Centrica has hired Catherine O’Kelly as managing director of British Gas Energy following a two-year stint at Bord Gáis Energy.
She is to take over from Peter Simon from September 2021, with O’Kelly currently being on maternity leave.
Having been with Centrica since 2011, O’Kelly has held positions of increasing seniority, and most recently led Bord Gáis Energy in Ireland.
The company said that under her leadership, Bord Gáis Energy’s profitability grew, new products and services were introduced and the business invested in delivering better customer outcomes.
“We have a solid foundation to build on, and I am excited by how we are working to serve our customers differently and more simply,” O’Kelly said.
In July, British Gas teamed up with the RAC to offer electric vehicle (EV) charger installations as well as a bespoke electricity tariff to vehicle leasing customers.
This followed it starting to offer smart EV charging through its Hive smart home platform and Alfen chargers the same month.
Centrica, meanwhile, had a rocky 2020, with its adjusted operating profit falling 31% in the year, a record low for the company. The year saw it announce plans to become a “simpler, leaner” group, cutting 5,000 jobs in the process.