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Corporate governance

The day-to-day running of our company is led by an Executive Team, which reports to our Board of Directors.

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Our Board of Directors

Here you can read more about our Board of Directors and their experience.

A headshot of Keith Lough

Keith Lough

Chair

Keith has extensive experience in the natural resources and energy sectors in both finance and leadership roles, including as finance director for British Energy plc between 2001 and 2004 during a period of major restructuring. In addition, Keith served as non-executive chairman of Gulf Keystone Petroleum plc following a successful debt restructuring.

A headshot of Lawrence Gosden

Lawrence Gosden

Chief Executive Officer

Lawrence joined Southern Water in May 2020 and was appointed to the Board on 1 July 2022 when he was appointed CEO. Lawrence brings significant experience to the Board having worked in the water sector for over 30 years.

A headshot of Stuart Ledger

Stuart Ledger

Chief Financial Officer

Stuart joined Southern Water as CFO on 3 January 2023. He has held senior positions both inside and outside the water sector. Stuart was previously the CEO at Affinity Water and the CFO for Affinity for the four years prior to that. Stuart’s extensive experience in the industry also includes nine years at Thames Water as the CFO of the Retail business and as group financial controller.

A headshot of Mike Putnam

Mike Putnam

Independent non-executive director

Mike has over 25 years’ experience leading and managing multiple businesses across development and construction. He has since transitioned to a plural career with a portfolio of non-executive directorships. Mike was president and CEO of Skanska UK between 2009 and 2017, responsible for a business with circa £1.8 billion revenues and 6,000 employees.

A headshot of Gillian Guy

Dame Gillian Guy DBE

Independent non-executive director

Gillian joined the Board in November 2018. Gillian is a lawyer and spent 11 years as chief executive officer of the London Borough of Ealing before becoming chief executive officer of Victim Support after which she became chief executive of Citizens Advice.

A headshot of Malcolm Cooper

Malcolm Cooper

Independent non-executive director

Malcolm joined the Board in December 2019 and was appointed as Chair of the Audit Committee. Malcolm has extensive experience in the regulated utility sector, having worked for around 30 years at National Grid plc, British Gas plc and other companies. He was a member of the board of both National Grid Gas plc and National Grid Electricity Transmission plc.

A headshot of Christele Delbe

Christèle Delbé

Independent non-executive director

Christèle Delbé is a sustainable business director with more than 18 years pioneering strategic initiatives and shifting behaviour to unlock tangible commercial benefits across food, consumer goods, technology and non-profit sectors. She is an issues expert on responsible supply chains and consumption, carbon, waste, packaging and human rights.

A headshot of Kerensa Jennings

Kerensa Jennings

Independent non-executive director

Kerensa Jennings is an award-winning digital leader and adviser who has held senior leadership positions in the private, public and charitable sectors. Selected by Computer Weekly among the most influential tech leaders in the UK, she has served on a range of boards including commercial companies, social enterprises, charities and government committees.

A headshot of Will Price

Will Price

Non-executive director

Will joined the Board in September 2021. Will joined Macquarie in 2007, and now heads the European Utilities team for Macquarie Asset Management. Will has been involved in several utilities acquisitions including Wales & West Utilities, Thyssengas, Czech Grid Holding, EP Infrastructure, Viesgo, CEZ Romania, and Southern Water. Will currently serves as a director on the board of Southern Water, EP Infrastructure, and Czech Grid Holding.

A headshot of Steve Fraser

Steve Fraser

Non-executive director

Steve has over 20 years’ experience of managing and transforming infrastructure businesses, latterly as COO and a main board director of the FTSE100 water and wastewater company United Utilities. He has a degree in management studies and a Master’s in engineering management from UMIST and also holds a diploma in advanced management from Harvard University.

A headshot of Phil Swift

Phil Swift

Non-executive director

Former President, National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED)/CEO Western Power Distribution (WPD). Phil joined WPD (then SWEB) in 1992 after graduating as an engineer and following an apprenticeship in the aerospace industry. In July 2013, Phil was appointed to the Board of WPD as Operations Director. In this role, he was responsible for the business’ network services, design, logistics and safety and training activities. In November 2018, Phil was appointed as Chief Executive.

