OPITO, the not-for-profit global safety and skills organisation for the energy industry, has appointed Stephen Marcos Jones as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following an extensive search process.
He is expected to join OPITO in late March and will replace John McDonald who has led the business since 2017 and announced his intention to step down last year.
Stephen has spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles representing the UK’s energy sector on the global stage, most recently as Group CEO at the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) and its sister organisation, the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC). He was appointed a non-executive director for OPITO UK & Europe in 2016 and OPITO International in 2020. These positions were relinquished in November 2023.
John Taylor, OPITO Board Chair, said: “We are delighted to welcome Stephen as OPITO’s new Chief Executive. He is a passionate champion of skills, apprenticeships and workforce engagement, and the role of people in delivering the energy transition. His diverse experience, focus on effective partnerships and track record of delivery will provide strategic and operational direction to OPITO’s global business.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank John for his leadership. During his tenure, OPITO has become a recognised and respected name in almost 60 countries, with annual registrations for its training standards more than doubling to over 500,000. We are confident that Stephen will build on this to deliver enduring results and ensure that we develop a safe and skilled workforce, prepared to meet the demands of a net zero energy future.”
