Chairman of Contact Energy and Managing Director of Origin Energy, Grant King, advises that, after four and a half years leading the company, David Baldwin will transition out of his secondment as Managing Director of Contact over the next three months to take up the position of Chief Development Officer at Origin Energy.

Contact's board of directors has appointed Dennis Barnes, currently General Manager Energy Risk Management at Origin, to succeed David as Contact's chief executive officer.

In recognising the contribution that Mr Baldwin made to Contact since May 2006, Mr King said 'David has successfully led Contact through a period of substantial change. Key initiatives such as the Ahuroa gas storage facility and the Stratford Peaking Power Station came to fruition giving Contact the flexibility to better respond to changing market conditions. The Te Huka power station on the Tauhara geothermal resource was constructed and brought into operation and the 250 megawatt Tauhara 2 project was consented. The Te Mihi geothermal project was also consented and is progressing toward readiness for construction.

The board is delighted with David's contribution over the last four and a half years and looks forward to his continued involvement as a director of the company in addition to his ongoing oversight of Contact's geothermal development programme.'

Mr Barnes has been with Origin since 1998 and has successfully managed Origin's significant portfolio of wholesale market activities. Mr King noted that Dennis's experience and skills will be valuable to the next phase of Contact's development as it seeks to benefit from the investments it has made in increased flexibility.

Mr Barnes will be relocating to Wellington.

Tags: Contact Energy