Dan Randles is a Chartered Engineer and senior leader in the UK energy sector with more than 25 years’ experience spanning electricity network operations, resilience, innovation and strategic development. As Head of Strategic Planning & Design at SP Electricity North West, he leads the technical assessment, design and development of network investment and connection strategies across the region.
Dan plays a key role in shaping the future of the distribution network, ensuring it remains resilient, adaptable and capable of supporting the transition to a low-carbon energy system. Leading a multidisciplinary team of power systems and design specialists, he helps balance customer needs, regulatory requirements and long-term network performance in an increasingly complex energy landscape.
A recognised expert in network resilience and emergency planning, Dan has led the development of incident response strategies and worked closely with national and regional resilience organisations. He regularly represents Electricity North West across industry and government forums, collaborating with organisations including the UK energy regulator, government departments and industry bodies to influence policy and support innovation across the sector.
Previously, Dan led Network Innovation & Transformation, driving the digitalisation of the electricity network and supporting the transition towards Distribution System Operation (DSO). His experience spans advanced operational technologies, network automation, data-driven decision making and the integration of innovative solutions designed to improve network flexibility and reliability.
Throughout his career, Dan has delivered major innovation programmes and performance improvements, working with industry partners to address challenges including distributed generation, changing demand patterns and increasing system complexity. Having worked across operational, engineering, innovation and strategic leadership roles, he brings a practical perspective on how technology, policy and network operations must evolve together to deliver resilient, sustainable electricity systems.
A regular contributor to industry forums, Dan brings a unique combination of operational experience, innovation leadership and strategic insight to discussions on the future of electricity networks and the role they will play in enabling the energy transition.
