By Islam El-Sakka
Yorkshire Water chief executive Nicola Shaw has announced her departure after four and a half years in the role, a day after the Environment Agency gave the company its lowest possible environmental rating.
Environment Agency Downgrade
The regulator downgraded Yorkshire Water from two stars to one star out of four, classifying it as poorly performing. The one-star rating automatically blocks the company from paying bonuses to senior executives under rules introduced last year. Southern Water, Thames Water and South West Water also received one-star ratings.
New CEO Appointed
Former National Grid executive Nicola Medalova will join next week as chief executive-designate and take over the role in January. Medalova said she would bring a “relentless focus” on delivering for customers, communities and the environment.
Pollution Incidents and Fines
The Environment Agency found Yorkshire Water recorded 335 pollution incidents in 2025, including 13 serious incidents. The company was fined a total of £1.2 million over pollution incidents last year. Yorkshire Water serves more than five million customers in the Yorkshire region.
Previous Pay Scrutiny
Shaw’s tenure had previously drawn scrutiny over payments worth £1.3 million made between 2023 and 2025 through the Jersey-incorporated Kelda Holdings. The company said at the time that the payments were made by shareholders, not bill payers.
