LONDON — Smart Energy GB, the not-for-profit, government-backed campaign that promotes smart meters to British consumers and small businesses, has appointed Victoria Bacon as its new director of PR.

Bacon joins the organisation following a period of independent consulting and a planned career break after leaving her role as director of brand and business development at travel association ABTA in May 2020, where she led media, PR, marketing, brand and business development work.

Previously, Bacon held senior leadership positions at Future Publishing and BP. She started her career at agencies Hill+Knowlton and Fishburn Hedges.

In the newly-created role, Bacon will join Smart Energy GB’s senior leadership team, reporting to CEO Dan Brooke, who said: “I’m delighted to welcome Victoria to the team. Her excellent leadership qualities and experience really stood out, alongside her breadth of integrated campaigning experience.

"She also has exceptionally strong experience in reactive news and issues management, corporate comms, complex stakeholder management and is a highly-experienced broadcast media spokesperson. All of these skills and experience will be invaluable for the team and the campaign moving forward.”

Bacon added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Smart Energy GB at such an important time. The campaign is high profile and issues-rich, it plays a critical part in the UK’s efforts to decarbonise homes and buildings in its path to Net Zero. ’ve been hugely impressed by the people I’ve met and the work of the team to date and it will be both a privilege and a challenge for me to join such a talented team and lead communications for the organisation through the next phase of the campaign.”

In March this year, Smart Energy GB announced it had appointed four agencies – Tin Man, Shook, H+K and Red – to its roster.