Pennon has today announced the appointment of Ian Christie, currently Managing Director - Water Services, Capital Delivery and Asset Planning at Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, to a newly created role of Chief Asset Officer (CAO) for Pennon Group.
Ian will join on 4 May 2026 and will be a member of the Pennon Executive. Asset health is at the heart of everything we do, and this appointment will strengthen our capabilities ensuring the condition, performance and resilience of Pennon’s assets reinforce decisions on service delivery, environmental protection and long-term investment.
As Pennon continues to deliver its record £3.2 billion 2025-2030 investment programme for customers, the environment and local communities, strong well-maintained assets will underpin everything we do to deliver reliable day-to-day services for customers while protecting the environment.
As we look forward over the next 5, 10, 25-year horizon, asset management will become ever more central to meeting rising expectations and is at the heart of the new regulatory landscape laid out by Jon Cunliffe in his report and clearly signposted in the Government’s “A new vision for water: white paper”.
Ian brings extensive experience across asset management, operational delivery and system planning. His expertise will be instrumental in strengthening the Group’s focus on asset health and reliability, and in supporting the successful delivery of current and future business plans. Under Ian’s leadership, asset management will become a central, strategic function across the Group. Existing asset management teams will be brought together within a single, centralised function, which will partner with the operational businesses.
David Sproul, Executive Chairman of Pennon Group said: “Creating a Chief Asset Officer role is a deliberate and important step as we continue to strengthen our focus on asset health and reliability, supporting the successful delivery of our current and future business plans. Our assets underpin everything we do, from the services customers rely on every day to our ability to protect the environment and deliver value over the long term. As expectations on performance, resilience and sustainability continue to rise, it is right that asset health and investment decisions sit at the very heart of the Group’s leadership and strategy.
This role has been shaped with a clear view of the direction of travel for the business and has the full support of Keith Haslett, our incoming Chief Executive. Ian brings deep experience and strong leadership in asset management, and I am confident he will play a pivotal role in supporting delivery of our current plans and shaping Pennon’s future.”
Commenting on his appointment, Ian Christie said: “I’m delighted to be joining Pennon. This new role demonstrates a clear commitment to making asset management a strategic priority. Developing a deeper understanding of asset health and how it shapes the service we provide to customers and the environment, both now and into the future will be critical to making informed investment decisions in a changing regulatory landscape. I’m also really looking forward to visiting colleagues across the regions and getting to know the business first-hand.”