A headshot of Neil Corrigall

Neil Corrigall

Non-executive director

Neil currently serves as a non-executive director on the boards (and various subsidiaries) of Cadent Gas (UK’s largest gas distribution network) and Czech Grid Holdings (Czech Republic’s largest gas distribution network). Neil joined the Board in November 2023. Neil is an Operating Partner providing specialist support for Macquarie Asset Management’s investments in utility infrastructure businesses. He has an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering and holds an MBA from London Business School.

A headshot of Richard Manning

Richard Manning

General Counsel and Company Secretary

Richard joined Southern Water in July 2018 as General Counsel and Company Secretary and now has overall responsibility for leading the Risk and Compliance directorate alongside his legal and governance roles. He is a member of the Executive Committee and the Executive Leadership Team.

Chair and CEO responsibilities

The following is a high-level statement of the division of responsibilities between the Chair and the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

The Chair is responsible for leadership of the Board and ensuring its effectiveness in all aspects of its role.

In particular, he:

  • Is the principal spokesman for the Board
  • Ensures the effective operation of the Board and its committees and that they maintain high standards of corporate governance
  • Sets the Board’s agenda and ensures that adequate time is available for discussion of all agenda items, in particular, strategic issues and for effective decision-making
  • Sets the style and tone of Board discussions to promote a culture of openness and beneficial debate, facilitating the effective contribution of non-executive directors in particular, ensuring constructive relations between executive and non-executive directors and maintaining a unitary Board
  • Ensures effective communication with shareholders and other stakeholders and that the company’s obligations to and interests of its stakeholders, in particular customers and regulators, are known and understood by the Board
  • Meets regularly with and provides overall support and advice to the CEO, including in the development of strategy
  • Ensures that new directors receive a full, formal and tailored induction on joining and regularly reviews and agrees with directors on their training and development needs. This includes updating their skills and knowledge of the company and having appropriate access to its operations and staff
  • Ensures that directors are receiving complete, accurate, reliable, timely and clear information, and gives direction to the Company Secretary for good information flows within the Board and its committees and between senior management and non-executive directors

Oversees the formal and rigorous annual evaluation of the performance of the Board, its main committees and individual directors and acts appropriately on the results.

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the leadership and management of the business, under express or implicit delegation from the Board. In particular, and in liaison with the Chair as appropriate, he:

  • Is the principal spokesman for the business
  • Develops strategy proposals for recommendation to the Board and ensures that adopted strategies are implemented and reflected in the business
  • Develops annual plans, consistent with the agreed strategies, for endorsement by the Board
  • Ensures that appropriate resources are available to enable the company to implement its plans and achieve the intended outcomes
  • Develops and oversees the organisational structure, processes and systems to ensure the efficient operation of the business
  • Is accountable to the Board for the performance of the business and its consistency with agreed strategies and plans
  • Is accountable to the Board for the flow of complete, accurate, reliable, timely and clear information
  • Leads and encourages the Executive Management Team, including their development and appraisals, and ensures that regular and appropriate planning is undertaken and that plans are in place for orderly succession to senior management positions, so as to maintain an appropriate balance of skills and experience within the company
  • Ensures delivery of effective communication with shareholders and other stakeholders and the research to enable the company’s obligations to and interests of its stakeholders, in particular customers and regulators, to be known and understood
  • Develops and maintains an effective framework of internal controls over risk in relation to all business activities
  • Ensures that capital investment proposals are reviewed thoroughly, that associated risks are identified and that appropriate action is taken to obviate, mitigate or manage those risks
  • Assists with the full, formal and tailored induction of new directors on joining and in updating their skills and knowledge of the company, including enabling appropriate access to its operations and staff

Establishes and maintains a close relationship of trust with the Chair, reporting key developments to him in a timely manner and seeking his advice and support as appropriate.

Find more information about the terms on which an appointee will serve as a non-executive director of Southern Water.

Read more

Here you can read the Statement by the Board with reference to the Bribery Act 2010.

Read more

Our commitments to the environment and our customers are contained in several key policies which detail the principles that underpin our business.

Read our policies
An aerial view of Weir Wood Reservoir