Utilities leaders recognised in 2018 New Year Honours list

A host of utilities leaders were recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for 2018.

Among them were Susan Rice, chairman of Scottish Water, who is to be appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Joanne Wade, chief executive of the Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE), who has been awarded an OBE and Jo Coleman, strategy development director for the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) who was also awarded an OBE.

Dame Susan, as she will become, has led Scottish Water’s board as chairman since June 2015 and has also served on the boards of SSE and the Bank of England. She will receive the Honour for services to business, the arts and charity.

She also chairs Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group, influencing Scottish businesses to embrace models of sustainable economic growth, and has spoken internationally about finance for renewables, Scotland’s low carbon agenda and climate justice. In 2012 she became the first woman elected as president of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI).

Meanwhile, Coleman has been recognised for her services to the energy sector. She joined ETI as deputy director of strategy development in 2011 and was subsequently appointed to her current role in February 2014.

Jonathan Wills, chief executive at the ETI, said: “Jo has been a leading figure at the ETI, creating strong partnerships and modelling systems that will continue to have a significant impact on the advancement of low carbon technology in the energy sector, for years to come.”

Wade, who has led the ACE team since September 2014, has been awarded an OBE for services to energy efficiency.

Her career achievements include chairing Eaga Charitable Trust, at a time when the trust was funding early research into the health impacts of fuel poverty, and leading the first large scale European study of the employment impacts of energy efficiency investments.

Wade said she is excited about the year ahead and is looking forward to the challenge of bringing together ACE and the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE). She will be taking on the role of deputy director in the merged organisation.

Speaking about her award, she said: “I am delighted that the importance of energy efficiency is being acknowledged in this way.  Energy efficiency has a vital role to play in the UK’s economy and delivers many wider benefits to society including helping to meet climate change targets and tackling fuel poverty.”

Also recognised in this year’s list were:

Order of Bath – CB (Companion)

• Stephen Speed, director, civil nuclear and resilience, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) For services to the oil and gas industry

Order of the British Empire – Commanders of the Order of the British Empire

• Tom Delay, chief executive, The Carbon Trust for services to sustainability in business
• Shaun Kingsbury, chief executive, Green Invest Bank for services to the UK green economy

Order of the British Empire – Officers of the Order of the British Empire

• Irene Adams, adviser to the chair, Green Invest Bank for services to the UK green economy
• Stephanie Jane Karpetas, founder and director, Sustainability Connections and director, Orchard Community Energy for services to the community in East Kent
• Paromita Konar-Thakkar, deputy director, energy economics and analysis, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for services to energy analysis
• Dr Elizabeth Angela McDonnell, lately head, biomass electricity policy, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for services to bioenergy policy

Order of the British Empire – Members of the Order of the British Empire

• Daniel McCallum, co-founder and managing director, Awel Aman Tawe for services to community energy in Wales