Board of Directors and Executive management
The Board of Directors comprises the Chair, five Non-Executive Directors and two Executive Directors.
The boards and committees of Pennon Group plc and South West Water Limited usually meet sequentially on the same day or days, facilitated by the fact that the Non-Executive Directors of Pennon are also directors of South West Water.
All of the Non-Executive Directors are considered to have the appropriate skills, experience in their respective disciplines and personality to bring independent and objective judgement to the Board’s deliberations. Their biographies below demonstrate collectively a broad range of business, financial and other relevant experience.
There is a clear division of responsibilities between the roles of Chair and the Chief Executive Officer as recorded in the descriptions of the roles approved by the Board. All Directors are subject to re-election each year.
Appointed
David was appointed to the Board on 1 July 2024 and became Chair on 24 July 2024.
Skills and experience
- David is a Chartered Accountant who has spent the majority of his career in professional services with Deloitte and prior to that Andersen serving a diverse range of UK and international clients.
- He concluded his executive career at Deloitte in summer 2021 as Global Deputy CEO having previously been elected for two terms as Senior partner and Chief Executive of Deloitte UK and North West Europe from 2011 to 2019.
- During his leadership the firm became the largest and most profitable professional services firm Globally and, in the UK, driven in part by significant investments in technology services, as well as differentiating itself as the Audit quality leader with a strong inclusive culture.
Other appointments
- Chair of Starling Bank Limited and non-executive director on Safanad Limited. David is also a senior adviser to Bridgepoint Europe and he sits on the Board of Governors as chair designate of University of Hertfordshire.
BSc Hons, ACA
Appointed
Susan was appointed to the Board as Chief Executive Officer on 31 July 2020. Having previously served as Chief Financial Officer since 2015.
Skills and experience
- Susan’s knowledge of the industry, coupled with her financial and regulatory expertise, has underpinned the development of Pennon’s strategy which has included the value creating acquisition of Bournemouth Water, Bristol Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, as well as the successful Viridor disposal process, all of which she has led.
- In her 27+ years’ experience in the listed utility sector, Susan has also held a number of other senior roles in the water sector, including at Kelda Group plc.
- Susan’s FTSE experience, alongside significant corporate, operational and financing expertise brings a diversity of experience to Pennon.
Other appointments
- Non-Executive Director and Audit Chair of Restore Plc, a Director of the Institute of Water, a member of the Water UK Board, member of the Energy and Utilities Skills Partnership Council, and was previously a member of the A4S (Accounting for Sustainability) CFO leadership network.
Appointed
Laura was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Pennon Group in July 2024.
Skills and Experience
Laura was previously the Chief Customer and Digital Officer of Pennon Group between September 2022 and July 2024.
She was also an executive director and Chief Financial Officer of Bristol Water plc from October 2018. Alongside her financial responsibilities her role also encompassed leading the company’s transformation programme, as well as IT, HR, business services and communications
Laura continues to be a director of Pelican Business Services, a role she has held since 2019. Pelican provides billing and customer services across both Bristol Water and Wessex Water.
Other appointments
Laura previously worked in a number of executive positions in utilities and natural resources business including Bristol Energy, Anglo American and De Beers. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales.
CBE, BSc Hons, FCA, MBA
Appointed
Iain was appointed to the Board as Independent Non-Executive Director on 1 September 2018 and became Senior Independent Director on 1 September 2023.
Skills and experience
- Iain has 40 years of global experience in advising companies and governments on issues of complex corporate strategy.
- In 1983, he co-founded L.E.K. Consulting in London and built it into one of the world’s largest and most respected corporate strategy consulting firms with a global footprint and active in a wide range of industries.
- Iain was appointed as a non-executive director of Welsh Water plc in 1989 and served on the board for nearly ten years, including five years as chair.
Other appointments
- Iain is a non-executive director of Bologna Topco Limited and HSM Advisory Limited and continues to act as an independent corporate strategy consultant.
CBE, BSc Hons, FCMA, DUniv (Hons)
Appointed
Claire was appointed to the Board as Independent Non-Executive Director on 1 September 2019.
Skills and experience
- Claire has held a number of senior roles and directorships with UK and international organisations and has extensive board experience, serving on their audit, remuneration and governance committees.
- She is a past president of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and was the first female to lead this organisation.
