Thames Water CEO Sarah Bentley quits after Reading-based company’s poor environmental performance

Thames Water CEO, Sarah Bentley, has resigned with immediate effect after the Reading-based company came under fire for its poor environmental performance. Bentley, 47, is reported to leave the board on Tuesday but will support her replacement while the company looks for a permanent boss.

Bentley - who joined the UK’s largest water company in 2020 - offered to give up her annual bonus when reports found Thames Water’s environmental and customer performance was suffering.

However, she came under fire from union officials when her pay doubled to £1.5m at the end of the financial year, reported ITV. The national officer for GMB union, Gary Carter, said at the time that her proposal was “nothing more than a flimsy PR stunt”.

Sarah Bentley joined Thames Water after 5 years as Chief Customer Officer at Severn Trent Water - a Coventry-based water company that serves millions of households and businesses across the Midlands and Wales.

Chairman of Thames Water, Ian Marchant, spoke on Bentley’s departure: “I want to thank Sarah for everything she has done since joining the company in 2020, building a first-class executive team and leading the first phase of the turnaround of the company.

“On behalf of everyone at Thames, the board wishes her every success for the future.”

Ms Bentley said: “It has been an honour to take on such a significant challenge and a privilege to serve Thames Water’s dedicated and inspirational colleagues.

“The foundations of the turnaround that we have laid position the company for future success to improve service for customers and environmental performance.

“I wish everyone involved in the turnaround the very best.”