SmartestEnergy strengthens board for global expansion with Jo Butlin appointment

LONDON, 8 July 2025 – SmartestEnergy, the company helping Britain’s businesses navigate the energy transition, has appointed Jo Butlin to its board as a non-executive director. Butlin brings a wealth of experience in the energy sector spanning the past three decades, having held leadership and operational roles at the likes of E.ON and Utilyx. The appointment to the board also marks a return to SmartestEnergy for Butlin, who was influential in the early phase of growth of the business, having previously headed up its retail division. 

Renowned in the industry for her people-first leadership, Butlin is a co-founder and board member of the Women’s Utilities Network (WUN), a not-for-profit that supports nearly 10,000 women working in the utilities sector. WUN looks to achieve greater inclusion within the sector through events, training and advocacy. Additionally, she Chairs the Performance Panel for the NESO and holds several other Non-Executive Director roles across the sector.

Commenting on her new role, Jo Butlin says: "I am thrilled to be rejoining SmartestEnergy at what is an incredibly important time for the business, as we help customers and partners globally navigate the energy transition. SmartestEnergy is one of the few people-first companies in this space that has consistently combined innovation with integrity, and it’s remained true to that mission for over 25 years. I have been in awe of how much the organisation has scaled in recent years and I am looking forward to help continue drive that growth as we look to the future."

"Jo is joining SmartestEnergy at exactly the right time for us. As we continue to expand globally and celebrate our 25th year, Jo’s wealth of experience will be invaluable for us as we embark on our next phase of growth", says Robert Groves, CEO at SmartestEnergy. "I am delighted to welcome Jo to the board and to have the opportunity to work with her once again." 

Butlin currently holds further advisory and senior roles within the industry, including Chair of Ofgem’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) Performance Panel, and Non-Executive Director roles with Thrive Renewables plc, Kensa Group Ltd, REGEN Ltd and The Energy Consortium (TEC). 

2025 marks SmartestEnergy’s 25th anniversary, celebrating a quarter-century of powering business innovation and progress across the UK’s evolving energy landscape.