Dan McGrail, currently CEO of RenewableUK, is set to take on the role of interim CEO of Great British Energy.
Starting in March and working over a six-month period, he will help drive forward the UK Government’s aim for the country to become a “clean energy superpower”.
RenewableUK said its executive director of offshore wind, Jane Cooper, will be promoted to deputy CEO, taking on the role of leading the organisation over this period.
Jane joined RenewableUK in 2022 after serving as the director of regulatory and external affairs at Ørsted. She has a strong background in the renewable energy sector, and has worked closely on the establishment of many landmark collaborative partnerships between industry and Government, including the Offshore Wind Sector Deal and the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, RenewableUK said.
It added that RenewableUK was “in a very positive place”, as Dan has overseen the growth of the organisation to more than 500 member companies. The level of engagement by members with the association is consistently high, it said, and this will remain a priority for the leadership team.
It added that its existing programmes of events and policy work will remain in place over this period, with a focus on supporting the development of wind energy, building up new supply chains, grid infrastructure, storage, green hydrogen and system flexibility.
Dan McGrail, CEO of RenewableUK, said:
“Homegrown, affordable clean power has never been more important and it’s a privilege to take up the role of interim CEO of Great British Energy at such a pivotal moment. Together with the talented leadership team, I’m excited to hit the ground running to scale up the company and work with industry to unleash billions of investment in clean energy, helping to grow new industries at scale with job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people, as well as helping the Government to achieve its clean power targets,”
The Chair of RenewableUK's Board of Directors Paul Cooley, Director of Offshore Wind at SSE Renewables, said:
“I am delighted to support Dan in taking on the role of Interim CEO. He has the right combination of leadership skills and energy industry experience to take Great British Energy to its next stage of maturity and he has been an important driving force throughout his career in the sector. He has transformed RenewableUK into a leading voice in the industry and his appointment is a great vote of confidence in the work of the organisation. I am sure that he will establish a strategy at Great British Energy which enables our country to deliver on the amazing opportunities for economic growth and job creation which the clean power transition offers.”
Jane Cooper, Deputy CEO of RenewableUK, said:
“”I'm pleased to take over the leadership of a fantastic team at RenewableUK, who I've been working with closely for many years. We have a clear understanding of our forward work programme, both with members and with Government, so over this interim period we will be, as is so often said in this sector, in delivery mode. I wish Dan well in his exciting new role for the next six months.”
