Executive Management Team

Chief Executive Officer

Ruediger Neubauer is the Chief Executive Officer of ista North America, and also manages the company’s E:SO technology platform. Recognized as a leader in the industry, Neubauer has been with ista for 30 years, and has spent 12 years in the U.S. He has extensive experience with improving infrastructures and implementing software solutions. His previous experience with the company includes serving as Executive Vice President of the company’s Utility Solutions Group (USG) and managing director for ista in Germany, Poland, France and Italy.

Executive Vice President

Robert Middlebrooks serves as Executive Vice President for ista North America’s Energy Retail Division. In this role, he has responsibility for client services and the contact center as well as sales. Additionally, he oversees product development and quality assurance for this vital technology that supports ista’s service offerings.

Prior to joining ista in 2008, Middlebrooks served as CEO and Managing Consultant of RPM Consulting, Inc. Past experience includes Ermas Consulting, Inc., where he was senior vice president for Sales and Marketing as well as a senior consultant; ComputerJobs.com, where he was senior vice president for Client Services, Sales and Operations; and Path Development Group, Inc., where he was CEO and managing consultant. He has also served as senior database administrator for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Michelin Tire Corporation.

Middlebrooks has a bachelor’s degree with a double major in computer science and French, and is a Certified Project Management Professional. He also is ITIL certified and is a member of the PMI Atlanta Chapter.

“I love mentoring young talent to mature and grow professionally, and ista provides this opportunity on an international scale. I also enjoy the dynamic nature of client services and sales and the ever-changing pace of the energy industry.”

Executive Vice President

Charles Porter is the Executive Vice President for ista North America, with responsibilities for new product development and business development as well as corporate marketing. He and his team are responsible for designing, developing, and passionately promoting the innovative new products and services that enable ista’s clients to stay at the front of the industry. 

Previously Porter was Director of IT and VP of Strategic Product Development for ista North America’s Utility Solutions Group, Porter led the software development team tasked to create and maintain the innovative web-centric ista|net billing platform in its early years.

Porter joined ista in 2000, having served as Director of IT for UtiliRead, Inc., which was acquired by ista. Other positions with UtiliRead included senior software developer/ architect and project manager. Past experience includes Tampa Electric Company (TECO), where he was a mechanical engineer; sales engineer for Mechanical Controls Corporation; consulting as an independent software development consultant; and technical instructor for New Horizons Computer Learning Center, Atlanta.

Porter has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Florida. He is a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) and Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA), and has achieved PMP certification.

ista-UK, Managing Director

Alexander Philbrook has extensive experience in the field of commercial energy management. He serves as the Managing Director of E:SO for Europe, focusing on commercial energy services and managing the company’s U.K. office. After serving as a consultant to ista for the U.K., he formed a joint business venture with the company 1998 to address opportunities in commercial metering and energy services within Europe’s deregulated utilities market. The organization was acquired in full by ista in 2009.

Prior to working with ista, Philbrook was owner of Aspire Management Consultancy, which provided strategic and process consulting for utilities, government, international financial services and telecommunications companies. He has also served as senior consultant for OASiS Management Consultancy, a spinoff from ICL Consulting services, a business development consultant for British Telecom and a development instructor for Criterion Management Development Group.

Philbrook has a Bachelor of Electronics and Communication Engineering from Bath University and is certified in PRINCE2 Project Management.

“Our world’s environmental challenges are acute and require positive action. Providing our customers with better utility data gives them the information they need to improve their energy management, manage their risks due to increasing energy costs and reduce their use of limited energy resources.”