Set to begin in her new role from May 1, Nicola has been with ENGIE since 2013 having held a number of executive roles, most recently as divisional CEO for business energy and services, where she led on delivering innovative customer-led solutions and technologies to thousands of UK businesses.

Prior to this, she held senior level positions at both Balfour Beatty and Serco.

Nicola succeeds current CEO Wilfrid Petrie, who will remain with ENGIE, taking up a new position on the group’s executive committee based in Paris. He will also lead the development of the company’s B2B client solutions businesses in France.

Speaking of her appointment, Nicola said: “I’m delighted to be taking up the role of ENGIE’s CEO for UK & Ireland. We have a clearly defined strategy in integrated client solutions and flexible and renewable energy, delivering outcomes for both business and local authority customers that enable them to balance their performance with responsibility. I look forward to helping our customers in the transition towards a more decentralised, increasingly digital, zero carbon economy. Our focus on improving people’s lives through better living and working environments remains unchanged.”   

Wilfrid added: “It has been a great pleasure to be the UK CEO where we have repositioned the business to better serve our customers across our key markets. In the UK, ENGIE has evolved significantly in recent years, developing expertise and capabilities in order to adapt to the future needs of clients. Nicola will be a strong leader – she has the experience and qualities to lead this organisation through its next phase of growth, continuing to deliver solutions for clients and success for the business.”

ENGIE generated revenues of £3.6bn in 2018 and employs 17,000 in the UK & Ireland, providing a combination of energy, services and regeneration for businesses and communities.

Its development in recent years has been accelerated by both strong organic growth in areas such as renewables and offshore wind as well as the integration of strategic acquisitions including Keepmoat’s regeneration business in 2017, which created a leader in local authority placemaking, and also a number of smart building and digital companies, enhancing building user experience.

The announcement comes as part of wider organisational changes within ENGIE at group level as it reinforces its senior management to deliver its global “zero-carbon as a service strategy” outlined in February 2019.