Severn Trent revamps wholesale business

Severn Trent has reshaped its wholesale business into three teams: Customer delivery; Capital delivery and commercial; and Production.

The team leaders will be

• Customer delivery – chief customer officer, Sarah Bentley;

• Capital delivery and commercial – chief commercial officer, Helen Miles;

• Production – internal and external candidates are being sought.

According to Severn Trent the customer delivery team will be focused on “further improving customer experience” while capital delivery’s remit will be “optimal delivery of asset construction schemes and driving further efficiencies in the supply chain.” The production team will focus on “driving higher quality water production and waste water treatment.”

Managing director, business services, Andy Smith, will continue to lead the non-regulated businesses which will be extended to include a bio resources operation.

“The changes will position the company to drive upper-quartile performance across Water, Waste and Retail in the regulated business, and will allow Severn Trent to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by competition in the bio-resources market from AMP7 in the non-regulated business,” the company said.

The overhaul will transfer the responsibilities of current managing director, wholesale operations, Emma FitzGerald to the new team leaders. Fitzgerald will step down from the board in December 2017 and will leave the company in summer 2018. During this time she will focus on developing the company's capability to manage and integrate disruptive technological innovation.

Severn Trent, Chief executive, Liv Garfield said: “I am confident the changes we are announcing today will further enhance Severn Trent's ability to deliver strong results this AMP, underpinning our ambitions for upper-quartile performance.”

Severn Trent along with United Utilities and Pennon's South West Water were tipped this week by analysts at Macquarie’s to out perform the rest when the new price controls come into play.

Severn Trent along with United Utilities and Pennon were tipped this week by analysts at Macquarie’s to out perform the rest when the new price controls come into play.