Senior Ofgem hire may have been prevented from taking on other roles by energy watchdog

A senior figure at a failed energy supplier who has been hired by the energy regulator may have been prevented from taking executive roles at other companies under the watchdog’s own regime.

Daniel Norton, who was previously commercial director of Colorado Energy, a supplier that went to the wall last month, could have been barred from other moving to other firms due to his previous employer failing to pay a bill ordered by Ofgem.

A senior industry executive told The Times, who first reported the story, that Norton may have been barred by the regulator from taking director roles at other energy firms due to Colorado’s spat with Ofgem.

“There’s every chance [Norton] would have been barred from senior roles so [it] really is a bit concerning. He wouldn’t be allowed to run an energy company but he is now allowed to oversee them [and] key market reforms,” they said.