Company strategy

British Gas places UK’s largest commercial EV order to date

Water efficiency pleas must be tailored to specific customers

Facing AMP7 challenges together

Covid-19 propels utilities towards a digital future

Mary Starks to leave Ofgem amid restructure

Ofgem’s executive director of consumers and markets Mary Starks is to leave her role after nearly two years. Chief executive Jonathan Brearley said an internal consultation was taking place on a new "flatter and broader leadership". Meanwhile Ofgem's chief economist, Joe Perkins, has departed to join a consultancy.

Bulb appoints Easyjet CMO to lead growth

Renewable energy supplier Bulb has announced the appointment of the chief marketing officer of Easyjet to bolster its senior leadership team. Lis Blair will become Bulb's chief growth and marketing officer in the autumn. The retailer also confirmed a number of other senior appointments, with a focus on its international ambitions.

Owning the Last Mile

The public perception of utilities workers during lockdown has shifted from an early suspicion as to why projects in public areas needed to continue to a renewed respect for the critical role the industry performs. Dan Rhodes, of Morrison Utility Services, says the sector can build on this by ensuring by ensuring communications with customers are clear and compassionate.

Homeworking can be a catalyst for change

Challenger brands dominate Top 5 star rating spots

Citizens Advice’s latest customer service rankings has shown Q1 2020 as the worst performance by the former big six over the past two years, with challenger brands taking all five top five spots. Since Q1 2018 there has always been at least one of the largest suppliers within the top five but SSE, which sold its customers to Ovo earlier this year, was the highest scoring and ranked in sixth place with a score of 3.85.

Centrica calls for 1m heat pumps by 2025

Centrica has called for the installation of one million heat pumps over the next five years as part of the green economic recovery. It has urged the government to bring forward the full Future Homes Standard (FHS) by three years to 2021, as well as phasing into 2025 a scrappage scheme for oil boilers. The company has published a three-point plan which includes a series of measures it believes will help restart the post-Covid economy in line with its net-zero emissions commitment.

Former shadow environment minister joins Portsmouth Water’s board

Portsmouth adds a former MP to its board to bring extra environmental and water policy expertise as it embarks on the first reservoir project in the south east for 50 years

RWE closes asset swap with Eon after absorbing Innogy’s renewable arm

Half of large suppliers failed to meet annual smart meter milestones

Drax faces strike threats

MOSL plots course for transition out of lockdown

The market operator for the non-domestic water retail sector (MOSL) is to set out how suppliers should gradually remove the protections for businesses impacted by coronavirus. Its Market Performance Operating Plan also aims to tackle legacy issues around the capture and use of data.