for transparent discussions on how we achieve Net Zero.

BAA: Any insights for students looking to move abroad for employment opportunities?

Don’t give up! Finding sponsorship can be a tough gig, but persistence can pay off. Sometimes you do have to play the long-game and start with a company that has offices in Canada and then network your way into an opportunity abroad, but that’s why we do the MBA, networking! Certain countries have visas specifically for transferring within a company to a different country. Otherwise, depending on your age, you can always look into youth mobility visas, which allow for most Canadians to be able to work in other countries up to the age of 30 or 35 (usually). Once you get to your new place, absolutely dive in head-first. Say yes to everything you can, it’s the best way for you to meet people and start building your new network, whether it be professional or personal.