Northumbrian Water Group has announced the appointment of a new managing director and a rebrand for the Group′s non-household retail arm NWG Business in the run up-to competition in 2017.
Northumbrian Water Group has decided to rebrand NWG Business to help build a national identity for its non-household retail business. NWG Business has been operating in Scotland since 2015 - Scottish businesses have had the option to choose their water supplier since 2008.
The new non-household retail business will be a separate entity under Northumbrian Water Group and trade as ‘Wave’, retaining NWG’s corporate colours and its hexagonal shape which is inspired by Northumberland’s castles.
Lucy Darch has been appointed as managing director of the non-household retail business.
NWG said Darch has a wealth of experience in business retention and growth, delivering unrivalled customer experience and structuring and leading high performance teams in the utility sector.
During a 20-year career in utilities Lucy Darch has set up and lead business development, digital, commercial and marketing teams in large national companies including British Gas Business, uSwitch and Moneysupermarket.
Commenting on her appointment, the new MD, who began working for Northumbrian Water Group last year, said:
"I am very excited about being able to start-up and develop a new business for Northumbrian Water Group, which already has such a strong reputation for providing essential services to customers, supporting the local communities it serves, protecting and improving the environment, looking after its people and being a key player in regional growth and development.
"I am determined to grow the new retail business and view us as a very strong contender. I am a believer that to be successful all our decisions need to work towards providing great value and customer experience. This ethos is clearly demonstrated in the billing system we have chosen to use, Gentrack Velocity, which will offer our customers the flexibility they may need."
Gentrack Velocity’s blue-chip customers include Ovo Energy, one of the UK’s fastest growing energy utilities and recently voted top in the 2015 WHICH? survey of energy retail companies in the UK.
Heidi Mottram, Northumbrian Water Group’s CEO, said:
"It is fantastic to have Lucy leading and shaping Northumbrian Water Group’s non-household retail business. It is an exciting time of change and opportunity for the water industry.”
Lucy’s proven track record in blue chip companies will undoubtedly strengthen our ability to position Wave as a major player in the market."
In preparation for the non-household retail market Northumbrian Water Ltd, which consists of Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Water, is setting up a wholesale function to interface with the new retailers in the market from April 2017.
Northumbrian Water currently supplies 2.7 million customers in the North East with water and waste water services and Essex & Suffolk Water currently supplies water services to 1.8 million customers in Essex and Suffolk.
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