The Young Energy Professionals (YEP) Awards 2025

Priya Brahmbhatt-Patel joined Ofgem in January 2021 as Executive Director of Communications and Engagement. Her department covers all areas of Corporate Affairs, including strategic communications, media relations and public affairs, stakeholder engagement and the website and its digital channels. Priya sits on the Ofgem Executive Committee and the People and Renumerations committee.  

Before joining Ofgem, she was previously a Director and Deputy Director at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Culture Media and Sports and Department for Business Energy, and Industry Strategy. 

Monica Collings OBE, a distinguished portfolio Chair and Non-Executive, commands an exceptional breadth of expertise in business transformation, customer engagement, and leadership within regulated environments. Formerly retail energy Chief Executive of Vattenfall’s UK supplier, Monica also adeptly steered through the energy crisis at the helm of the challenger, So Energy, culminating in a significant merger with ESB Energy. She now operates across a multitude of board and strategic advisory roles, including Chair of international charge point operator, Plug-N-Go, and Non-Executive Director at Adler & Allen and Dalcour Maclaren. Monica’s trailblazing journey as the sole female domestic supply Chief Executive saw her awarded an OBE for services to diversity in the energy sector, and her role as Chair of POWERful Women underscores her as a fervent advocate for gender equality. 

Monica is an experienced regulatory and consumer protection professional with over two decades of expertise in the UK retail energy sector. Currently a Regulatory Manager at Centrica, Monica helps shape policy and consumer regulation strategies for British Gas through external engagement with regulatory and consumer bodies.   

Her career began in Consumer Affairs at Ofgem, before holding pivotal roles at consumer organisations, including leadership roles within Citizens Advice’s Extra Help Unit, where she led on supplier engagement, championed fair treatment for vulnerable customers and drove supplier accountability. Before joining Centrica, Monica held stakeholder roles at SSE, OVO, and Shell Energy, enabling organisations to meet industry commitments and deliver tangible improvements in customer experience.  

With a 360° view gained from working across regulatory bodies, advocacy groups and suppliers, Monica is a trusted adviser on consumer issues and ethical business practices.  

Gavin has over 25 years headhunting experience in the energy sector, specialising in executive search for communications and advocacy skills. He advises boards on appointing corporate affairs leaders, trade body CEOs, communications and policy experts. He is a Past Master and Honorary Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Communicators. 

Rich has over 30 years’ experience in the utilities sector.

His focus is the role of “digitalisation” in delivering a just energy transition and accelerating climate action.

Rich is active in the leadership of a number of industry associations and advisory boards.

A professional engineer by background, he has spent his career working with organisations to implement transformational change.

Outside work, Rich is passionate about sport and coaches rugby. Fortunately, those activities involve his kids!

Matthew Johnson is the Chief Executive of Engage Consulting. Engage is a trusted advisor and an expert in market arrangements for the energy industry and has supported clients for over 25 years. Matthew has a background in corporate finance and joined the energy industry in 2015 as part of the set-up team for Low Carbon Contracts Company. Prior to his role at Engage, he spent six years at Elexon where he became a member of the Executive team with responsibility for settlement activities and also served as Managing Director for EMR Settlement. 

Having been appointed as COO in January 2024, Kayte oversees NESO’s delivery across energy networks and markets and the real time operation of the electricity transmission system. As the ESO transitioned to become ‘National Energy System Operator’ (NESO) in Autumn 2024, Kayte’s focus is on building and embedding a ‘whole system’ approach to the strategic planning and delivery of GB’s energy transition.

With more than 20 years of experience in the energy sector, Kayte was most recently
accountable, on behalf of ESO, for the design and delivery of NESO. She has previously led the Strategy and Markets teams and spent 3 years in Boston with National Grid’s US electricity distribution businesses.

Kayte is a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Jersey Electricity.

​Vicky leads PwC’s Energy, Utilities and Resources Business. Before joining PwC, Vicky led Accenture’s Global Power and Utilities Strategy Business and was a partner at KPMG for 9+ years previously leading the Energy Strategy team. 

Dhara joined Energy UK in November 2021 and assumed the role of Chief Executive in November 2024. She is an expert in energy consumer issues and the energy transition, and was named ‘Executive of the year’ at the 2023 Trade Association Forum Awards. Prior to joining Energy UK Dhara led work on Net Zero, the future energy system and decarbonisation at Citizens Advice. 

Dhara began her career in local government and has worked across a broad range of policy areas from civil society to community building and deliberative democracy. She has been an active member of several Government and academic advisory boards, is on the Boards of Green Alliance and EVA England, and is a primary school governor.