PRESS RELEASE : New appointments to strengthen energy regulator’s work [October 2023]

New Non-Executive Directors have today (Friday 13 October 2023) been announced to join Ofgem as the government strengthens the energy regulator’s work to protect consumers.

Responsible for bringing independent oversight and support, the new Non-Executive Directors will help guide Ofgem’s work on current and future challenges – from restoring resilience in the energy market to maintaining progress towards the UK’s net zero goals.

The 5 new Non-Executive Directors are:

• Warren Buckley, outgoing Chair of Citizens Advice
• Alena Kozakova, Director at E.CA Economics
• Graham Mather, President of the Infrastructure Forum
• Jonathan Kini, Non-Executive Director at Ofwat
• Dr Tony Curzon Price, former advisor at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Cabinet Office and Number 10

As the government takes a more pragmatic and proportionate approach to net zero, it will work closely with Ofgem and the new Non-Executive Directors to deliver a more flexible and innovative retail market that can provide cheaper, cleaner energy to families.

This includes comprehensive new reforms to energy infrastructure, helping to speed up planning for the most nationally significant projects and giving every community a say.

Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said:

Protecting households from high energy bills and supporting them towards using cleaner, cheaper energy is integral to our plan for reaching net zero.

Bringing a rich breadth of experience in consumer protection, and areas including competition and regulation, Warren, Alena, Graham, Jonathan and Tony will be strong new additions to Ofgem’s Board.

I look forward to working with them on our shared mission to champion the rights of energy consumers and build an energy market fit for the future.

The new appointees will further enhance Ofgem’s work to support gas and electricity consumers, ensuring their energy needs are met on the path to net zero.

With energy prices down by 55% from their peak, the government will continue to support the most vulnerable through winter – on top of the £40 billion already provided last year to cover around half a typical household’s energy bill.

The 5 appointees, who take up their posts in November, will work with existing Non-Executive Directors Myriam Madden and Barry Panayi, as well as Ofgem’s new Chair and Executive Committee.

Notes to editors

The Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (GEMA), or the Ofgem Board, comprises non-executive and executive members, and a non-executive chair. Members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Warren Buckley has spent over 30 years in consumer and customer service leadership roles across the corporate and charity sectors. He has led large service delivery and retail teams at Vodafone, Lucent Technologies, Avaya, Orange, BT, Openreach, HSBC and Thames Water. He is the outgoing chair of National Citizens Advice, having served on the board for 11 years and was previously the chair of the Business Disability Forum.

Alena Kozakova is a competition and regulatory economist with experience spanning the public and private sectors, and currently co-leads the London practice of E.CA Economics, an antitrust consultancy. She was previously the Chief Economist at Ofwat. She worked for the predecessors of the Competition and Markets Authority, the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading, and for the Directorate General for Competition at the European Commission. She also worked at Frontier Economics and in the consumer body Which?.

Graham Mather has served on the Monopolies & Mergers Commission and the Competition Appeal Tribunal, as well as on the boards of the regulators Ofcom and the Office of Rail & Road. With experience in competition, regulation, law and economics, he was appointed CBE for services to economic regulation, competition and infrastructure development. He is President of the Infrastructure Forum. Earlier in his career he was General Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, Head of the Policy Unit at the Institute of Directors, as well as a Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 1999 serving on its Economic & Monetary Affairs Committee.

Jonathan Kini most recently worked as Managing Director of TalkTalk’s Consumer and Business Division and continues to support the business on mergers and acquisitions. Prior to this, Jonathan has held senior roles in Virgin Media and Vodafone and previously worked for Drax Plc as CEO of its Customer Businesses. He has held advisory roles at the Bank of England and Chaired the Business in the Community (BITC) Net Zero Carbon Taskforce. Jonathan is currently Non-Executive Director of regulator Ofwat, which is responsible for maintaining standards across the water and sewerage industry, in important areas including customer service and environmental protection.

Dr Tony Curzon Price is an economist with particular interests in technology, energy, environment and economic regulation. He has worked as an advisor in BEIS, the Cabinet Office and Number 10, as well as the Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority. He has been a technology and media entrepreneur, and spent 4 years in Silicon Valley. He has been involved in UK energy/environment policy for over 30 years.