On the Move: Flexitricity appoints new CEO

There have been a number of key appointments made across the utilities sector over the past month. Both Flexitricity and Energy Systems Catapult have appointed new chief executives, while SSE and Renewable UK have both announced changes to their board.

Meanwhile, industry stalwart Juliet Davenport has stepped down from the board of Good Energy, the company she helped found.

Flexitricity

Energy aggregator and flexibility provider Flexitricity has announced the appointment of Andy Lowe as its new chief executive.

Lowe has been at the company since 2018 and was previously responsible for commercial strategy, business development and portfolio growth. He replaces Simon Heyes who leaves after two-and-a-half years.

Lowe said: “It has been hugely rewarding to have been a part of Flexitricity’s growth over the last four years and I am delighted to now have the opportunity to lead our talented team to drive the businesses forward and capture the many exciting opportunities offered by the UK energy transition.

“We believe that flexibility in the power and broader energy markets is essential on our way to achieving net zero, and Flexitricity is already well-established in customer demand response, battery storage optimisation and other flexibility solutions.

“Our capabilities and asset portfolio are both poised to grow strongly over the coming years; we are now seeing huge momentum to our net zero ambitions, and the progress realistically needed by 2030.”

Energy Systems Catapult

Guy Newey was unveiled as the new chief executive of Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) at the beginning of May. He will succeed Philip New who retires later this year.

Newey has been the director of strategy and performance at ESC since 2018. He previously served as energy and climate adviser to former business and energy secretary Greg Clark and as a special adviser to Amber Rudd when she served as energy secretary.

Before joining government, Newey worked at Ovo Energy and was head of environment and energy at the think thank Policy Exchange.

He is also a non-executive director with UK100, a charity campaigning for greater environmental action by local authorities.

“Moving to a net zero energy system requires audacious innovation and the UK is perfectly placed to capture that opportunity. I want to harness ESC’s unique set of capabilities to turbo boost those pioneering businesses – small and large – to ensure they capture the unparalleled opportunity of clean growth,” said Newey.

Good Energy

Juliet Davenport, founder and former chief executive of Good Energy, has announced she will not stand for re-election to the company’s board at its annual general meeting for 2022.

Davenport founded the firm in 1999 and has spent just over a year as non-executive director after stepping down as chief executive in April 2021 when she was succeeded by Nigel Pocklington.

She currently holds a string of high profile roles with the Energy Institute, The Crown Estate, Ombudsman Services, Connected Kerb and Atrato Onsite Energy, among others.

Davenport said: “I will always cherish Good Energy — its people, customers and investors. We built something together that remains truly different and have shown that renewables are to be reckoned with.

“The past year has been an extremely turbulent one in energy, but it has been heartening to see the business navigate the crisis well whilst continuing to build on its mission and strategy under Nigel’s leadership. I believe it has a promising future, continuing to help drive the energy transition.”

Renewable UK

Trade body Renewable UK has announced the results of its latest board election.

The appointees are:

Anne-marie Coyle from GE Renewable Energy who was elected for the first time.

Coyle is GE’s offshore wind sales director UK and started her renewable energy career as a project developer at what was then Powergen (now Eon). She moved to GE’s renewable energy business in 2004.

Roisin Quinn, who is director of customer connections for National Grid’s Electricity Transmission business. Quinn, who was re-elected, was formerly head of national control for National Grid ESO. She was also the ESO’s first chief engineer.

She is also continuing in her role as vice chair of Renewable UK’s board.

Andy Reay from Associated British Ports (ABP) who was re-elected. Reay, who has worked in offshore wind for the last decade, became ABP’s head of offshore wind in October 2020 after having previously held roles at A2SEA and the DEME Group.

He is also a member of the Aura Advisory Board established to deliver offshore wind sector development based around the Humber region.

Meanwhile Kate Turner from Scottish Power Renewables was also re-elected. At Scottish Power, she is director of the policy and regulatory team responsible for onshore and offshore renewables projects, covering government energy policy, grid, planning, consenting and aviation matters across the UK and Ireland.

Speaking of the new appointments, Renewable UK chief Dan McGrail said: “They’re helping to steer the board at a time when the urgent need to speed up the delivery of low-cost electricity from secure clean sources has never been greater.

“This will move the UK closer towards energy independence as well as taking practical action at scale on climate change.”

SSE

SSE has announced the appointment of a new non-executive director to its audit committee, John Bason, who will begin his role on 1 June.

It is intended that Bason will succeed Peter Lynas as audit committee chair. He will also join the nomination committee.

Bason served for more than a decade as a non-executive director on the board of FTSE-100 company, Compass Group.

He is currently chair of FareShare, the UK’s network of charitable food redistributors and a non-executive director of Bloomsbury Publishing.

He previously served as finance director of Associated British Foods.