Our management team

Ian McCaig - Chief Executive Officer

Ian McCaig joined First Utility in October 2010 as a Non-Executive Director, becoming Deputy Chairman in April 2011, working with the firm's Board and Executive team in developing the company's business strategy and forward positioning in the marketplace.  Ian was appointed as CEO for First Utility in January 2012.

Ian is perhaps best known for his role at lastminute.com, joining as Chief Operating Officer in 2003. Working alongside the Founders and the Board, onto which he was appointed in November 2003. Ian grew sales at the business from £500m in 2003 to almost £1.5 billion by 2005 when the company was sold to Travelocity for £577m.  He was appointed group CEO in spring 2006 and steered lastminute.com through its most successful years before joining First Utility. 

More about Ian McCaig >

Darren Braham - Founder and Chief Financial Officer

Darren is one of the founders of the company. His areas of focus include finance, regulation and commercial issues. He also manages investor relations for the business.

As part of his role at First Utility, Darren is closely engaged in liaising with the government and he is regularly involved in Ofgem and DECC consultations on issues ranging from smart metering to market competition.

Prior to setting up First Utility, Darren was Corporate Finance Director of Atlantic Telecom having previously been European Finance Director of First Telecom prior to its sale to Atlantic Telecom in 2000. In early 2000, Darren project managed a dual track IPO and merger process in conjunction with Morgan Stanley Investment Bank, which resulted in the sale of First Telecom to Atlantic Telecom.

He negotiated and project managed the acquisition of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in each country of operation and also oversaw the raising of over 250 million Euros in equity.

Darren is a Chartered Accountant. In his spare time he enjoys tennis and running.

Read Darren's blog >

Bill Wilkins - Chief Information Officer

Bill's role as Chief Information Officer is key to First Utility's positioning as an innovative technology company. Bill is overall lead for the company’s revolutionary approach to implementing more modern technology in the energy supply industry. This includes the unique smart meter programme that the business is rolling out across the country.

Bill is also one of First Utility’s four Executive Directors.

In addition, Bill is in overall charge of the business’ online portal, which displays half-hourly data from customers’ smart meters, enabling them to identify and change their energy behaviour.

With a strong track record in a variety of technology-focused roles around the globe, Bill has a wealth of experience, from strategic technology implementation to grass roots software development.

His previous roles include Senior Engineering Director at Sun Microsystems based in the USA and Chief Technology Officer at Northgate.

Martin Moir - Director of Sales & Marketing

Martin leads a sales team of 11 at First Utility, overseeing all areas of business sales including the company's relationships with the construction and housing industries, as well as mass market customer acquisitions.

Martin has been integral to the development of First Utility's work with housing developers. Since launch he and his team have worked with over 450 house builders to implement smart metering within new developments. Perhaps most notably, this included management of the largest smart meter deployment in the UK within Highbury Square in north London. Over 800 smart meters were installed in a new development situated on the site of the old Arsenal football stadium.

Martin has spent much of his career in the energy industry having joined First Utility from npower. He previously held a variety of sales roles within the industry, including Independent Energy and Midlands Electricity.

Martin is a keen motorcyclist, and a fan of most sports, often providing a good sporting analogy during his weekly staff briefings where he updates the whole company on all projects across First Utility.

Mark Daeche - Founder and Non Executive Director

Mark is one of the founders of First Utility. A serial entrepreneur, he has founded and run a variety of businesses, including First Telecom, where he was Vice-Chairman before its sale to Atlantic Telecom in 2000 (at the time a FTSE 250 company).

Mark's background is in technology having spent the early part of his career as a software developer. He subsequently went on to head up Fox Software in the USA, which merged with Microsoft in 1992. This experience is reflected in the fact that First Utility is first and foremost a technology business, using innovative new technology to offer consumers a genuine alternative to the incumbent providers.

Alongside his role at First Utility, Mark is also a joint partner of M2 Investments, together with fellow First Utility Director Darren Braham.