Labrador, the new smart energy switching solution, has appointed Stephen Beynon, MD of Aggreko Power Solutions and previously MD of British Gas Residential Energy, as a non-exec director. He has also made a personal investment in the company.
Beynon joins the current Labrador non-exec director team, Eric Wilkinson, Chief Investment Officer for Hambro Perks, and former Head of Consumer and Retail at JP Morgan and Bain & Co, and Clive Beharrell, Non-Executive Director, former chairman of companies including Fat Face and Crew Clothing.
The Labrador smart energy device is the brainchild of CEO, Jane Lucy (Energyshare, KEO Digital) and Chairman, Joe Mangion (energy specialist and investor).
Labrador is fitted free of charge to customers’ smart meters and seamlessly switches them onto the best energy deal for them with just one click – or automatically – if preferred.
The smart device promises to empower consumers, enabling them to easily switch to cheaper energy using their own real-time consumption data – and could revolutionise the energy industry by breaking the link between consumer and energy supplier.
Beynon became excited about Labrador’s potential thanks to insights he gained at British Gas, where he was responsible for a customer base of over 9 million households and over £10 billion of revenue, as well as their smart meter, roll out.
“Around 60-70% of customers could save hundreds of pounds by switching to a better energy deal, but most people don’t get round to it for one reason or another,” says Stephen. “Labrador puts the customer in control of getting the best deal and lets them shop around easily – almost without doing anything. It could also dramatically increase competition in the marketplace.”
“We are delighted Stephen has joined our board as non-exec director,” says Chairman, Joe Mangion.”The Competition and Markets Authority, Ofgem and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have made it clear that the easiest way for consumers to unlock fairer pricing is to switch. Once fitted to a consumer’s smart meter, Labrador will make that easy, without the hassle of form filling and energy salesmen making intrusive telephone calls. We believe Labrador is a game changer for consumers and the energy industry.”