South East Water strengthens Executive Team with twin appointments as it puts customers, communities and trust at the heart of transformation

Experienced water industry leader Katy Ringsdore joins as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, alongside new Customer Services Director Kerri Ricketts, as South East Water accelerates plans to put customer voice and transparent engagement at the core of its operations.

South East Water has strengthened its Executive Team with two key appointments, bringing in Katy Ringsdore as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Kerri Ricketts as Customer Services Director.

The appointments reflect the company’s commitment to putting the voice of the customer at the centre of its decision-making as it accelerates its transformation and works to rebuild trust.

Katy Ringsdore joins South East Water from Pennon Group, where she served as Group Director of External Communications across its water businesses, including South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water, and SES Water.

A former broadcast journalist with over a decade of media experience, Katy brings extensive expertise in managing reputation, political scrutiny, and stakeholder engagement within high-profile, regulated environments.

In her new role, she will lead the company’s corporate affairs strategy, unifying communications, stakeholder engagement, and reputation management.

Working alongside Katy, moving from leading customer excellence at the UK's largest Rail Operator, Kerri Ricketts takes up the role of Customer Services Director, serving as the dedicated voice of the customer within the business.

Kerri will lead frontline customer operations, focusing on embedding customer insight into daily operations, improving service delivery, and ensuring customer experiences directly inform business strategy.

Together, the appointments underscore South East Water’s commitment to open, transparent, and responsive engagement as it delivers the largest investment programme in its history.

John Halsall, Chief Executive Officer of South East Water, said:

“Our customers and communities need to see a different South East Water - one that listens, communicates openly, and puts customer experience at the centre of everything we do.

“Katy and Kerri bring exceptional leadership to our Executive Team at a pivotal moment. Katy’s deep corporate affairs experience will ensure external insight shapes our strategic decisions, while Kerri will be a relentless customer champion ensuring their needs drive our day-to-day operations and are embedded across our transformation programme.

“We know trust will not be rebuilt through words alone; it requires better performance, operational transparency, and a relentless focus on service. Bringing Katy and Kerri into these executive roles is a vital step in delivering that change.”

Katy Ringsdore said:

“There has never been a more important time for water companies to listen to the communities they serve and demonstrate through their actions that they understand customer expectations. Rebuilding trust must run through every decision an organisation makes.

“My focus will be ensuring our communities have a strong voice in those conversations and that we are open about both our progress and where we have more to do.”

Kerri Ricketts said:

“I am delighted to have joined South East Water at a time of significant transformation. My priority is to be the voice of our 2.4 million customers within the executive team - ensuring we listen to our customers, deliver improvements in what matters most to them and consistently deliver the high standard of customer service our communities deserve.

“Excellent customer service must be the baseline of everything we do.”

The appointments come as South East Water continues a major transformation programme focused on improving operational performance, strengthening network resilience, and enhancing outcomes for customers across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire.

Katy Ringsdore will formally take up her role on the Executive Team in September 2026, while Kerri Ricketts took up her role in July 2026.