We are delighted to celebrate a significant milestone as Royston Black marks 10 years with Engage Consulting. His journey with us reflects the qualities we value most: deep subject matter expertise, a passion for innovation, and an unwavering focus on delivering for clients and consumers alike.
Royston joined Engage a decade ago from British Gas, where he had been a Senior Business Change Manager. Bringing 14 years of industry experience, he quickly became a driving force in our consultancy work.
A Decade at the Forefront of Industry Change
From the outset, Royston has worked on the programmes shaping the modern energy market, supporting the implementation of rules governing Ofgem’s Significant Code Review process, which allows the industry to reform its commercial codes in a coordinated, accelerated way.
Smart metering soon became a defining theme. Royston led the SMETS1 enrolment programme for Energy UK, migrating first-generation meters into the Data Communications Company (DCC). He then helped Alt HAN Co develop its services for crowded and communal meter rooms, trialling the range-extending technology that brings smart metering to the hundreds of thousands of GB households previously unable to connect. He also ran pioneering trials of 10-second data collection to unlock smarter energy management.
Driving Delivery and Flexibility
More recently, Royston has helped deliver Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS), one of the biggest reforms to the electricity retail market in decades, on time. He has also supported innovation in energy flexibility and demand-side response, including the new Market Facilitator arrangements that coordinate Great Britain’s flexibility markets on the path to Carbon Neutral.
Today, as a Principal Consultant, Royston leads our smart innovation workstreams, helping clients evaluate technology solutions through rapid test-and-learn activity and turning consumer insight into strategies that deliver measurable benefits.
In Royston’s Words
Reflecting on his decade with the business, Royston said:
“Ten years ago, I left British Gas to join Engage, drawn by the idea of working for a small company that was at the forefront of delivering key energy industry programmes, and I have not been disappointed. From implementing the rules to govern Significant Code Review, to driving the enrolment of SMETS1 meters into the DCC, trialling Alt HAN installations and running innovation trials of 10-second data collection, the last decade has been interesting, challenging and a real chance to make a difference. More recently, helping MHHS get delivered on time and supporting innovation in flexibility through demand-side response and the Market Facilitator has continued to make sure everyday challenges me and the teams I work with to innovate and deliver a better energy system. As Engage grows and develops, I look forward to being part of the next phase and keeping our place as a go-to consultancy for energy market expertise.”
Celebrating Expertise and Partnership
“It has been a pleasure to watch Royston’s development over the last decade and to see the contribution he has made to Engage, our clients and the wider energy sector. His technical insight, commitment and curiosity have helped shape some of our most important work, and we are delighted to celebrate this well-deserved milestone.”
Chris Cook, Head of Consultancy, Engage Consulting
At Engage Consulting, our success is built on the expertise and dedication of our people, and Royston’s 10-year journey demonstrates exactly that: technical excellence, innovation, and a real commitment to colleagues and clients alike.
As we continue to support organisations working towards a sustainable, Carbon Neutral future, it is experts like Royston who keep Engage at the forefront of energy market expertise. Please join us in congratulating Royston on this well-deserved milestone, and here’s to the opportunities that lie ahead.
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