If I Knew Then: Kim Atherton

As chief people officer at Ovo Energy, Kim Atherton has helped scale the business from 100 people to more than 1,100 in three years; she has also shaped Ovo’s working culture and created a structured ‘Reward Steps’ programme within the customer service division, emphasising the customer-focused experience.

Earlier this year, she was named as one of the South West’s five Faces of a Vibrant Economy by Grant Thornton, a list curated as part of Grant Thornton’s purpose to shape a vibrant economy, and unlock the shared potential of the nation by working together with government, businesses and communities.

How did you start at Ovo Energy?

I started in 2012 when there were around 100 employees. I was working as an occupational psychologist for a consulting firm, which involved a lot of global travel – great fun but less compatible with a young family. I was so lucky to find a company who were so passionate about talent and who had ambitious growth plans. 

If you knew then what you know now, what mistakes might you have avoided?

Trying to do too much, too soon.  It’s easy to get carried away with all the changes a high growth business brings with it but it is important to plan and be mindful as you go.  Getting the right people around the right tables is imperative. 

What advice would you have given yourself when starting out?

Leverage all the connections and networking opportunities that you can.  We’ve gained valuable insight and shared best practice with some incredibly innovative and successful companies throughout our journey.  It’s always good to get an external perspective on how you are doing things – to challenge and also to validate.

If you knew then what you know now, would you still be sitting there? 

Yes, absolutely – consulting was a great grounding as I was able to see inside so many different organisations which gave me a broader outlook which has been really valuable in my current role.   

What do you know now that you didn’t know then?

A lot about the energy industry. Every day is a school day at OVO – it’s part of our culture to challenge and learn.  

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far?

To always question: pivot or persevere?  A misguided decision to persevere with a mission that is no longer fit for purpose could be disastrous. It’s essential to constantly reassess what is right for the business, the people and the market conditions.  Changing direction can be difficult so we work hard to ensure that we are agile enough as a company to be able to adapt as needs be.

What is your business highlight?

Becoming a Times 100 Best Company to Work For, moving to our award winning offices by Temple Meads, reaching every customer number milestone – it’s been a very exciting journey.

What is your business lowpoint?

We want to create a company that people love to work at and there are times when that doesn’t work out for some people – that’s tough. It’s hard to get it right for everyone and we are constantly learning lessons about our people offering

What keeps you awake?

My three-year-old when he decides 3am is time to get up and start playing!

What’s changed from when you started out?

Everything. Except our values – we love and breathe our values. 

What’s still on your to-do list?

The half marathon that I keep putting off.

What’s next for Ovo Energy?

We are embracing the digitisation of the energy sector. As the energy industry becomes ever more complex, we continue to make energy simple, even effortless, for our customers. We have invested heavily in delivering a great customer experience both through our award winning Bristol-based customer service team and our excellent web and mobile tools. As we accelerate our rollout of smart meters, we are offering customers new ways to connect with us, helping them save time, energy and money.

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