
Energy giant SSE names new chief executive from inside firm
Martin Pibworth, who is currently the firm's chief commercial officer, will take over the top job in July, with a nearly £1 million a year starting salary.
It comes after Mr Phillips-Davies oversaw SSE's exit from the retail energy market in 2019, selling that part of its business to Ovo.
The outgoing chief was also made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the energy industry last year.
Mr Pibworth takes the hotseat as SSE is partway through a £20.5 billion investment plan, which involves connecting an onshore wind farm in Shetland to the UK power grid and building a £4.3 billion sub-sea transmission cable between Peterhead in Scotland to a site in Yorkshire.
Both projects contribute to plans from the Government to ramp up massively clean energy generation on UK soil and in its waters to virtually cut out carbon emissions from the grid by 2030.
SSE is also working on the world's largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6 gigawatt Dogger Bank scheme, and said it expects to complete the first part of that by the second half of 2025.
Chairman Sir John Manzoni said the new boss is a 'proven industry leader, with deep sector experience and a highly strategic outlook'.
'Alistair has been an exceptional chief executive, leading the company's transition into being the UK and Ireland's clean energy champion, whilst delivering true and lasting value for all of our stakeholders.'
SSE said the new chief will get a base salary of £970,000 per annum, which will rise to £1.05 million from April next year, while bonuses and share-based incentive payments could see that rise significantly further.

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The Herald Scotland
19 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's largest power plant faces a final reckoning
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'There is a broad political consensus from the SNP and UK Labour and the Tories in support of carbon capture and storage,' they note. 'There's a key reason. The oil and gas lobby is massive. For every day Holyrood is in session, there is an oil and gas meeting. 'It's easier to pretend carbon capture is a 'magic bullet' than to change structures and systems. That's where the political consensus is coming from.' What do people in the region think about the plant? Unsurprisingly, activists and developers tell me different things. SSE claims that the plant will bring an influx of jobs and economic development to the area. Sanders quips: 'Locally, the response has been very supportive. People are keen to see investments. They know it can revitalise the north east of Scotland and set it up to thrive in a Net Zero world. 'I remember attending one of our community engagement meetings in the town and people were asking why we hadn't done this sooner.' Petehead is home to the largest fishing port in Europe. (Image: Getty) She invites me to visit Peterhead, and says the firm would be happy to show me around the plant. 'Well,' I say, 'I'll do you one better. I've looked out my window and seen the power plant more times than I can count.' 'Ah,' Sanders replies. 'I see why you're interested in this.' A shiny video on SSE's website celebrates the impact it has on the region. In an interview, one suited and booted worker says: 'We know it's a really hard time for local charities, business, and organisations. So to see SSE stepping up and getting involved locally with local people and community groups to help support them is really important.' Read more: Yet, Michelle Marshall, who works for Friends of the Earth, has a different view. She is a mum-of-two who has lived in Boddam for a decade, in the shadow of the power plant. We first met when she was fighting to save the community's library, which was mothballed over the winter. Marshall tells me that her community is already suffering. She says: 'Peterhead and Boddam have seen colossal cuts that are already affecting so many people. What we need is to see our sheltered housing stay open, for the new Community Campus to be built, our libraries reinstated, access to better healthcare and the reinstating of our nighttime A&E service. 'What we don't need is more pollution, more risk of flooding, and more risk to our health. We do not need a new gas guzzling power station when we deserve good, well-funded public services and community spaces.' It's a trying time for the residents of the north-east, this I know. A hardy and proud people, they have been worn down by decades of economic stagnation and neglect by a series of governments. They are those who live in the shadows; of the oil and gas industry, the energy companies, and yes, the looming power plant. And now, it's hard to shake the feeling that in the corporate boardrooms and halls of power in London and the central belt, their future is being decided for them.

South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Deposit return scheme for Wales moves closer
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The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Regional electricity pricing plan is scrapped with Ed Miliband backing single national rate
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