- Claire spent most of her executive career with BT plc.
- She has also held non-executive directorships across a diverse portfolio, including Governance Committee chair of Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch International, Audit Committee chair of Lloyd’s of London, Flood Re, The Open University and various UK public bodies, including UK Trade & Investment and the British Council.
- Claire was also non-executive chair of the Board and Governance Committee at Axa XL-UK Entities until December 2022.
Other appointments
Chair of the audit board of KPMG LLP.
Appointed
Dorothy was appointed to the Board as Independent Non-Executive Director on 1 December 2022.
Skills and experience
- Dorothy has over 20 years’ experience in banking and communications, specialising in natural resources and advising clients around issues of sustainability, strategy, and corporate communications.
- She is well known for driving substantive diversity and inclusion agendas.
- Between 2002 and 2006, Dorothy held analyst and senior roles at Goldman Sachs, in the investment banking division, in both London and New York, as well as in the firmwide Strategy Group, where she focused on proprietary mergers and acquisitions and new business development.
- Dorothy graduated from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, USA with a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration, Finance and Management.
Other appointments
- Partner and Global Partnership Board member of FGS Global and non-executive director at Post Holdings Inc.
MBE, MSc
Appointed
Jon was appointed to the Board as Independent Non-Executive Director on 8 July 2020.
Skills and experience
- : Jon has a distinguished track record and an immense depth of experience and knowledge within the utility sector, having begun his career over 40 years ago as an apprentice at British Gas.
- Jon was previously managing director of National Grid Ventures, driving growth across a range of commercial ventures outside the regulated energy sector in the UK and the US.
- He has also been managing director of Northwest Gas, global Environment and Sustainability manager of Transco, National Operations director of National Grid, Group Safety, Resilience and Environmental director of National Grid plc and formerly chief executive officer of National Grid Ventures.
- Jon is an ex-chair of the CORGI board, an ex-ambassador of the HM Young Offenders Programme and trustee of the National Gas Museum Trust.
Other appointments
Chief executive officer at National Gas. Jon is also president of the Pipeline Industries Guild and a director of E.Tapp & Co Limited, Shopfittings Manchester Limited and TMA Property Limited.
BA Hons, ACMA
Appointed
Loraine was appointed to the Board as Independent Non-Executive Director on 1 December 2022.
Skills and experience
- Loraine is an experienced finance executive, with her experience focused in the retail and consumer sector, and more recently in real estate and infrastructure through her roles with Intu Properties plc and British Land Company plc.
- Loraine was the chief financial officer of Halfords Group plc until June 2022, before which she spent five years in executive and senior finance roles within John Lewis Partnership, including Waitrose.
- Prior to that, Loraine was chief financial officer of Hobbs, finance director of Capital Shopping Centres Limited (subsequently Intu Properties plc) and finance director of Costa Coffee Limited.
Other appointments
- Chair of the Audit Committee at British Land plc and a Trustee and Audit Committee member at the Zoological Society London.
Pennon Executive management
The role of the Pennon Executive is to define and drive the business priorities that will achieve delivery of the strategy. It is responsible for ensuring, to the extent of the authority delegated by the Board, the proper and prudent management of Group resources to create and maximise shareholder value while protecting the interests of the wider stakeholder group. Chaired by the Chief Executive Officer, the Pennon Executive meets regularly, to receive reports from all of the other management committees and to review and refine recommendations to be presented to the Board.
BSc Hons, ACA
Appointed
Susan was appointed to the Board as Chief Executive Officer on 31 July 2020. Having previously served as Chief Financial Officer since 2015.
Skills and experience
- Susan’s knowledge of the industry, coupled with her financial and regulatory expertise, has underpinned the development of Pennon’s strategy which has included the value creating acquisition of Bournemouth Water, Bristol Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, as well as the successful Viridor disposal process, all of which she has led.
- In her 27+ years’ experience in the listed utility sector, Susan has also held a number of other senior roles in the water sector, including at Kelda Group plc.
- Susan’s FTSE experience, alongside significant corporate, operational and financing expertise brings a diversity of experience to Pennon.
Other appointments
- Non-Executive Director and Audit Chair of Restore Plc, a Director of the Institute of Water, a member of the Water UK Board, member of the Energy and Utilities Skills Partnership Council, and was previously a member of the A4S (Accounting for Sustainability) CFO leadership network.
