Ex-KPMG Director Nicola Cocks joins net zero specialist Storegga

Former KPMG professional Nicola Cocks has been appointed Head of Regulation and Policy at Storegga.

As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, the world’s largest businesses are struggling to build for economic growth without harming the planet with its carbon output. One example is ‘direct air capture’ technology. The technology looks to remove unavoidable and historic CO2 emissions from the atmosphere, before either recycling it, using it as a raw material, or completely removing it from the air by safely storing it underground.

Storegga is a UK-based carbon management business, helping companies in their efforts to build net zero strategies. Championing carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, and other subsurface renewable projects in the UK and internationally, the firm aims to accelerate carbon emission reductions.

To help push its projects forward, Storegga has appointed Nicola Cocks into a new role as Head of Policy & Regulation. She will draw on previously working with a regulator, a major consultancy, and in industry, meaning Storegga hopes she will help engage positively with various government offices to establish supportive regulatory frameworks is vital to the country’s success in decarbonising our environment.

Nick Cooper, CEO of Storegga, noted, “Success is worth fighting for. We have huge potential to smash our net zero targets, and become a world leader in decarbonisation technologies and operations. We can create really exciting jobs that will support transitioning our economy away from traditional fossil fuels. We can deliver something that we can all be proud of for future generations.”

Cocks joins from Thames Water, the UK’s largest water company, where she sat on the company’s executive team as Regulation Director. In the role, she was responsible for building and establishing an open and constructive relationship with the regulator, the customer challenge group, board and colleagues.

Prior to this, she was also Director in KPMG’s energy and natural resources practice – fulfilling a role working as a strategic adviser to UK network companies on business planning and price control reviews, regulatory insight and advice and independent assurance reviews. Meanwhile, she joined KPMG from Ofgem, where she was Head of Projects & Programmes.

Speaking on her new challenge, Cocks said, “If we work with the government and regulators to share our experience and knowledge of what works and what doesn’t, we can achieve our net zero targets together… Storegga has the backing of major international infrastructure investors and is led by clever and enthusiastic people, determined to make the UK a leader in carbon reduction and removal.”

“I am really looking forward to helping them realise their decarbonisation ambitions. Storegga’s current projects have the potential capacity to remove huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. Being a part of the transition to a low carbon world is something my family and I can be really proud of.”