South East Water (SEW) has appointed John Halsall as its new chief executive, replacing David Hinton who resigned, according to the company. Halsall, who previously worked at Thames Water, South West Water, and Network Rail, will take over with immediate effect, subject to regulatory approval.
New leadership amid ongoing crisis
The appointment comes as SEW remains under heavy criticism for repeated water supply failures in Kent and Sussex. Tens of thousands of customers lost supply or experienced low pressure in incidents during November, December, January, and May, according to the BBC. Water regulator Ofwat has proposed fining the company £22 million over issues that affected 286,000 people between 2020 and 2023.
Halsall said his immediate priorities are "responding to customers' immediate concerns" and delivering on short-term improvements. He added: "I look forward to working with our customers, community partners, regulators and colleagues to rebuild trust in South East Water, drive the improvements the business needs to deliver and make the changes people want to see."
Hinton, who earned £400,000 and received a £115,000 bonus last year, will leave after a handover period.
Financial and regulatory pressures
SEW's financial position adds to the challenge. The company's annual report shows £1.3 billion in debt. Customers have already faced price increases: SEW raised bills by an average of 7% from April, bringing the typical annual bill to £324.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Proposed Ofwat fine | £22 million |
| SEW debt | £1.3 billion |
| Average bill increase (April) | 7% |
| Average annual bill | £324 |
| Hinton's salary | £400,000 |
| Hinton's bonus | £115,000 |
Investment plans and rebuilding trust
In the longer term, Halsall pledged to deliver what he called the company's largest ever investment programme, worth £2.1 billion, to "improve reliability and resilience". This investment is central to his strategy to address infrastructure issues that have plagued the utility.
The appointment is subject to regulatory approval, SEW said. No timeline for the regulatory decision was provided.
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