UK Power Networks DSO's Supervisory Board is independent and provides an effective voice for our customers

Sotiris Georgiopoulos

Sotiris leads UK Power Networks’ Distribution System Operator (DSO). He joined the organisation in 2005 as a graduate engineer. Sotiris studied electrical engineering at the University of Manchester, has an MBA from the University of Cambridge and has worked in engineering, construction and innovation. For the last decade he has championed innovative ways to plan and operate our networks, such as flexible connections and the development of flexibility markets. Committed to driving collaboration to deliver a smarter, more flexible network and facilitate Net Zero, Sotiris is also Chair of the ENA’s Open Networks project.

Why Net Zero matters to Sotiris 

“Net Zero is vitally important to us as a business and to me personally. It is fulfilling to have a role in making sure our infrastructure can meet our environmental obligations for us and our customers.”

Dr Michael Walsh

Dr Michael Walsh is CEO of GridZero.ai, a company accelerating the adoption of new technology and AI in the energy industry. He is also chairperson of the Port of Cork in Ireland. Up to 2022 Michael led global commercial operations for the US energy technology company Smart Wires and before that was Smart Wires Managing Director for the Europe and Australia regions. Other previous roles include CEO of Wind Energy Ireland and Director of Future Grids at Ireland’s Transmission System Operator, EirGrid.

Michael was joint Chair of the Research Advisory Committee for the Global Power System Transformation Consortium between 2021 and 2023. He was a board member of Wind Europe from 2008 to 2011 and served on the European Network of Transmission System Operators’ (ENTSOE) System Development Committee from 2013 to 2016. He has a bachelor’s and a PhD in Engineering and an MBA. He is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.

Dr Joanne Wade

Dr Joanne Wade OBE FEI is an expert in local energy systems, energy sufficiency and energy demand reduction. She is a non-executive Director at the Energy Saving Trust, Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committee and Chair of the Advisory Board for the UK Energy Research Centre. Joanne has a PhD from Imperial College London. She is a Fellow of the Energy Institute and was appointed an OBE in 2018 for services to energy efficiency.

Prof Goran Strbac

Prof Goran Strbac is a Chair in Electrical Energy Systems at Imperial College London, with extensive experience in advanced modelling and analysis of operation, planning, security and economics of future low carbon energy systems. He led the development of novel advanced analysis approaches and methodologies that have been extensively used to inform research community, industry, governments and regulatory bodies about the role and value of emerging new technologies and control systems in supporting cost effective evolution to resilient low carbon energy future.

He is currently Director of the joint Imperial-Tsinghua Research Centre on Intelligent Power and Energy Systems, Member of ENA Open Networks Challenge Group, Member of the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Smart Networks for the Energy Transition, Member of the Joint EU Programme in Energy Systems Integration of the European Energy Research Alliance and was recently Leading Author in IPCC WG 3 and Member of OFGEM RIIO-2 Challenging Group.

Prof Strbac joins the Supervisory Board on an independent basis via Imperial Consultants.

John Hargreaves

John Hargreaves is a Director of Indepen, a consultancy working with infrastructure businesses facing the challenges of regulation, deregulation, competition and restructuring. An economist, he has been a lecturer and a civil servant and has worked in management consultancy and corporate finance teams. He has advised regulated industries since privatisation through price reviews and industry reform, and has worked with infrastructure businesses in the UK, Australia, and SE Asia. Until last year, he was secretary to the Customer Engagement Group (CEG) for UK Power Networks during the preparation of UK Power Networks’ business plan for RIIO ED2.

Earlier in his career John led the mergers and acquisitions team in the corporate finance division of a major accounting firm and worked with UK government departments and agencies on policy towards urban transportation, education, health and social housing.

Kieran Coughlan

Kieran is Director of the Asset Management function at UK Power Networks, where he oversees network strategy and planning, engineering standards, network performance and capital and operational expenditure.

Since joining UK Power Networks in 2017, Kieran has held several key leadership roles across the business. He initially developed and led the asset management, consulting, and corporate development functions within the commercial directorate, UK Power Networks Services before moving into the role of Director of Capital Programme in 2023, when he joined the UK Power Networks executive management team. Prior to working at UK Power Networks, Kieran was Head of Engineering and Safety at the Energy Networks Association and has held senior engineering, delivery, regulatory, and commercial roles across the energy sector in the UK, Ireland, and Australia.

Kieran holds an honours degree in Electrical Engineering from University College Cork and is a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.