National Gas has today announced (15 April) the appointment of Matt Steele as Chief Operating Officer.­

Matt will be responsible for driving the strategy, performance, and development of the company’s activities across Asset, Construction, Operations, Procurement, and Metering.

He has significant experience of leading large businesses, complex programmes, joint ventures and other alliances in the energy, power, rail, and infrastructure sectors – roles which have seen him transform operational/safety performance and drive profitability.

Following graduation in mechanical engineering at the University of Warwick, Matt started his career in the rail industry in 1999. He rose through the managerial ranks with a number of rail companies before being appointed Head of Power, Communications and Cooling for Transport for London.

Matt was a Director at Network Rail between 2013 and 2018, notably as Major Programme Director for Crossrail, an international-scale £3 billion infrastructure project.

Subsequently he became Network Rail’s Commercial and Development Director before moving to Balfour Beatty PLC where he has been the Managing Director of a major infrastructure portfolio across multiple sectors for more than five years. These have included Gas and Water; Rail and Utilities; and, most recently, Energy Transition and Security.

Commenting on his appointment, Matt said: “I am truly excited to join National Gas at a pivotal moment in the company's history, after a year in which it has established its place in the energy sector. I look forward to refreshing and refocusing our approach with our talented teams and supply chain partners to deliver our commitments to customers and consumers across the UK.”

Jon Butterworth, National Gas CEO, said: “I am delighted to welcome Matt to National Gas. The role of Chief Operating Officer is essential to our business, driving innovation, and performance at the very heart of the UK’s energy system, whilst also shaping the future of our gas industry for the years ahead.”

Matt is a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, a Chartered Engineer, and a Member of the Association of Project Management.

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