Appointed
Laura was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Pennon Group in July 2024.
Skills and Experience
Laura was previously the Chief Customer and Digital Officer of Pennon Group between September 2022 and July 2024.
She was also an executive director and Chief Financial Officer of Bristol Water plc from October 2018. Alongside her financial responsibilities her role also encompassed leading the company’s transformation programme, as well as IT, HR, business services and communications
Laura continues to be a director of Pelican Business Services, a role she has held since 2019. Pelican provides billing and customer services across both Bristol Water and Wessex Water.
Other appointments
Laura previously worked in a number of executive positions in utilities and natural resources business including Bristol Energy, Anglo American and De Beers. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales.
MA (Hons), Solicitor
Appointed
Andrew Garard was appointed as Group General Counsel and Company Secretary on 1 December 2022.
Skills and Experience
Andrew is a qualified solicitor in England and Wales and Hong Kong and a CEDR accredited mediator.
Andrew founded the Legal Social Mobility Partnership in 2014 before creating the Social Mobility Business Partnership in 2017. He joined Meggitt PLC as Group General Counsel and Director, Corporate Affairs in September 2019 where he was a member of the Group Executive and responsible for legal, commercial, trade compliance, government relations, ethics and contract management.
Previously, he was Group General Counsel and Company Secretary at ITV plc where he was a member of the Executive Board and led a global team responsible for legal and business affairs, secretariat, compliance, insurance, health & safety, rights management and corporate responsibility.
He started his career at Clifford Chance and also Freshfields.
Other appointments
Andrew is a Non-Executive Director at Zinc Media Group plc where he is Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
BA Hons, PCEC
Appointed
Adele joined the Group in 2017 and was appointed Group Chief People Officer in July 2020.
Skills and Experience
Adele’s areas of responsibility include the Group-wide Human Resources function, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications. Her remit includes the implementation of the Group’s People strategy, diversity and inclusion initiatives, talent development, people engagement, leadership and cultural change.
Her background includes senior roles in FTSE organisations including Marks and Spencer, Orange and John Lewis. Prior to joining Pennon, Adele spent 11 years at British Gas.
Other appointments
Adele is a pension trustee on the boards of the Pennon Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Pension Schemes. She is also a member of the board of NHS Professionals (NHSP) as a non-executive director. NHSP are the leading provider of managed flexible worker services to the NHS, with over 100,000 general and specialist nurses, doctors, midwives, administrative and other healthcare professionals.
CEng FICE, MEng, BEng (Hons), DMS, FIWater
Appointed
Richard was appointed Group Chief Engineering Director on 1 September 2022, having joined Bristol Water in February 2018.
Richard is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Institute of Water. He has over 30 years’ experience engineering, constructing and operating water and wastewater infrastructure, having previously held senior roles at other water companies.
Richard was instrumental in the transformation of Bristol Water as Chief Operating Officer. He is passionate about safety and customer excellence embedding leading practices whilst transforming operating and delivery functions.
Richard is also a director of Pelican, a joint venture, providing combined billing services to Bristol Water and Wessex Water customers.
David joined the Group as Group Drought and Resilience Director in 2022.
Skills and experience
David leads the organisation’s drought planning activities as well the ongoing development of our longer term resilience. With over 25 years of executive experience, David has successfully led performance and growth of large infrastructure businesses, both in the regulated water market and the competitive energy market in Australia.
David brings experience from his time leading one of Australia’s largest water companies through the worst droughts in the country’s history, ensuring the constant supply of drinking water and the building of additional water resources.
Appointed
Sarah was appointed the Chief of Strategy and Regulation in July 2024 after initially joining Pennon as Group Director of Regulation, Strategy and Net Zero in April.
Skills and experience
Sarah brings with her huge expertise and knowledge from 28 years in the utilities sector and, most recently, as Director of Regulation, Asset Strategy, and HS&E at Wales and West Utilities.
Sarah has an impressive track record of leading price reviews as well as several director and senior leaderships roles in Asset Management, Net Zero, Customer Service, Health & Safety and successful implementation of major change programmes.
Building on Sarah’s experience and knowledge, she will run the PR24 process and oversee the joining together of the Net Zero and the Developer Services teams with the existing Regulation & Strategy team to allow us to bring together relevant skillsets and expertise in a new function.
