The UK government has appointed Alan Lovell, Chairman of the Environmental Protection Agency, as the new chairman of British Steel. He will take up his duties on September 14, 2026.
Lovell will work with the company's board of directors, its management and the government, participating in shaping the further development of British Steel.
He started his career at PwC, where he trained as an accountant and later served as CFO in several companies. Lovell later led six organizations in the fields of renewable energy and construction, including Infinis, Tamar Energy and Costain Group.
In addition, he was a member of the boards of directors and headed the supervisory bodies of such structures as Interserve Group, Lloyd's of London, SIG and the Water Consumers Council. He has held the post of chairman of the UK Environmental Protection Agency since September 2022 and will retain this position until December 2026, combining it with work at British Steel.
Jonathan Reynolds, Minister of Business and Trade, said Lovell would bring significant experience to the company at a critical time.
"He is well—versed in managing large-scale transformations and will work closely with employees, the board of directors and local communities," Reynolds said.
According to the minister, the government's intervention in the situation around British Steel was aimed not only at protecting the company, but also at preserving industries, competencies and communities necessary for the reindustrialization of the country.
Lovell himself called his appointment a great honor and stressed that the steel produced by British Steel is of key importance for the UK's defense, infrastructure and construction industries.
He added that his task is to help build a sustainable business capable of meeting the country's steel needs in the long term.
British Steel announced that new appointments to the board of directors will be announced later.