Philip Sellwood

CEO, Energy Saving Trust

Philip Sellwood has been the Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust since 2003.

Philip has an extensive commercial background in the Retail, Food and Private Equity markets. He spent twenty years with Marks & Spencer, joining as a graduate in 1977 and working in almost every part of the business. Amongst his achievements at M&S were the expansion of the £3 billion food business and the development of the innovative mail order and e-commerce activity. He left M&S in 2000 as Director of Group Strategy. Philip has other strong retail experience, most recently as Commercial Managing Director for the Thresher Group (one of Europe’s largest retailers, best known for its Thresher/Victoria Wine/Wine Rack stores), where he was responsible for trading, buying, marketing and the supply chain.

In addition to strong private sector experience, Philip has demonstrated a real commitment to the public sector. During the last decade he has undertaken work with the DTI/Defra, for an educational charity and as Ministerial Advisor at the Home Office. He is currently a Non-Executive Director at the Improvement and Development Agency – which works closely with the Department for Community and Local Government. Philip also sits on the Editorial Board of Sustain magazine, is a member of the UKERC (UK Energy Research Centre) and sits on the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership Board. He is a member of several influential Government Task Forces, including the Government & Industry 2016 Zero Carbon Housing Force, and as an Independent Commissioner to sit on the LGA Climate Change Commission.

Philip has three children. His personal interests include wine and sport (especially cricket), food and the arts. He graduated from Nottingham University with BEd (Hons) and has an MBA (Dist) from the University of Westminster. In addition he is a Fellow of the British Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

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