Heat Trust, the consumer champion for heat networks, has appointed a new managing director.
Stephen Knight takes up the role this month, joining from London Trading Standards, where he was the director leading the London-wide partnership of trading standards services.
Previously, Knight served as an elected councillor in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames for 20 years, including time as deputy leader of the council and as a London assembly member, chairing the assembly’s environment committee.
Commenting on his appointment, Knight said: “This is a very exciting time for the heat network sector.
“The industry clearly has a vital role to play in decarbonising heating and is therefore preparing for large scale investment and growth.
“At the same time, it is readying itself for the introduction of statutory regulation, which will give its consumers similar protection to gas and electricity customers.
“Heat Trust has been putting customers at the heart of changes in the sector over the last six years, and I’m delighted to be given the chance to build on that track record at this crucial time.”
David Watson departure
Knight will replace David Watson in the role.
Over the last year Watson has seen Heat Trust grow the number of registered sites by 30%, and the number of customers covered by its protections to over 55,000.
He has also led Heat Trust’s engagement with the government on how statutory regulation might be implemented.
Watson said: “I’m proud of everything that we have achieved during my time at Heat Trust.
“We have made a tangible difference to the lives of tens of thousands of customers, whether through holding industry to account, ensuring customers have been fairly treated by suppliers through the COVID pandemic or helping government develop proposals that will see protections and standards like ours apply to all customers on all sites.
“Heat Trust has never been more relevant to the needs of the customer, the sector and to government; and I’m delighted to have been able to play a role in that.”
Heat Trust chair Casey Cole welcomed Knight to the team and wished Watson well in his future role.
He said: “We are delighted by the success of Heat Trust, and we would like to thank David for his work in both fighting for customer interests and showing how the new market framework can ensure no customer is left behind.
“We wish him every success in his new position.”
Image: Stephen Knight
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