Philip Sellwood is to retire from his position as chief executive officer of the Energy Saving Trust in March 2020, and will be succeeded by group director of operations, Mike Thornton.

Philip Sellwood retires as EST CEO in March 2020 after 16 years at the helm

Sellwood stands down after 16 years at the helm and is credited by the EST as having been instrumental in both scaling and shaping its business model and helping to deliver a number of key projects. Under his leadership, the EST’s work in transport programmes alone has expanded to cover active travel, sustainable transport advice, fleet consultancy, electric vehicles and their charging infrastructure, and e-bikes.

Sellwood is also an active member of a number of influential boards and government task forces.

Commenting on his departure, Sellwood said: “It has been an immense privilege to work alongside the incredible and passionate teams here at Energy Saving Trust, as well as the organisations that make-up our sector. The last 16 years have been a remarkable time of change within the industry, though, there continues to be much work to be done.

“As the debate and ideas for new policies to help reach net zero increase, there isn’t a more decisive time to act. It is for this reason that I am delighted to be handing over the reins to Mike Thornton, who brings with him strong leadership skills, knowledge and experience. He will play a crucial role in leading the organisation’s next phase of growth and shaping a wider policy environment that will impact how the UK will contribute to minimising climate change.”