Energy Saving Trust CEO Philip Sellwood to retire

Energy Saving Trust (EST) has announced that Philip Sellwood will retire from his position as chief executive officer in March 2020 and will be succeeded by the organisation’s group director of operations, Mike Thornton.

Sellwood was appointed as CEO in 2003 and has helped the organisation to deliver on its mission to “help the nation save energy, every day”. According to the Trust, Sellwood has been “instrumental in both scaling and shaping the business model for what is one of the country’s leading organisations, committed to promoting energy efficiency and sustainable energy, heralded by both the public and private sectors UK wide”.

Notable achievements during his time at Energy Saving Trust include setting up Warmworks, its first joint venture, to deliver the Scottish Government’s flagship national fuel poverty scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland.

Another success has been the expansion into Europe and globally with the Trust leading a variety of EU-funded projects and also managing the large-scale Low Energy Inclusive Appliances (LEIA) programme for the Department for International Development (DFID).

Under Sellwood’s leadership, the EST’s portfolio now includes active travel, sustainable transport advice, fleet consultancy, electric vehicles and their charging infrastructure and eBikes.

Commenting on the announcement Sellwood said: “It has been an immense privilege to work alongside the incredible and passionate teams here at Energy Saving Trust, as well as the organisations that make-up our sector. The last sixteen years have been a remarkable time of change within the industry, though, there continues to be much work to be done.

“As the debate and ideas for new policies to help reach net zero increase, there isn’t a more decisive time to act. It is for this reason that I am delighted to be handing over the reins to Mike Thornton, who brings with him strong leadership skills, knowledge and experience.

"He will play a crucial role in leading the organisation’s next phase of growth and shaping a wider policy environment that will impact how the UK will contribute to minimising climate change. It’s a hugely exciting and rewarding role, and I wish Mike every success.”

The Energy Saving Trust recently announced the finalists for this year’s Fleet Heroes Awards. The awards celebrate organisations who are delivering a cleaner and more efficient future for transport across the UK.