THE head of British Gas and its subsidiary Scottish Gas is set to leave the company abruptly, with an announcement by publicly-quoted parent group Centrica expected well before its full-year results next month.
Some believe the surprise news that Phil Bentley will be soon on his way could come as early as this week.
Reports at the weekend suggested Bentley, the public face of British Gas in the controversy over rising household energy bills, had fallen out with Sam Laidlaw, Centrica’s chief executive, over strategy for the division.
But insiders said yesterday that this was “wide of the mark”, and that it was more of a case of the British Gas boss having completed the job he was brought in to do.
Bentley, 53, joined Centrica – which also has a substantial energy business in North America – as finance director in 2000.
He became managing director of British Gas in 2007 at a time when the business was being pilloried by the public for poor customer service. It was also seen as having botched the installation of a new IT system.
However, unions were upset at what they called the “bullying” of British Gas employees to adapt to changed working conditions imposed by Bentley.
One energy analyst said: “Phil Bentley sorted the operational problems at the business out. He’s done a sterling job.
“My understanding is that with Centrica set to announce its three-year strategy for the business along with its results in February, it seemed a natural time for a parting of the ways.
“The other thing is that British Gas by itself is big enough to be quoted in the FTSE 100 index. It could be Bentley saw he wasn’t going to eventually get Laidlaw’s job and is looking elsewhere.
“His approach is tough, no-nonsense. I can see why the unions would not be totally enamoured of his style.”
British Gas provides gas and electricity to 12 million homes throughout Britain, and employs 31,000 people.
Last year Bentley was paid a total of £681,000. He has also accumulated a £210,000-a-year pension, and has £6.7 million in shares and options.
A key component of Centrica’s strategic review is how to split the investment cake between its three divisions: British Gas, the rapidly expanding North American unit and an oil and gas production arm that includes the former Venture Production business. It is also deciding whether to invest in Britain’s first nuclear plant in more than 20 years, to be built in Somerset.
Centrica declined to comment.