Government names preferred Chair at Ofgem

Mark McAllister has been named as the government’s preferred candidate to be the next Chair of energy regulator, Ofgem. 

An engineer by profession, McAllister has served as Chair of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) since April 2019, where he is charged with ensuring the ONR delivers efficient and effective regulation of the nuclear industry.

His selection follows a competitive recruitment process and will be scrutinised by the Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Select Committee at a forthcoming pre-appointment hearing.

The date of McAllister pre-appointment hearing will be announced by the ESNZ Select Committee. If confirmed, he is expected to take up post in November.

Responsible for helping shape the regulator’s strategy and policy decisions, as Chair he will champion the interests of electricity and gas consumers. This involves working closely with government, which provided nearly £40 billion to cover around half a typical household’s energy bill last winter.

Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said “We will always ensure the energy market is working for families to protect them from sky high bills, including by working closely with our partners at Ofgem.”

“Mark McAllister has a strong track record of advising governments and regulators on competition and regulation. His expertise will be vital in the years ahead, as we make sure more households have access to cheaper, cleaner energy. I would also like to extend my warm thanks to Martin Cave for all of his work as Ofgem Chair since 2018.”