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Building SSE Renewables for growth

01 Apr 2022

SSE Renewables has unveiled a new leadership team and operating model designed to set the business up for long-term success and to meet ambitious targets to drive the energy transition in the decade ahead.

SSE Renewables is the UK and Ireland’s clean energy champion with plans to expand in selected international markets to deliver the green energy the world needs. Its strategy is to lead the transition to a net zero future through the world-class development, construction and operation of renewable power assets and is building more offshore wind energy than any other company in the world.

SSE Renewables is part of SSE plc, the UK-listed integrated energy group which is investing £12.5bn over the next five years, or £7m a day, to deliver a Net Zero Acceleration Programme to address climate change head on. The company has set ambitious targets to drive the energy transition in the decade ahead. These includes plans by SSE Renewables to double its installed renewable energy capacity to 8GW by 2026 and ambitious targets to treble capacity to over 13GW by 2031, increasing output fivefold to over 50TWh annually – enough to be able to power around 20 million homes each year.

The company’s new management structure and operating model, which comes into effect today, 1 April 2022, is designed to set SSE Renewables up for long-term success and to meet these long-term plans.

Under the new model coming into effect today, 1 April 2022, SSE Renewables will now operate under a new technology-based structure, with distinct directorates for Offshore and Onshore Europe. These new directorates will have end-to-end accountability for the development, construction, and operation of SSE Renewables assets.

The company’s new directorates will be complemented by a new Strategy & Route to Market directorate as well as a new Business Development directorate. The Strategy & Route to Market directorate will focus on recommending where the business will operate in order to success, taking energy output to market, and the fast-growing area of Power-to-X and green hydrogen. Business Development will be the company’s growth engine responsible for competitive bids and M&A activity and will be fully focused on growing and maintaining a pipeline of world-leading projects to meet the company’s ambitious goals.

Also joining the company’s Executive Committee will be Sustainability and Corporate Affairs directorates reflecting a commitment to delivering environmental and social value as well as meaningful and impactful relationships with key stakeholders.

"At SSE Renewables we’re taking action to address the climate crisis. The world needs green energy and we’re ready to deliver it. We’re already the UK and Ireland’s clean energy champion. Now, we’re taking our expertise into selected international markets to put renewables at the forefront of global efforts to fight climate change. 

It will be our pioneering people who will lead this fight. Our team has the knowledge, skills and experience to ensure we lead a fair and just transition to net zero, and beyond. That’s why we’ve adopted a new operating model that is designed to set our business up for long-term success and puts our people at the heart of our strategy. Our new structure will allow us to utilise our experience and expertise to continually adapt to better ways of doing things while building a culture of genuine innovation, inclusion and empowerment. In doing so, I’m confident SSE Renewables will capitalise on exciting growth opportunities while responding to the challenges of an ever-evolving energy landscape."

Stephen Wheeler SSE Renewables Managing Director

SSE Renewables new Executive Committee is led by Stephen Wheeler, SSE Renewables Managing Director and includes:

  • Paul Cooley, Director of Offshore
  • Elaine Harley, HR Business Partner
  • Alexandra Malone, Director of Corporate Affairs
  • Finlay McCutcheon, Director of Onshore Europe
  • Barry O’Regan, Director of Finance
  • Annant Shah, Director of Strategy & Route to Market
  • Kate Wallace Lockhart, Head of Sustainability
  • Director of Business Development – To be appointed

Find out more about the SSE Renewables Executive Committee here.