CEO Recruitment - 2022

The British Hydropower Association (BHA) is the leading trade membership association solely representing the interests of the UK hydropower industry, including tidal range (from micro to large scale) and its associated stakeholders in the wider community, locally, regionally and nationally.

Having previously recruited the BHA's last CEO Simon Hamlyn in 2014, Sherrington Associates were retained again in 2022 to appoint a suitable replacement after Simon announced his intention to move on having led the organisation successfully for eight years.

In the context of the climate crisis, the BHA's work is crucial, influencing the conditions for growth of the hydropower and tidal sectors and supporting decarbonisation through investment of some of the cleanest forms of renewable energy available.

The BHA required a strong leader, with strong experience of policy development, lobbying political stakeholders and with a strong knowledge of the renewable energy landscape in the United Kingdom, capable of developing the appropriate conditions for the sector to grow by working strategically and collaboratively with the sector, influencing policy through effective lobbying, demonstrating thought leadership on net-zero and energy transition, leading the BHA team and scaling the membership base over the coming years.

Sherrington invested time with the board up front, developing a clear understanding of the brief and how it had evolved since the previous search. On instruction we produced a compelling Recruitment Pack to showcase the opportunity to potential candidates, providing insights into BHA's strategic vision.

Research centred on identifying and engaging candidates with strong policy and lobbying backgrounds, most of whom had commanded senior leadership roles within other trade associations within energy and in particular renewable energy. After an exhaustive search where over 50 senior level candidates were engaged and approached, a strong shortlist was delivered and interviews were carried out.

In October 2022, Kate Gilmartin joined BHA as the new Chief Executive Officer. Kate previously held executive and non-executive roles in the energy sector, working with local authorities, private businesses and community interest groups and had previously setup and led the Community Hydro Forum on behalf of the Micro Hydro Association.

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