Anthony Legg joins PA Consulting’s energy & utilities practice
PA Consulting has recruited a new energy and utilities partner, with Big Four experience. Anthony Legg who will lead the regulated utilities unit of the firm, based in London.
Aris Karcanias, Global Head of Energy and Utilities at PA Consulting stated, “Anthony is a great addition to our rapidly expanding Energy and Utilities team. His breadth and depth of experience in regulatory and economic strategy across the electricity, gas and water markets, and for newer technologies like CCUS and hydrogen, will be invaluable in helping our clients navigate the challenges associated with the climate response, and extract value in an increasingly complex market.
The UK’s increasingly unstable energy sector has been in a state of flux in recent years. After the lockdown months, rising oil prices saw many smaller energy firms collapse under financial strains. Meanwhile, the largest companies have raised fees well above the rate of inflation, to yield record profits. And the energy sector’s ombudsman has found itself short staffed when it comes to providing a regulatory response to either of these trends – turning to the consulting sector for help.
As PA braces for demand from regulators in the utilities space, Anthony Legg will become part of the its regulated utilities unit. There, he will focus on assisting the electricity, gas and water sectors design, plan and deliver price controls, as well as developing new and reforming regulatory and commercial models for power markets, networks and new growth.
Legg noted, “I’m delighted to have joined PA because it has a combination of outstanding people with deep energy and utilities expertise, a strong ambition to help deliver net-zero and an innovative and nimble culture. I’m very much looking forward to re-connecting with utilities, investors, government, and regulators in the UK and internationally to help deliver a just and rapid energy transition to net zero.”
The new partner brings over 15 years of experience advising governments, regulators, utilities and investors on policy, market design and economic regulation of the electricity, gas and water sectors. Most recently, Legg was with EY, where he led the power and utilities economic advisory team, supporting the Big Four firm’s clients across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
PA Consulting’s energy and utilities experts work with businesses and governments to anticipate the trends which will shape the market. This has seen the firm engage with projects including the transformation to green energy with former Danish fossil fuel giant Ørsted, and helping sustainable energy solutions provider Vestas bring new wind turbines to market faster, through an agile development process.
Over the last year, PA has continued to build this team by bringing in a number of senior hires to support clients in the UK. These include smart energy and retail expert, Amy Marshall; nuclear experts, Andrea Sinnott and Matt Leedham; clean energy and technology expert, David Sanders; energy transition and carbon value chain expert, John Knight; and offshore wind expert Alon Carmel.
