South Staffordshire Plc has announced the appointment of Sara Vaughan as an Independent Non-Executive Director and forthcoming Chair of the Board for its regulated clean water companies, Cambridge Water and South Staffs Water.
Sara will succeed The Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury, as Independent Chair of the Board in April 2025. An experienced Executive and Non-executive Director, Sara started her career as a competition and regulatory lawyer at Slaughter and May before moving into the energy industry to join what later became E.ON UK. There, after broadening her experience, she joined the UK Board as Executive Director for Strategy and Regulation and, latterly, for Political and Regulatory Affairs.
Sara currently holds positions as Chair of the Board at Elexon, Chair of the Balancing & Settlement Code Panel and Non-Executive Director at the North Sea Transition Authority. She also works with Icebreaker One as co-Chair of its Open Energy Steering Group.
The company said that Sara will bring a deep understanding of commercial, government and regulatory affairs, compliance, policy and governance to her role, together with a passion for customers and people.
Lord Smith was appointed to the Board of South Staffordshire Water Plc in 2018 and, as Chair, has supported the business through the creation and delivery of the AMP 7 (2020-2025) business plan. This has included oversight of significant investment at its two major water treatment works in the South Staffs region, ensuring both continue to provide safe and high-quality drinking water for its customers.
He has also played a crucial role in planning for securing the water resource position in the company’s Cambridge region, from the award-winning behavioural change campaign, “Can for the Cam” through to strategic resource option development which will secure the position of the region for future generations and enable the business to meet its environmental and growth obligations.
Lord Smith’s challenge and oversight supported creation of the AMP 8 (2025 – 2030) business plan which will support South Staffordshire Water Plc in its on-going delivery for customers and the environment. He will step down from the Board in April 2025.
Charley Maher, Group CEO at South Staffordshire Plc said:
“I’m very pleased to welcome Sara to the Board of Cambridge and South Staffs Water. She is an experienced Executive and Non-executive Director and Chair and will strengthen our Board at a critical time, as we deliver our ambitious 2025-2030 business plan; our largest investment period to date. I would also like to thank Lord Smith for over six years of excellent support to our business, for which we are very grateful.”
Sara Vaughan added:
“I am really excited to join the Board of Cambridge and South Staffs Water at this pivotal time for the company and the industry as a whole. I look forward to working with members of the Board and Senior Executive Team and to building on Lord Smith’s success as Chair.”
