European utility giant Engie named oil & gas industry veteran Catherine MacGregor as its new CEO with a remit to lead the French group’s ambitious renewables and energy transition plans.
MacGregor will take the helm at Engie in January 2021, joining from TechnipFMC Group where she has spent just over a year as head of Technip Energies. Before that she had a 23-year career with oilfield services giant Schlumberger, ending as president of the drilling business.
MacGregor joins Engie as it embarks on a major push into renewables and clean energy. The French group last year pledged to invest €12bn ($13.1bn) in its 2019-21 energy transition programme, and was on track to install 9GW of renewables in that period.
A key part of that strategy is its Ocean Winds joint venture with EDPR, which has set out its stall as a global leader in offshore wind.
The 48-year-old MacGregor replaces Isabelle Kocher, who was ousted by the Engie board in February, ensuring that a woman maintains a place at the top table of a major European utility.
MacGregor said: “I would like to thank the board of directors for the confidence it shows in me. It honours and commits me. On the strength of our shared industry culture and my operational experience, I will work with all of our teams to achieve our goal of enabling Engie to accelerate the energy transition.”
Engie — which is 24%-owned by the French government — was formerly the gas monopoly operator known as GDF.
