Elexon announces the appointment of Dr Joanne Wade OBE as the new independent Chair of the market facilitator Stakeholder Advisory Board. Joanne was selected following a comprehensive process led by recruitment firm Saxton Bampfylde and an interview process led by Ofgem. Her expertise will be invaluable in ensuring the impartial and effective leadership of the Stakeholder Advisory Board.
On being appointed, Joanne said
“I am excited to have the opportunity to Chair the Stakeholder Advisory Board for the market facilitator. We need flexibility to achieve our Clean Power 2030 goals and, beyond that, net zero. Delivering the necessary scale of growth requires collaboration across the sector to drive transformation at pace. The market facilitator has a crucial role in this, and I am delighted to play a part in ensuring effective, fair and transparent delivery of its aims.”
About the Stakeholder Advisory Board
The board is designed as a critical voice for the industry, advising us on the market facilitator’s budget, strategic delivery plans, and performance from early 2026. This will be vital in shaping Elexon’s decisions and successfully achieving our goal of aligning local and national flexibility market arrangements and dramatically reducing friction for all participants.
The process for appointing members of the Stakeholder Advisory Board will take place in the coming weeks. We look forward to working with Joanne and the full Board membership as we prepare for the board’s launch in 2026.
About Dr Joanne Wade
Joanne brings extensive and crucial experience in energy markets and governance, with over 30 years’ experience of strategy, policy research and evaluation in this field.
Joanne currently holds a diverse portfolio of roles, including but not limited to serving as a Non-Executive Director at the Energy Saving Trust and as a Specialist Advisor for the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committee. Notable previous roles include Chief Strategic Advisor at the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) and Chair of the Advisory Board at the Centre for Research on Energy Demand Solutions.
Joanne Wade: Career highlights and experience
“My career in sustainable energy started back in 1987, when I decided to study for the Imperial College London MSc in Environmental Technology, on the Energy Policy Option. My first post-graduation job was working in the systems development team at Price Waterhouse for two years, and I spent most of that time developing the energy contracts management system for the then Regional Electricity Companies during the run up to privatisation. Having decided that big consultancy was not for me, I returned to Imperial for my PhD, in passenger transport energy use and emissions.
Since then, I have worked in academia, trade associations and with small consultancies. The roles have ranged widely including research and evaluation, advice, and advocacy, but the topic has always been energy. I have focused on energy demand, energy justice and local energy systems. I was honoured to be appointed an OBE in 2018, for services to energy efficiency.
I have a portfolio of roles. I am a Non-Executive Director at the Energy Saving Trust (and Trustee of the Energy Saving Trust Foundation), an Independent Supervisory Board member for UK Power Networks DSO, and a Specialist Advisor for the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.
Alongside my commercial roles, I have maintained links with academia and professional bodies. I currently Chair the Advisory Board for the UK Energy Research Centre, sit on the Advisory Board for the Energy Demand Research Centre and am Vice Chair of the Energy Institute’s Fellowship Board.”