Dougie Sutherland has been revealed as the new chief executive of Cory Riverside Energy, following the announcement that incumbent Nicholas Pollard is to step down.
Sutherland, who will take up his post on 23 April, has more than 20 years of infrastructure experience working across both the public and private sectors, most recently on the board of multinational infrastructure provider Interserve.
He has developed and delivered major infrastructure projects and public service businesses and has valuable experience in the contracting and commissioning of energy-from-waste plants.
As chief executive he will play a “crucial role” in delivering future growth initiatives for Cory, including the current application for the proposed Riverside Energy Park, designed to deliver low-carbon energy solutions to London and the South East’s waste management infrastructure gap.
The “nationally significant” infrastructure project will integrate a “state-of-the-art energy recovery facility, anaerobic digestion facility, battery storage and solar photovoltaic array”.
He will also oversee the development, modernisation and additional capacity of Cory’s lighterage fleet operating on the River Thames.
Sutherland’s appointment follows the acquisition of Cory in June 2018 by a consortium of long-term infrastructure investors, comprising Dalmore Capital, Fiera Infrastructure, Semperian PPP Investment Partners and Swiss Life Asset Managers.
John Barry, chair of Cory, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dougie Sutherland at this exciting next stage of Cory’s development.
“I am confident that Dougie’s experience and drive to deliver impactful results, alongside his public service credentials, make him the perfect fit for Cory.
“We wish him well in his new role and look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”
Meanwhile the outgoing chief executive said: “I wish Dougie well in his new role at the helm of Cory.
“The shareholders’ selection of Dougie reflects the wealth of infrastructure experience that makes him well placed to take Cory forward in addressing London’s waste capacity gap.”
Last month, Pennon, the parent company of South West Water revealed the company is on track to “meet expectations” in its water and waste businesses despite revealing it will take a £16 million hit following the collapse of infrastructure partner Interserve.