The new appointments are based on a time commitment of three days per month and receive a remuneration rate of £11,718 per annum. The appointments started on 1 June 2021 and are for a period of four years.
The appointments have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
The Code requires for appointees' political activities (if significant) to be declared. Bev Keogh, Jeff Halliwell and Lisa Tennant have not declared any significant political activity. Rachel Onikosi has held public office as a Labour Councillor for the Borough of Lewisham.
Biographies
Bev Keogh
Bev is an experienced utility executive whose career spans over 35 years in the regulated electricity and water industries. Having led operational engineering, customer experience and business assurance teams, she brings a diverse knowledge of utility regulation, legislation, customer and people transformation, compliance, audit, and risk.
After establishing her own consultancy business in 2019, Bev is a member of Electricity North West Customer Engagement Group, ensuring the voice of customers and stakeholders is strengthened in the process of setting the 2023-2028 price control business plan. She works as a global associate for one of the world's leading Diversity and Inclusion organisations and runs a successful executive and senior leader coaching business.
Jeff Halliwell
Jeff's executive experience is in CEO roles with consumer-facing businesses such as Fox's Biscuits / Northern Foods, First Milk, and Bernard Matthews. His background is in international marketing and commercial roles with blue-chip businesses such as Mars and Colgate. He also ran a private equity backed tech SME.
Until August 2021, Jeff is Chair of Transport Focus, the transport watchdog. He has recently been appointed as Chair of the Coal Authority, and Deputy Chair of the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish). He chairs the Customer Engagement Group in respect of Electricity North West, and has previously chaired similar customer challenge groups in respects of Anglian Water and Heathrow Airport.
Rachel Onikosi
Rachel Onikosi is an elected Councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham. Between 2015-2017, Rachel was a CCW consumer advocate working hard for water customers, particularly in the South East region where Rachel provided high-level scrutiny challenging water companies on their customer service performance and value for money principles.
Previously Rachel worked for the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills advising on consumer policy. Whilst in this role Rachel worked on the implementation of the European Services Directive into UK domestic law, ensuring the removal of burdens on small businesses as part of the 'red tape deregulation' agenda. Rachel was also involved in the Consumer Bill of Rights project which saw the consolidation of various pieces of consumer goods and service regulations into one legislative framework.
Lisa Tennant
Lisa Tennant is an experienced Non-Executive Director, Chair and Entrepreneur specialising in consumer affairs, digital transformation and regulation. She serves on the Boards of the Energy and Communications Ombudsman, Riverside Group and Forestry & Land Scotland. She previously served on the Boards of NHS Ayrshire & Arran, the Scottish Police Authority and the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal. Lisa is passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion and is an Ambassador for Women on Boards.
