Perth-based electricity infrastructure giant SSE plc announced the appointment of a new independent non-executive director, Hixonia Nyasulu, who will join the board on January 1, 2025.

Nyasulu will join the nomination committee and after an initial period on the board, it is intended she will succeed Helen Mahy as Senior Independent Director (SID) on July 18, 2025.

Nyasulu is currently a non-executive director of Anglo American plc and Olam Agri Holdings.

SSE is the biggest listed company run from Scotland, with a current stock market value of about £20 billion. SSE directly employs about 14,000 staff and supports 56,000 jobs across the UK and Ireland.

“Helen first joined the SSE Board on 1 March 2016, therefore this transition represents a time-limited extension to her tenure, and has been agreed to ensure a smooth SID succession process for Hixonia and the Board,” said SSE.

“Helen will now step down from the Board on 17 July 2025, the expected date of SSE’s Annual General Meeting 2025, and will not stand for re-election.

“Hixonia brings significant international experience at Board level, alongside a diverse and global perspective. She has served as Chair of Sasol, a global integrated chemicals and energy company operating in a large number of countries, and is currently a non-Executive Director of Anglo American plc and Olam Agri Holdings.

“She has also served as a non-Executive Director of Unilever plc and Vivo Energy plc, where at the latter, she held the position of Senior Independent Director.

“Through all of her non-Executive roles Hixonia has built a strong understanding of capital-intensive and safety-critical businesses and of environmental, social and governance matters.

“These build on her executive career, where she started at Unilever in South Africa, before running her own consulting and market research business for a period of 20 years; and founding Ayavuna, a female-controlled investment holding vehicle.

“Hixonia was a founder member of the Advisory Group formed by the World Economic Forum to set up a community of global Chairs.

“Following completion of the above succession plan on 18 July 2025, the Board of SSE plc will comprise the Chair, three Executive Directors and eight independent non-Executive Directors; and will comprise seven men and five women.

“Each Director of SSE plc is subject to annual re-appointment and Hixonia’s appointment to the Board from 1 January 2025 will be the subject of a resolution at the Company’s Annual General Meeting 2025.”

SSE plc chair John Manzoni said: “I am delighted to welcome Hixonia to the SSE Board both as a non-Executive Director and as Senior Independent Director designate.

“As a highly experienced Board member, she will bring an increasingly important international outlook, an area where we have built significant Board strength.

“She also brings a deep understanding of governance and a highly commercial lens, further complementing the Board in these areas.

“I thank Helen too for the time limited extension to her position to ensure a smooth handover in roles following her significant contribution to SSE across her tenure.”