A number of people have been appointed to various positions within the utilities sectors this week.
Here is Utility Week’s appointments roundup.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN)
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has appointed Tracey Barlow as the independent chair of its new RIIO-ED2 customer engagement group.
Barlow’s appointment follows a successful year as independent chair of SSEN Transmission’s RIIO-T2 user group, providing input and robust challenge to SSEN’s recently published plans for the future of the north of Scotland electricity transmission system.
Her previous experience includes serving as chair of AGT Ltd, deputy chair of the UK Rail Regulator and as an independent consultant specialising in business transformation in the energy, transport and utility sectors.
In her role, Barlow will lead fellow members of the CEG, representing network stakeholders, consumers, energy users, and include those with a specialist interest in the development and transition of the electricity distribution network in central southern England and the north of Scotland.
RenewableUK
Several senior figures in the renewable energy sector have taken up new positions on the board of RenewableUK, following a poll of its members.
Including the chair, there are 17 seats in total.
Julian Brown, vice president and UK country manager of MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, has already served two terms on the board and has been involved with RenewableUK since 2000 and has served as its chair.
Brown will also be representing Vesta Wind Systems and as a non-executive director of Tekmar plc.
David Matthews, GE Renewables Wind northern europe sales director, has been re-elected to the board.
Matthews started his career in the hydro industry in 1991 before moving into onshore wind. He has worked for 8 years in the offshore wind sector.
Gareth Swales, commercial director of Fred Olsen Renewables, has over 20 years’ experience in the energy sector, including senior positions at London Array, Jacobs, IPA and Masdar.
Benj Sykes, Orsted’s UK country manager for offshore. Sykes is also industry chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) and led the negotiations to deliver the sector deal.
He joined the RenewableUK board in 2015 and currently chairs the board’s Finance and Risk Committee.
Clare Foster , Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP head of clean energy and banking partner, has been co-opted to the board.
Foster brings to the board a “wealth of legal knowledge” in renewable energy finance across multiple clean energy technologies.
Martin Dronfield , James Fisher and Sons’ group business development director has been co-opted to the board. Martin brings significant supply chain expertise from across the offshore wind and marine energy sectors.
Rishi Madlani, Royal Bank of Scotland’s sustainable finance lead, has been co-opted to the board. Rishi brings significant expertise from finance and low carbon investment.
Ian Bryan, Global Marine Group’s managing director of group business operations and Roisin Quinn, head of national control for National Grid Electricity System Operator, have been re-co-opted to the board.
RenewableUK chair Stephen Bull, senior vice president, wind and carbon capture and storage at Equinor, said: “It’s great to have these industry heavyweights offering their wealth of experience to RenewableUK.
“They will help to set the agenda at a crucial time, as the government has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, and ministers are due to publish an energy white paper which is expected to set out a new strategy for the power sector.
“The industry is implementing the landmark offshore wind sector deal, and we’re continuing to make a strong case for supporting onshore wind and marine energy.
“On a wider level, we’re re-thinking the way our entire energy system works as we incorporate more renewable power onto the grid. Our board plays the central role in ensuring we achieve our objectives.”
Welsh Water
Chief executive Chris Jones will retire in March next year and will be succeeded by current managing director Peter Perry.
Perry, who joined the company as an apprentice, has a civil engineering background and was formerly the chief operating officer for United Utilities Operational Services.
Prior to joining UUOS he worked for Welsh Water for over 20 years.
Esmart Networks
Simon Gallagher has been appointed managing director at Esmart Networks, a provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, battery storage and specialised distribution network services in the UK.
Gallagher was formerly technical director at multi-utility infrastructure provider TriConnex.
Both Esmart Networks and TriConnex are wholly owned subsidiaries of AIM listed Nexus Infrastructure plc.
Gallagher is a chartered electrical engineer and is a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET).
He takes on the role from the 8 July, taking over from David Topping.
Smart Energy GB
Last week Steven Day, the co-founder of app-based renewable energy supplier Pure Planet, has been appointed as a director of the national smart meter campaign Smart Energy GB.
Day, who has a background in telecommunications, was appointed to the non-executive role last week after being nominated by a colleague.
On the Smart Energy GB board he will represent smaller energy suppliers, with Pure Planet having entered the market in September 2017.
You can read Day’s recent interview with Utility Week here.