Our governance

Great British Nuclear (GBN) is an arm’s length body led by our Board of Directors and Executive Leadership team.

Great British Nuclear (GBN) is an arm’s-length body sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and we are led by our Board of Directors and Executive leadership team.

GBN will deliver the government’s long-term nuclear programme and support the government’s ambition to deliver up to 24GW of nuclear power in the UK by 2050. This could mean nearly a quarter of the UK’s total power demands being met by low-carbon, secure nuclear energy, supporting the UK’s energy security, and contributing to our net zero targets.

Board’s responsibilities

The GBN Board of Directors (Board) is accountable to DESNZ for all aspects of GBN’s activities and performance. The Board’s responsibilities are set out in our Board Governance document and the DESNZ Framework Document for GBN.

These include:

  • establishing and taking forward the strategic aims and objectives of GBN consistent with its overall strategic direction, and within the policy and resources framework determined by DESNZ Ministers (DESNZ is responsible for approving GBN’s Strategy and annual Business Plan);
  • providing effective leadership of GBN within a framework of prudent and effective controls which enables risk to be assessed and managed;
  • ensuring the financial and human resources are in place for GBN to meet its objectives;
  • reviewing management performance, ensuring that the Board receives and reviews regular financial and management information concerning the management of GBN;
  • ensuring that it is kept informed of any changes which are likely to impact on the strategic direction or on the attainability of targets, and determining the steps needed to deal with such changes;
  • ensuring that any statutory or administrative requirements for the use of public funds are complied with;
  • demonstrating high standards of corporate governance at all times, including by using its independent Audit and Risk Committee to help the Board to address key financial and other risks; and
  • in consultation with DESNZ, setting the Chief Executive’s performance objectives and remuneration terms linked to these objectives.

Board composition

The Board is comprised of a Non-Executive Chair, Independent Non-Executive Directors, up to two Non-Executive Directors nominated by DESNZ (Shareholder Directors), the Chief Executive and such other Executive Directors as may be approved by the Board from time to time.

The current members of the GBN Board are:

  • Simon Bowen (Non-Executive Chair)

  • Susan Jee (Independent Non-Executive Director)

  • Gwen Parry-Jones OBE (Chief Executive)

  • Hugo Robson (Shareholder Director)

  • Mark Russell (Independent Non-Executive Director)

  • John Staples (Shareholder Director)

  • Dr. Tim Stone CBE (Independent Non-Executive Director)

The respective roles of the Chair, Independent Non-Executive Directors, Shareholder Directors and Executive Directors are set out in our Board Governance Document.

Executive leadership team

The Board delegates the day-to-day management of GBN to the Executive leadership team, comprised of highly capable and experienced industry and functional experts and public servants. The current interim Executive leadership team roles are:

  • Chief Executive

  • General Counsel

  • Communications Director

  • Commercial Director

  • Chief People Officer

  • Development and Assurance Director

  • Strategy and Performance Director

  • Programme Finance Director

  • Chief Technical Officer

  • Head of Strategy

  • Corporate Services Director

  • Programme Delivery Director

Board meetings

Scheduled Board meetings are expected to take place at least six times per year, and are usually monthly, but the Board may also meet on an ad hoc basis as required to discuss ‘out of cycle’ important and urgent matters.

We will publish Board meeting minutes in a form and frequency consistent with our Publication Scheme under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Contents