Gas distribution company Cadent has appointed Zoe McLeod to chair its newly established customer engagement group (CEG).
The CEG’s aim is to ensure the company’s approach to decision making and future planning is aligned with consumer needs and priorities. The group will be expected to challenge the company on the development of its 2021 business plan and day-to-day stakeholder engagement.
McLeod urges new members to join the CEG and contribute their skills and experience.
“I’m really looking forward to getting started in this important role and working with Cadent,” she said.
“It’s easy for companies to make promises that they will put customers and the public interest at the heart of their decision making, but our role as a customer engagement group will be to ensure it genuinely happens.
“The company has expressed an ambition to be one of the best network companies and we intend to hold them to that.
“We are currently recruiting members for the CEG and looking to ensure a diverse range of skills, knowledge and perspectives. If you would like to get involved, please get in touch. This is an exciting opportunity to make a difference to around 11 million gas consumers and their communities in four network regions.”
McLeod is a consumer advocate with a background working for the customer watchdog Consumer Focus, Citizens Advice, National Energy Action and Friends of the Earth.
She is chair of South East Water’s independent customer challenge group and undertakes associate work with environmental think-tank Sustainability First.
She is also a lay board member and consumer expert for Bar Standards Board and a former consumer board member for the communications body Smart Energy GB.
Commenting on her appointment, Cadent’s chief executive Chris Train, said: “We are delighted Zoe has agreed to work with us at this critical time for both our business and the wider industry.
“Zoe brings a huge amount of experience, passion and focus on delivering the right outcomes for customers and this will challenge our business to ensure we build a RIIO2 business plan that really delivers for our customers both today and into the future.”