Ofgem’s director of gas crisis departs

In our latest round-up of people moves across the sector, Ofgem’s director for markets and gas crisis has stepped down temporarily, while the regulator is also trying to fill several senior vacancies.

Elsewhere, Affinity Water welcomes its new chief executive and National Grid appoints a managing director for interconnectors.

Ofgem

Ofgem has confirmed to Utility Week that Simon Wilde, its interim director markets and gas crisis, has taken a sabbatical.

Richard Smith will take on some of Wilde’s responsibilities as head of profession for analysis and as senior responsible officer for the security of supply and wholesale market resilience winter preparedness work.

Wilde was appointed to the newly-created role in July 2022 after two years working as director of analysis and assurance at the regulator and prior to that as its senior financial advisor.

Meanwhile, Ofgem has also told Utility Week it is recruiting for a chief operating officer as well as director general roles for both markets and infrastructure, all reporting into chief executive Jonathan Brearley.

The job description for the COO role states that Ofgem is in the process of “creating a new more permanent senior leadership structure”. It goes on to say that this will “ensure the senior leadership team is properly equipped to provide the strategic oversight required for the additional role and responsibilities Ofgem is taking on”.

The director general for markets role is described as responsible for the “design, reform and regulation of the UK energy retail and wholesale markets”, leading across Ofgem on financial regulation, compliance and enforcement.

Meanwhile, the director general for infrastructure will be responsible for “ensuring that £60 billion of investment is made into British electricity and gas networks, co-designing a market that will lead to a huge expansion of low carbon electricity, new energy institutions and a different method of regulating over £64 billion worth of networks”. They will also lead on cyber security.

Affinity Water

Keith Haslett has now started his role as chief executive of the water-only company, taking over from interim chief executive Stuart Ledger.

Haslett joins from Northumbrian Water, where he has been water director since September 2020. Prior to that he was wastewater director at United Utilities and previously worked for Northern Ireland Water.

Stuart Ledger stood down as interim chief executive in December after serving five years at Affinity – four as chief financial officer and as interim CEO over the last year.

The group’s chair Ian Tyler said: “Keith has a deep knowledge and experience of the water industry and has a formidable track record. I believe he will build on the legacy of Stuart’s excellent management and will provide strong leadership through the next price review whilst continuing to deliver improved service to our customers. During his year as interim CEO, Stuart led a turnaround in company performance, putting the company on a firm foundation to deliver our undertakings in this regulatory period and to prepare for the next. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank him for all he has done and wish him well for the future.”

Haslett said: “I am delighted to join Affinity Water as chief executive, particularly at such an important time in the regulatory period as we head into the next price review. Affinity is a business with huge potential, and I feel that my long track record and deep experience in the industry mean that I can help take the business forward, building on the work Stuart and the team have done so far.”

National Grid

A new managing director for interconnectors will join National Grid Ventures, the group’s commercial arm, in April.

Rebecca Sedler takes over from Nicola Medalova, who will become chief operating officer, electric for National Grid’s New England business.

An energy industry veteran with over 20 years’ experience, Sedler joined the interconnector business in January 2022 as director for commercial, customer and regulation.

Cordi O’Hara, president of National Grid Ventures, said: “I’m delighted Rebecca will succeed Nicola as managing director of our interconnector business. She brings with her a wealth of international experience and business development credentials accumulated across multiple senior roles in the energy industry. A recognised and respected leader across the UK energy industry, she has a passion for people and decarbonisation, and I look forward to working with her as a key member of my executive team.

“I am incredibly grateful for Nicola’s leadership over the last 18 months. She has been instrumental to NGV’s success at both a commercial and enterprise level. I wish Nicola all the best in her new role I have no doubt she will be an asset to the New England business.”

Anesco

The solar and storage developer has announced the appointment of Hildagarde McCarville as its new chief executive.

She takes over the reins at Anesco from Mark Futyan, who will remain with the company as a non-executive director.

Hildagarde joins Anesco from Veolia Environment S.A., a global resource management firm, having served as chief executive of Veolia in the Netherlands for eight years. Prior to this, Hildagarde served as managing director of Dalkia, (a subsidiary of EDF Group) and as a supervisory board member of Dutch district heating company, Ennatuurlijk.

She said: “Recent global events only reinforce the urgent need to decarbonise further and to accelerate the transition towards decentralised renewable energy and storage solutions. Anesco is well placed to provide the end-to-end services needed to achieve this target; whether that’s by developing and building high performing renewable assets or maintaining and optimising them to ensure they reach their full potential. I look forward to working closely with the management team to capitalise on growth opportunities in both new and existing markets.”