This September marks a special milestone at Engage Consulting: Chris Cook, our Head of Consultancy, celebrates 15 years with the business.
Chris joined Engage in September 2011 and has been a cornerstone of our consultancy practice ever since. Earlier this year, his contribution was recognised with his promotion to Head of Consultancy, a role in which he is accountable for the end-to-end performance of the Consultancy Practice, from delivery excellence and governance through to commercial growth and team development.
A Career Built on Delivering Change
Chris brings more than 35 years’ experience in the energy sector, delivering change and transformation projects and programmes since joining the industry in 1990. His career highlights include significant involvement in the Smart Metering Implementation Programme (SMIP), the establishment of the Alternative HAN Company and its services, and the development of testing and assurance requirements for smart metering alongside industry stakeholders.
Throughout his 15 years with Engage, Chris has built a strong reputation for navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments, particularly where industry change, regulatory requirements, delivery governance and commercial outcomes all need to be aligned. His passion for low carbon technologies and innovation continues to shape his work supporting the transition to a smart, secure and resilient energy system.
Chris’s journey is also a powerful example of Engage’s commitment to developing and recognising talent from within. As the company celebrates more than 25 years of providing independent specialist advisory and project management services to the energy sector, Chris embodies the deep institutional knowledge, trusted client relationships and sector expertise that define our team.
Reflections from the Team
“Chris’s journey with Engage is what it is all about, he joined Engage fifteen years ago, supported & then lead on major projects for the company and is now an instrumental part of the Senior Management Team. Chris often talks about the trust equation, where doing the right thing for the client and industry is our key objective. It’s this building of trust that allows Engage to grow and undertake more rather than simply trying to maximise accounts. Congratulations Chris – I look forward to the next fifteen years!” Matthew Johnson – CEO
“Fifteen years with one business tells you a lot about both the person and the place. Chris has been a huge part of what makes Engage what it is. He leads by example, he invests real time in the people around him, and colleagues at every level trust him. His journey from consultant to Head of Consultancy is exactly what we mean when we talk about developing talent from within, and I’m delighted to be working alongside him on the Senior Management Team as we take the business forward.” Kevin Mitchell, Head of Operations and People
Reflecting on the milestone, Chris says:
“I’m not quite sure where the time has gone. What has kept me at Engage is the trust, empowerment to get on with the job and the culture I’ve experienced throughout my time here. One standout moment was learning the ropes on the Irish smart metering programme, a real sink-or-swim experience that shaped me hugely. My ambition now is to build a sustainable, growing Consultancy Practice while protecting the Engage culture that makes the business so special.”
In Conversation with Chris
To mark the occasion, we sat down with Chris to look back on his career journey and ahead to the changes shaping the industry.
The career and the journey
You joined Engage in September 2011. What first drew you to the business, and did you imagine you’d still be here 15 years later?
“Metering had been a big part of my early career, so Engage’s involvement in the GB Smart Metering Programme really stood out to me. I joined thinking I’d probably do a couple of years and then go contracting, but the work, the people and the culture kept me here. Fifteen years later, I’ve never really looked back.”
Looking back over more than 35 years in the energy sector, how would you describe the industry you first joined compared with the one we work in today?
“It’s night and day. I joined the industry in 1990 at Yorkshire Electricity Board, just as it was being privatised and becoming Yorkshire Electricity. I was green behind the ears, there wasn’t a computer in sight, no internet, just post, paper, manual processes and mechanical meters. Compare that with today, where advances in technology and digitalisation mean we have multiple devices keeping us connected over high-speed networks, smart meters generating valuable data, and data itself enabling innovation across the sector. The pace and scale of change has been incredible.”
Your career highlights include the Smart Metering Implementation Programme and the establishment of the Alternative HAN Company. Which piece of work are you proudest of, and why?
“The piece of work I’m probably proudest of is being involved in Alt HAN from concept through to becoming a fully operational business. That included helping to prove the business case, establish the governance and operating model, set up and run the business, and then hand it over to the enduring Managing Director. I was also able to support him in shaping the leadership team, refining the product requirements and building in the assurance mechanisms needed to future-proof the Alt HAN solutions. It was a real privilege to play such a significant part in that journey and to roll off knowing there was a fully functioning business left behind.”
Much of your work has involved complex, multi-stakeholder environments where tensions can run high. What have you learned about bringing people with competing interests together to deliver a shared outcome?
“The first thing is making sure everyone really understands the problem, because that is often where the tension sits. In complex industry change, different organisations naturally come with different priorities, pressures and perspectives. The key is creating the right environment for constructive dialogue, where people are given a fair opportunity to state their case and where the conversation is facilitated independently, with the right sponsorship behind it. “
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and what advice would you give to someone starting out in the energy industry today?
“The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is to remove the emotion and see things for what they are. If you can do that, you can fix almost anything. It doesn’t mean ignoring how people feel, but it does mean stepping back, understanding the facts and focusing on the problem rather than the noise around it. That is the same advice I would pass on to anyone starting out in the industry.”
Looking ahead
The industry is navigating an era of significant change, from Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement (MHHS) to the wider transition to a smart, flexible energy system. Which developments excite you most, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for our clients?
“The potential of consumer-led flexibility really excites me. We are only beginning to unlock the power of data in the electricity system, and advances in technology mean we can use that data in ways that genuinely benefit consumers, whether that is through smarter tariffs, better control, or more efficient use of the system. There are some big opportunities here, but also some big challenges. Consumer adoption, accessibility and affordability will all be critical if we are going to make flexibility work at scale and ensure the benefits are shared fairly.”
Looking ahead to the next 15 years, what do you think the UK energy system will look like, and what role will consultancies like Engage play in getting there?
“Over the next 15 years, I think the UK energy system will become much more decentralised, digital and consumer-led. Low carbon technologies, smart assets, storage, electric vehicles and flexible demand will all play a bigger role, but the real challenge will be joining all of that together in a way that is reliable, affordable and fair for consumers. Data and digitalisation will be at the heart of it, but technology alone will not be enough. Consultancies like Engage have an important role to play in helping clients make sense of the change, turn policy and regulation into practical delivery, and bring the right people together to implement solutions that work in the real world.”
Here’s to the Next Chapter
Everyone at Engage Consulting congratulates Chris on 15 remarkable years and looks forward to the next chapter under his leadership of the Consultancy Practice.
To find out how Chris and the team can support your organisation through the challenges and opportunities of a changing energy sector, contact us to arrange a conversation.
