Sizewell C appoints John Holland-Kaye as new Chair

John Holland-Kaye has been appointed as non-executive Chair of Sizewell C, as construction of the new nuclear power station in Suffolk gathers pace and the project prepares to bring in private investors.

As former CEO of Heathrow Airport, John Holland-Kaye has long experience in successfully delivering critical infrastructure, including Terminal 2 which opened on time and on budget. He was credited with transforming Heathrow as a business and making the consumer experience at the airport one of the best in the world.

His leadership also brought a greater focus on the local community and environment, so that in 2019, the airport was chosen as Sustainable Business of the Year.

John Holland-Kaye was non-executive director at Thames Tideway Tunnel – London’s super-sewer – and at Thames Water. He has successfully managed complex shareholder arrangements and has worked closely with regulators and with multiple departments in Whitehall.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Holland-Kaye said: “We need nuclear power if we want a low carbon future, so I’m delighted to join Sizewell C which will be at the heart of the energy transition. The project is uniquely well set up for success and can be a model for how we bring the private and public sectors together to deliver big infrastructure.

I hope I can use my experience to strengthen the relationships between government, investors and regulators that will be crucial for a project of this scale. I am keen to get started as Chair and to see Sizewell C deliver on its potential – for jobs, for growth, and for Britain’s energy security.”

Sizewell C is set to become one of the biggest clean energy projects in the country. Once operational, it will supply zero carbon power to around six million homes. Since commencing its Development Consent Order (DCO) a year ago, work on the site has been ramping up at pace, and this year the project workforce is expected to double in size to around 2,000 people.

The UK Government is now the majority owner of Sizewell C and in the Autumn Budget it allocated £2.7bn to support the development of the project through to 2026. An equity and debt-raising process is currently underway and is due to conclude in the spring with a Final Investment Decision (FID) expected in the upcoming Spending Review.

John Holland-Kaye has been appointed by the Sizewell C Board and replaces Rob Holden who is standing down as Sizewell C’s non-executive Chair due to health reasons.

Sizewell C’s Joint Managing Directors Nigel Cann and Julia Pyke said: “We’d like to pay tribute to Rob’s dedication to the Sizewell C company and to thank him for his huge contribution, first as a non-executive director and then as Chair. He has been instrumental in many of our successes, and we wish him all the very best for the future.

“We are very pleased that John Holland-Kaye has agreed to take over the role. His deep expertise in delivering major capital projects, relationship-building with key stakeholders, and his commitment to local communities will strengthen the project as we enter this important stage in our development.”

Minister of State for Energy Security & Net Zero, Lord Hunt said: “I would like to congratulate John Holland-Kaye on his appointment to continue the good work done by Rob Holden and help drive Sizewell C forward.

“John has a track-record of delivering and managing large scale infrastructure projects and will no doubt use his expertise to guide the project towards a positive future – securing thousands of good, skilled jobs, providing the UK with greater energy security and supporting our energy independence beyond 2030.”

John Holland-Kaye joined Sizewell C as a non-executive director on 1^st February and will take up his role as Chair on 1^st March. The Chair appointment process and decision has been solely a matter for the Sizewell C Board.