On the Move: Steve Edwards leaves Wales & West; Portsmouth appoints new chair

Portsmouth Water and Sembcorp Energy UK have both welcomed new blood to the boardroom, while Wales & West bids farewell to one of its founding directors and electric vehicle charging network Engenie unviels the former global product director at McDonald’s as its new chief technology officer. Utility Week presents a round-up of the latest appointments.

Wales & West Utilities

Regulation and commercial director Steve Edwards is to leave Wales & West after a career which spanned the gas distribution company’s lifetime.

The regulation and commercial director joined the company when it was set up in 2005 and has since led the business planning process, worked with Ofgem on its regulatory review process and in developing the Fuel Poor Network Extension Scheme.

He will leave the company at the end of this week and will be replaced as director of regulation by Sarah Williams, currently head of RIIO2. Williams will continue to head up the price review process alongside leading on regulation.

Wales & West Utilities chief executive Graham Edwards said his namesake had “made a valuable contribution to our business since we started operations in 2005, and has played a key role in the development of a number of cross-industry initiatives”.

Portsmouth Water

Christopher Deacon has been announced as the new chairman of Portsmouth Water, replacing Mike Kirk, who is stepping down from the board after eight years.

An infrastructure and project financier, Deacon served as a non-executive director for Thames Water between 2006 and 2019 and has previously advised Ofgem.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining the board at such an exciting time and to head up a business that has already established an `industry leading’ position in many respects.

“That being said there are some challenges to be faced– from the current priority of dealing with the Covid-19 crisis and delivering our ambitious performance commitments over the next five years, to translating our plans for the first reservoir in the South East in nearly 50 years to reality. This will involve settling relationships with our stakeholders, and then the planning process before construction can be commenced.

“However those challenges are also exciting opportunities. I am very much looking forward to helping solve the issues which will no doubt arise and bringing my business and career experience as Chairman of the Board to do that.”

Bob Taylor, Portsmouth’s chief executive, described Deacon as having “an excellent track record of providing excellent board-level leadership for major infrastructure, both in the UK and globally”.

“I’d also like to thank Mike for his excellent tenure as chair of Portsmouth Water. He has led our company through both calm and choppy waters but has always done so with great integrity, something that all of us at Portsmouth Water continue to emulate.”

Sembcorp

Drax’s chief executive of generation, Andy Koss, has been announced as the new head of Sembcorp Energy UK.

Koss, who spent 15 years in a variety of roles at Drax, will replace Nomi Ahmad at the start of August. Ahmad is moving back to Singapore to take up an executive position within Sembcorp.

Prior to leading the transformation of Drax into a prominent generator and supplier of renewable energy, Koss was director of strategy at the group.

Neil McGregor, group president and chief executive of Sembcorp Industries, said: “I am pleased that Andy has accepted our offer to helm our operations in the UK as we seek to accelerate our business offerings in key low-carbon growth areas. I believe that together with the continued support from our people, local leadership and partners, Andy will be well-positioned to steer the company in the right direction.”

Koss said: “I am delighted to be joining Sembcorp Energy UK at this exciting time and look forward to using my experience to accelerate its growth as an integrated energy company. The UK’s steady transition to net zero by 2050 presents many opportunities for us to provide more innovative value through sustainable solutions to our customers and expand our business presence in the market.”

Sembcorp Utilities UK and UK Power Reserve merged and rebranded as Sembcorp Energy UK last year.

Engenie

Electric Vehicle charging network, Engenie, has unveiled the former global product director at McDonald’s as its new chief technology officer.

James Wehner will be tasked with developing and implementing new technologies, looking at ways to enhance the customer experience and to further personalise the charging experience.

During his five years at McDonald’s, Wehner was responsible for designing and introducing McDonald’s’ digital self-service kiosks, including a rollout to over 70 countries.

Wehner said: “For mass adoption of EVs to become a reality, drivers must be at the heart of the transition and by ensuring a key part of their experience – charging – is smooth and seamless, Engenie promises to accelerate that transition.

“The fundamentals of exceptional customer experience are the same in any sector – it’s about putting the customer in control. After close to half a decade establishing one of the world’s most recognisable customer services tools, I’m excited to apply my skills to a sector where customer experience isn’t just good for business, but instrumental in saving the planet too.”

Ian Johnston, chief executive of Engenie, said: “We’ve seen advances in consumer experience transform industry after industry – from McDonald’s’ self-service kiosks transforming retail to the fintech banking revolution led by the likes of Monzo and Starling Bank. Consumer experience has always been at the heart of everything Engenie does and by bringing James on board, we hope to bring that same revolution to EV drivers across the UK.”