Emma Pinchbeck has been confirmed as the new chief executive of Energy UK.
Pinchbeck joins Energy UK from Renewable UK where she was deputy chief executive and brings with her valuable expertise and knowledge of the energy sector.
The appointment was made by the Board of the association.
Announcing the appointment, chairman of Energy UK, Lord Hutton said:
“I am delighted that Emma will be our next chief executive. She will bring experience, expertise and a passion for working towards a net zero carbon energy sector, which is essential if we are to meet the future challenges we face both as an industry, and a country.
“It is an exciting time in the energy sector, with rapid change being seen in both the retail market and the power sector, and with new innovative products and services which are transforming the way customers interact with the market.
“I know Emma will be the right person to lead the organisation during this time of considerable change and that she, with the wider Energy UK team, will continue to ensure we have a clear and influential voice on the key issues facing the sector and that our members’ voice is heard.”
Emma Pinchbeck said:
“The energy transition is upon us, and I am thrilled to be joining Energy UK at this critical time. The rapid innovation and technological advances in recent years mean that it is no longer necessary to compromise to get affordable, green and reliable power, and that is fantastic news for the UK economy and for British households.
“The energy transition is not a niche green movement but an economic shift at the heart of our energy system, and Energy UK members have shown global leadership in meeting the challenges and seizing the opportunities of this new market.
“I am delighted that as chief executive of Energy UK, I will be in a position to support them as the transition gathers pace and, with my track record of working on climate change, I look forward to bringing my experience to help our members to achieve their decarbonisation ambitions – particularly in the year that the UK Government will host COP26 in Glasgow.”
Notes to editors:
- Audrey Gallacher is interim chief executive following the departure of Lawrence Slade in December 2019. Following a period of maternity leave Emma Pinchbeck will take up the post of chief executive of Energy UK in July 2020 on a part-time basis, ahead of starting full-time in September. Energy UK supports flexible working and increasing the diversity and inclusivity within the sector.
- Biography: Emma Pinchbeck is an expert in whole-economy decarbonisation and the energy transition. From 2016-2020, she served as Deputy CEO of the trade body RenewableUK, in which role she also sat on the Board and on the Board of Scottish Renewables. She holds several board advisory positions, including with Imperial College and Innovate-UK, and is a regular commentator on climate change and renewables in the media. Prior to joining RenewableUK, Emma was Head of the Climate Change team at WWF-UK; in this role she led a team campaigning on the Paris Agreement, on international aviation emissions, and on the UK’s Coal Phase Out. Emma strongly supports efforts to improve diversity in the energy sector and improve working practices in industry, and has been a mentor to various young professionals around her work. She has an MA from the University of Oxford. Outside of work, she ran her first Marathon in 2018 to raise money for WWF’s climate change work, and is a keen competitive rower. She is passionate about sustainable living: even her wedding dress was from Oxfam! Emma had her first child in Autumn 2019.