National Grid appoints Shell director to replace chief executive
National Grid has unveiled plans for the appointment of a top executive at Shell to replace its current boss, John Pettigrew.
Zoë Yujnovich, a former director of integrated gas and upstream at Shell, will net a base salary of £1.3m per year when she takes charge of the UK’s electricity network later this year.
She has also held senior roles at Rio Tinto and the Iron Ore company of Canada, and currently sits on the board of Unilever as a non-executive director.
Pettigrew will retire on 16 November after nearly ten years in the top job and a career that saw him rise from a graduate role at the energy operator in 1991.
“It has been an immense honour for me to lead the company I joined as a graduate. All that I have achieved has only been possible because of the many talented people I have had the privilege to work with and learn from,” Pettigrew said.
“With our position as a leader in energy networks across the UK and US assured, we are well placed to take advantage of the growth opportunities ahead.”
Top of Yujnovich’s in tray will be seeing through an unprecedented £60bn investment plan into National Grid’s infrastructure in the UK and US over the next five-years.
The company in February sold its US renewables business for around £1.4bn following the reset of American policy under President Donald Trump.
In a statement, Yujnovich said: “I firmly believe in the vital function energy companies play in driving change and creating value.
“On both sides of the Atlantic National Grid has an essential role to play in making energy secure, affordable and reliable for our customers and communities. I’m excited about leading National Grid as it delivers on the growth opportunities ahead.”
FTSE 100 listed National Grid employs 31,000 people globally. It is integral to the UK economy, operating a network of pylons and pipelines that supply the country’s electricity and gas.