United Utilities Group Plc
UU.:LN
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Overview
Company Profile
United manages and operates the regulated electricity distribution, water and wastewater networks in north west England.
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Corporate
Board of Directors
Dr John McAdam
Chairman
Current directorships/business interests: Chairman of Rentokil Initial plc, senior independent director of J Sainsbury plc and a non-executive director of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc. He is also Chairman and a director of United Utilities Water PLC. Career experience: Appointed to the board of ICI plc in 1999 and became chief executive in 2003, a position held until ICI\'s takeover by Akzo Nobel. There have been no changes to John\'s directorships during the year ended 31 March 2014. Skills and experience: With over 15 years\' service as a board director in a wide range of companies, and as a current non-executive director serving on a number of other boards, John has a wealth of experience on which to draw in his role as Chairman and leader of the board.
Steve Mogford
Chief Executive Officer
Current directorships/business interests: Senior independent director of Carillion PLC, vice-president of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He is also Chief Executive Officer and a director of United Utilities Water PLC. Career experience: Previously chief executive of SELEX Galileo, the defence electronics company owned by Italian aerospace and defence organisation Finmeccanica. Previously chief operating officer at BAE Systems PLC, and a member of its PLC board, he spent his earlier career with British Aerospace PLC. Skills and experience: Steve\'s experience of the highly competitive defence market and complex design, manufacturing and support programmes has brought renewed focus to customer service and operational performance at United Utilities, and his perspective of the construction and infrastructure sector provides valuable experience relating to United Utilities\' capital investment programme.
Russ Houlden
Chief Financial Officer
Current directorships/business interests: Russ is a Member of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Orange Polska SA, a fixed and mobile telecommunications company listed on the Warsaw and London stock exchanges. He is a Member of the Main Committee and Chairman of the Financial Reporting Committee of the 100 Group. He is also chief financial officer and a director of United Utilities Water PLC. Career experience: Chief financial officer at Telecom New Zealand. Previously finance director of Lovells, BT Wholesale, BT Networks and Information Services, ICI Polyurethanes and ICI Japan. Skills and experience: Russ\'s experience in accounting, finance and treasury management in other competitive and regulated companies, along with his extensive experience of driving performance improvement and managing large capital expenditure programmes, provides the group with valuable expertise with regard to its drive for improvements in customer service, operations, capital expenditure and financing.
Dr Catherine Bell CB
Independent non-executive director
Qualifications: MA Geography, PhD Economic History. Appointment to the board: March 2007 Committee membership: Nomination, audit, remuneration and corporate responsibility (chair). Current directorships/business interests: Non-executive director and executive board member of the Department of Health and a non-executive director of National Grid Gas plc and National Grid Electricity Transmission plc. Catherine is also an independent non-executive director of United Utilities Water Limited. Career experience: Formally a non-executive director of the Civil Aviation Authority and prior to that a civil servant and acting permanent secretary at the Department for Trade and Industry. Previously a non-executive director of Ensus Limited and Swiss Re GB Plc. Skills and experience: Catherine’s civil service background and understanding of the operation of government departments and utility regulation is particularly valued given the regulated framework within which the business operates.
Stephen Carter
Independent non-executive director
Qualifications: Bachelor of Law Appointment to the Board: September 2014 Committee membership: Nomination, audit and corporate responsibility Current directorships/business interests: Group chief executive at Informa plc and a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is also an independent non-executive director of United Utilities Water Limited. Career experience: Prior to his appointment as group chief executive at Informa plc on 1 January 2014, he was appointed as CEO designate on 1 September 2013, having previously served on the board as an independent non-executive director and member of the audit committee. He has also held non-executive director positions at Travis Perkins plc and Royal Mail Holdings plc. Previous roles include president/managing director, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and a member of the executive management board at Alcatel Lucent Inc. Stephen has also held a number of public service roles, serving a term as the founding chief executive of Ofcom. He was formerly chairman of the board at Ashridge Business School. He is a Life Peer. Skills and experience: As the CEO of a FTSE listed company, Stephen brings additional current operational experience to the board. His time spent in public service will provide additional insights to the board regarding regulation and government relations, and his experience in the media and technology industries will provide a new perspective for the board’s discussions.
Mark Clare
Senior independent non-executive director
Qualifications: Chartered Management Accountant (FCMA). Appointed to the board: November 2013. Committee membership: Nomination and remuneration. Current directorships/business interests: Independent non-executive director of United Utilities Water Limited. Career experience: Mark was group chief executive at Barratt Developments plc between October 2006 and June 2015 and has also served as a trustee of the Building Research Establishment and the UK Green Building Council. Prior to joining Barratt, he was an executive director of Centrica plc and held a number of senior roles both within Centrica plc and British Gas. Mark has also been a non-executive director of BAA plc, the airports operator. Skills and experience: As a recent former CEO of a FTSE listed company, Mark brings additional operational experience to the board. His time at British Gas and BAA means he has a strong background operating in a regulated environment which will be invaluable as will his extensive knowledge of customer facing businesses which is particularly valuable as the industry prepares for increased competition and pursues its continuous drive to improve customer service.
Brian May
Independent non-executive director
Qualifications: BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science, Chartered Accountant ACA. Appointed to the board: September 2012. Committee membership: Nomination, audit (chair) and treasury (chair). Current directorships/business interests: Finance director at Bunzl plc. He is also an independent non-executive director of United Utilities Water Limited. Career experience: Brian has been finance director at Bunzl plc since 2006 and prior to that held a number of senior finance roles within the company. Prior to joining Bunzl, Brian qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG. Skills and experience: Brian joined Bunzl in 1993 as head of internal audit before becoming group treasurer, then finance director, Europe and Australasia, and is currently finance director. Brian’s background and the various finance roles that he has held are major assets to the board in chairing both the audit committee and the treasury committee
Sara Weller
Independent non-executive director
Qualifications: MA Chemistry. Appointed to the board: March 2012. Committee membership: Nomination and remuneration (chair). Current directorships/business interests: Non-executive director of Lloyds Banking Group plc and lead non-executive director for the Department for Communities and Local Government. Chair of the Planning Inspectorate and a board member at the Higher Education Funding Council for England and a council member at Cambridge University. She is also an independent non-executive director of United Utilities Water Limited. Career experience: Sara has wide-ranging business experience having worked for Mars, Abbey National and J Sainsbury plc and latterly as managing director of Argos from 2004 to 2011. She served as the senior independent director at Mitchells and Butlers from 2003 to 2006 and also chaired its remuneration committee from 2003 to 2010. Skills and experience: Sara’s experience of customer facing businesses, together with her knowledge of operating within a regulated environment, will be major assets to the board as the water industry prepares for the opening up of the sector to more competition and in improving customer service.