By Adriano Marchese

Algonquin Power & Utilities' chief executive, Chris Huskilson, will step down from the head role after a year and a half as the company transitions to a regulated utility business.

Rod West, a 25-year industry veteran, has been appointed to lead the Canadian generation, transmission and distribution utility company, effective March 7. He most recently served as group president of utility operations for integrated energy company Entergy where he oversaw the operational and financial performance of its five operating companies.

Before taking on the group president role at Entergy, he was its executive vice president and chief administrative officer between 2010 and 2017, and before that, CEO of Entergy New Orleans.

"Algonquin is in the process of transitioning to a pure-play regulated utility and Rod is the right person to lead the company forward at this important time," Chairman Randy Laney said.

Huskilson, who will remain on the board, was first appointed to the position on an interim basis in August 2023 and then appointed to the role permanently in May of last year after a thorough search conducted by the board and a search firm.

He served in the role through the company's transformation in recent months. In August, Algonquin agreed to sell its renewable energy business to a subsidiary of LS Power for $2.5 billion following a strategic review a year earlier.

At the time, Chris Huskilson, who was then the interim CEO, said the move aimed to transform the company into a pure-play regulated utility by simplifying its structure and allowing a greater focus on lower-risk regulated investment opportunities.

In early January, Algonquin completed the sale to LS Power. Huskilson said then that the transaction, coupled with the recent sale of its 42.2% ownership stake in Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure in December, "achieved a pivotal step in our journey to transform Algonquin into a pure-play regulated utility with reduced complexity."

Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 31, 2025 07:07 ET (12:07 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.