Centrica plc (LON:CNA) today announced the appointment of Richard Hookway as Chief Executive, Centrica Business effective 1 December at which time he will also join the Centrica plc Board. This follows Centrica’s announcement on 5 July regarding Mark Hanafin’s retirement from the Company at the end of March 2019. Richard will join Centrica and the Executive Committee on 1 November, allowing him to work through a handover with Mark. Mark Hanafin will step down from the Board on 30 November.
Richard has worked in the energy sector for 35 years at BP. During that time he has had a successful and varied career, most recently as Group Chief Operating Officer for Global Business Services and IT. Prior to this Richard spent seven years as CFO for BP’s Downstream division which includes all B2B and B2C customer-facing businesses, refining and marketing and the P&L for BP’s oil trading activities. Richard previously has held a number of senior commercial roles both in the UK and in North America including as head of the Natural Gas Liquids business based in Houston, and the Commercial and Industrial Marketing business for Europe including accountability for BP’s internal power developer and provider of energy management services. His career has given him very broad experience across a number of business disciplines including finance, marketing, business development, oil and gas trading and commodity risk management. He has also held positions in exploration and production, petrochemicals and in group functions.
Iain Conn, Group Chief Executive, Centrica said:
“I am delighted that Richard is joining Centrica as Chief Executive of Centrica Business. He brings with him a wealth of experience in customer-facing energy activities, including in energy marketing and trading and commodity risk management. He has spent much of his career in the UK and Europe, but has also lived in North America and knows that energy market well.
I would also like to take this opportunity again to thank Mark Hanafin for his significant contribution to the business over the past 10 years and to wish him and his family all the very best for the future.”
Richard Hookway, incoming Chief Executive, Centrica Business said:
“I am excited to be joining Centrica at this interesting time as the energy sector continues to transform. Centrica Business is focused on meeting the changing needs of business customers across the globe as energy becomes more decentralised, cleaner and technologically driven. I look forward to working with Iain, the Board and the Centrica Business team to lead the business through the next phase of its transformation.”
