John French became Chief Executive of the Utility Regulator in November 2020. Prior to this, John was Chief Executive of The Consumer Council from July 2015. The Consumer Council is Northern Ireland’s statutory consumer body, and has a duty to promote and protect consumers. Previously, he was Director of Regulation and Pricing at firmus energy and Investment Planning and Regulatory Reporting Manager at NIE Networks.
John was previously Head of Policy at the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy (UKBCSE), Network Director at the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) in Vienna, and a policy advisor on climate change and energy issues with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
John is a Chartered Director and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors. He has a master’s degree in accountancy, and an honours degree in accountancy and business finance, both from the University of Dundee.