Pennon hires rival CEO to lead environmental turnaround

2 Oct 2025, 06:03PNN.LSource

Pennon Group has appointed Keith Haslett, the chief executive of rival Affinity Water, to lead the U.K. utility as it navigates a major investment program and heightened regulatory scrutiny.

The company said Thursday that Haslett is expected to join during 2026, succeeding Susan Davy, whose retirement was announced in July amid a broader leadership overhaul that included a new chairman and chief financial officer.

Stock price
PENNON GRP
Loading chart...

Haslett has led Affinity Water since January 2023 and previously held senior roles at Northumbrian Water Group and United Utilities.

According to Pennon, United Utilities achieved top-tier environmental performance during his tenure there.

The appointment comes as Pennon undertakes a multi-billion British Pound investment plan to upgrade its infrastructure and reduce pollution after facing investigations from regulators.

"My focus will be to ensure that Pennon delivers on the expectations of all customers, stakeholders, and regulators," Haslett said in a statement.

More from this issuer

Related coverage

Pennon Group said Friday it is on track for a strong return to profitability, with earnings expected to rise about 60% this fiscal year, as the British water utility halved pollution incidents.

South West Water Finance, a unit of British utility Pennon Group, has raised 300 million British Pounds to help fund a major overhaul of its infrastructure.

Pennon Group announced Friday that Chief Executive Officer Susan Davy has decided to retire, the latest in a series of sweeping leadership changes at the U.K. water utility over the past year.

Pennon Group's South West Water unit will invest 24 million British Pounds to improve its wastewater systems, avoiding a potential fine from the UK's water regulator, Ofwat.