Last week, we shone a spotlight on 10 of the worldâs largest utilities by market cap, celebrating them as they continue to power the lives of billions of people worldwide while at the forefront of pioneering innovations that drive the transition to renewable energy sources and smarter grids.
This comes at a time when demand for sustainable and reliable energy is at an all-time high, meaning the role of utility companies has never been more critical.
Figureheads at the helm of these industry giants are vital in ensuring smooth operations at these critical businesses. In light of this, we run through the 10 executives leading the world’s biggest utilities.
10. John Pettigrew
Group CEO of National Grid
Responsible for the executive leadership and day-to-day management of National Grid, John Pettigrew ensures the delivery of the company’s strategy. Thanks to his role as Leader of the Group Executive Committee, he has a laser-focused commitment to safety, operational and financial performance which ripples across the business.
John’s career at National Grid spans more than 30 years — joining as a graduate in 1991, he has progressed through a variety of senior management roles and developed and implemented global strategies for profitable growth throughout his tenure. He is also a key contributor to industry discussions shaping energy policy.
9. Joseph Dominguez
President and CEO of Constellation
As CEO of Constellation, Joseph Dominguez oversees the company’s clean energy fleet of nuclear, wind, solar, hydroelectric and natural gas facilities for 2m customers across 19 US states and three quarters of the Fortune 100. He joined Constellation as President and CEO in 2022 after working as CEO of Exelon Generation and fellow Exelon company ComEd, following a 16-year career at Exelon.
His varied energy career has seen him spend more than 20 years working and advocating on behalf of transformational changes in the policy landscape supporting zero emission nuclear energy.
8. Marco Arcelli
CEO of ACWA Power
Joining ACWA Power in 2023, Marco Arcelli brings with him a wealth of experience across the energy sector. He has more than 20 years of international experience in energy and infrastructure as well as retail and digital innovation. Marco’s expertise has seen him work across some of the world’s biggest companies in energy and utilities, including Enel Trade, Upstream Gas and EP New Energy.
As a dedicated advocate of ESG, Marco works to support organisations in giving a leg up to attain their goals. As well as this, he works as a Peer Reviewer for the International Energy Agency (IEA).
7. Flavio Cattaneo
CEO of Enel
Italian businessman Flavio Cattaneo’s career spans various sectors, including energy, telecommunication and infrastructure. He landed the role of CEO of Enel in 2023 and throughout his tenure to advance the company's renewable energy initiatives and global expansion. His expertise in managing large companies and driving efficiency and growth plays a vital part in this drive and outlook.
Alongside his role as CEO of Enel, Flavio is Vice Chairman of Spain’s largest utility, Endesa, a subsidiary of Enel.
6. Lynn J. Good
Chair and CEO of Duke Energy
Hailed among the Most Powerful Women in Business and The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women by Forbes Magazine, Lynn J. Good is one of the US’ most powerful and influential female energy leaders. Lynn has headed up Duke Energy since 2013 and, under her leadership, the company is delivering one of the US’ largest clean energy transitions all while maintaining reliability and affordability for its customers.
With Lynn at the helm, Duke Energy is accelerating the transition to cleaner energy by adding significant amounts of renewables and energy storage to its portfolio, as well as extending the life of its nuclear plants, modernising the energy grid, advocating for new dispatchable clean energy technologies and collaborating with stakeholders and policymakers to advance supportive energy policy.
5. Armando Martínez Martínez
CEO of Iberdrola
Working closely with Iberdrola’s Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán, Armando Martínez Martínez is a seasoned employee, having joined the company in 1997. He has spent most of his career at the Spanish utility, holding positions in the Engineering and Generation divisions as well as being General Director for the company in Mexico between 2010 and 2014.
He has been instrumental in Iberdrola’s stance on leveraging technology and intelligence to enhance the utility’s approach to the energy transition. “For years, our innovative solutions have driven sustainability and efficiency across the energy value chain,” he said. “From optimising renewable energy production forecasting and windfarm designs to aiding the early detection of anomalies on our networks or enhancing customer experiences, AI is deeply integrated in Iberdrola’s operations and processes.”
4. Chris Womack
Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Southern Company
Chris Womack joined Southern Company in 1988 and, in the more than 35 years since, has held several leadership positions across Southern Company and its subsidiaries.
A company veteran, his previous roles include SVP Human Resources and Chief People Officer for Southern Company and President of External Affairs and Chairman of Southern Company, as well as President and CEO of Georgia Power.
On his appointment to the role of CEO in 2023, he said: “It is with great enthusiasm that I pledge to uphold and enhance the company's esteemed legacy, characterised by success, visionary leadership, innovation and unparalleled commitment to serving our customers and communities.”
3. Jasim Husain Thabet
Group CEO and Managing Director of TAQA
In post since July 2020, Jasim Husain Thabet is an energy industry veteran with more than two decades of experience. Jasim joined Abu Dhabi Power in 2019 and one of his key achievements since includes leading the merger of TAQA and Abu Dhabi Power in 2020 to create one of the largest integrated utility companies in EMEA.
He has previously served as CEO and MD of ADPower and CEO of National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed), leveraging his wealth of industry experience to contribute to the companies’ success. Alongside his role as Group CEO and Managing Director of TAQA, Jasim holds a variety of Non-Executive Director roles.
2. Li Yong’an
Chairman of China Yangtze Power
Li Yong'an is the Chairman of China Yangtze Power Venture Capital Co. and the Deputy Director of State Council Three Gorges Project Construction Committee. Yangtze Power was founded in 2002 and is one of China’s largest utilities. Its Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric power station, boasts a capacity of 22,500MW.
Before becoming Chairman, Li was Deputy Secretary General of Province of Hubei, Secretary & General Manager of Hubei Qingjiang Hydropower Development Co. and President of China Three Gorges Corp from 2003 to 2010.
1. John W. Ketchum
Chairman, President and CEO of NextEra Energy
John W. Ketchum was named President and CEO in March 2022 and became Chairman of the Board of Directors in July of the same year. As well as his roles at NextEra, John is Chairman of the companyâs rate-regulated electric utility Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and Chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy Partners, LP, a growth-oriented limited partnership formed by NextEra Energy to acquire, manage and own contracted clean energy projects with a focus on renewable energy projects.
John joined NextEra Energy in 2002 and throughout his time at the company has held roles such as President and CEO of NextEra Energy Resources and CFO of NextEra Energy and CFO of FPL. Previous roles at NextEra Energy Partners also include President and CFO.
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