Yorkshire Water CEO Resigns After Environmental Rating Downgrade
Nicola Shaw to step down Jan. 1 following company's lowest possible environmental score and significant fines for sewage leaks.
Yorkshire Water's chief executive, Nicola Shaw, announced her resignation on Friday, a day after the company received its lowest possible environmental rating from the Environment Agency. Shaw, who has led the company since 2022, will be succeeded by Nicola Medalova on January 1.
Shaw stated that it was "the right time" to leave her post, describing her tenure as a "privilege." Her departure follows a period of criticism, including undisclosed payments totaling £1.3 million between 2023 and 2025. The company has also faced significant scrutiny for its operational performance.
On Thursday, the Environment Agency assigned Yorkshire Water a one-star rating out of four, classifying it as a "poorly performing company." This rating was attributed to 260 pollution incidents recorded in 2025, the highest number since 2011. The previous year, water regulator Ofwat fined the company £47 million for historic sewage leaks.