GB Energy Chairman Works From Home Five Times More Than at Aberdeen ‘HQ’ – Guido Fawkes

EXC: GB Energy Chairman Works From Home Five Times More Than at Aberdeen ‘HQ’

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The Chairman of GB Energy has spent more days working from home this year than any of the numerous offices secured for the organisation around the UK. Lead by example…

Juergen Maier is contracted to work for only 104 days over a year. Guido’s FoI unit asked where he has been working so far this year. DESNZ said “like with any company – publicly or privately owned, the Chair is not required to work in any one location,” insisted board meetings are held at the GB Energy HQ in Aberdeen (which is just desks in the department’s existing office building there), and said that “a significant portion of Juergen’s time is dedicated to high-value external engagement rather than working from a specific office.” You can see where this is going…

This year so far Maier has worked for 32 days from home, 30 from London, six from the ‘HQ’ in Aberdeen, and – ridiculously – only two from his dedicated personal office in Salford. A few more offices around the country should do the trick…

At 78 days of work and 52 “contracted days on formal GBE engagements” DESNZ said “Maier has also spent more days on GBE business than his contract stipulates.” Wow…

Senior staff working on the setup of Great British Energy – which got royal assent in May – are Maier as start-up chairman, Dan McGrail as interim CEO, five start-up non-executive directors and some other senior executive positions. DESNZ staff are currently “expected to spend 40-60% of their working hours in the office as the norm (with a minimum of 40%).” Senior civil servants are increasingly expected across Whitehall to be in the office 60% or more of the time. It ain’t easy…