A message from Fintan Slye – Leadership changes at the ESO

The energy landscape is transforming, and as the electricity system operator for Great Britain we’re playing a more important role than ever in shaping its future. Today we’re announcing some changes to the structure of our leadership that will put National Grid ESO in the best position possible to fulfil that role and to continue delivering a safe, reliable and efficient electricity system.

As we approach the RIIO-2 period and continue accelerating our zero carbon ambitions, we’re realigning the way our leadership team is structured to make sure we’re prepared for the challenges ahead.

We’re excited to be creating a new role – head of markets – which will be filled by our current head of strategy and regulation, Kayte O’Neill, and which will oversee a unit which brings together our future markets and commercial teams. We are in the process of recruiting a successor for Kayte in the head of strategy and regulation role.

Current functions within our national control team will remain unchanged, with its ability to deliver world-class, real-time operation of the electricity system boosted by the addition of expertise from our energy forecasting, trading and performance review teams – all relocated from our commercial unit – and the business change team. The already close working relationship these teams have with the control centre will be made stronger still, ensuring better service for customers and helping industry’s transformation towards sustainability.

Our networks team and our corporate affairs, IT, HR, finance and legal functions are unaffected.

As part of the changes, Duncan Burt is moving on from his position as director of operations to an exciting new role with National Grid plc as director COP26. The UK has been chosen to host the annual major UN climate change summit (COP26) at the end of 2020, and Duncan will act as National Grid’s COP ambassador. The director of operations role will no longer be in the leadership structure. We wish Duncan the very best in this new venture.

Our new leadership structure

We will transition to the new structure during March with it being fully in place and operational for the new financial year. As we progress through an exciting period of transformation in our industry, we look forward to continuing to evolve our operations and ambitions as we play our part at the heart of Great Britain’s energy system.