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Clare Rixon

Business Change Manager

Utilities

Clare Rixon, Business Change Manager in the utilities sector, has built her career leading large-scale transformation programmes that connect people, process, and technology. With a background in resilience planning, she brings adaptability, calm under pressure, and a people-first mindset to every project she leads. In this interview, Clare shares her thoughts on empowering leadership, building trust through communication, and helping organisations embrace change with confidence and collaboration.

1. How would you describe your professional background in a few sentences?

   I’ve spent my career leading change and transformation programmes - mainly large, complex initiatives that bring together people, process, and technology. I’m passionate about the people side of business and helping organisations move through change smoothly, by supporting their workforce.

2. What lesson from your first job still guides you today?

   I’ve come from a resilience planning background, and the one thing that has taught me is that things rarely go exactly to plan, ha! Especially in complex or crisis situations, the most important skill you can have is adaptability and being calm under pressure.

3. How do you define success in your current position?

   Success, for me, is when stakeholders genuinely feel ownership of the change. I want people to feel excited about transformation, engaged in the process, and ready and willing to adopt whatever solutions are required to make a success of that journey.

4. Which skills have been most valuable to your success?

   Relationship building, listening, and having a very open and honest communication style.

5. What trends are shaping your industry right now?

   Huge investment in our asset base, innovative solutions to climate change and increasing populations, and a big educational piece about what goes into turning on your tap and flushing your toilet behind the scenes.

6. How would you describe your leadership style?

   I’d describe my leadership style as empathetic and empowering. I believe the best results come when people feel heard, supported, and trusted to take ownership. My role as a leader is to set clear direction, remove barriers, and create the conditions for others to succeed.

7. Who or what played a key role in your success story?

   I’ve been really fortunate to have some excellent mentors and leaders throughout my career - people who modelled what good leadership looks like. Early in my career, I worked with leaders who showed me the power of calm communication and collaboration under pressure. Later in my career, I learned a lot from senior leaders who trusted me and gave me space to experiment and grow.

8. What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

   I’d say - be curious and don’t be afraid to listen more than you speak. Often I think there is pressure to be a loud voice in a room; however, I think there is such great power in making sure your voice is heard when it is adding value.

   If you take time to listen, ask good questions, and build relationships, you’ll not only learn faster, but people will naturally start to trust you - trust in business is huge, and can really open the door to you having real, lasting impact.