Yorkshire Water chief executive Nicola Shaw to step down after one-star environmental rating
Nicola Shaw will leave on 1 January and be replaced by Nicola Medalova, a day after the Environment Agency classed Yorkshire Water as a poorly performing company.
At a glance
- Nicola Shaw, Yorkshire Water's chief executive, will leave her post on 1 January after leading the firm since 2022.
- The Environment Agency gave Yorkshire Water one star out of four, its lowest rating, classing it a poorly performing company.
- The agency said the firm was responsible for 260 pollution incidents in 2025; Ofwat announced a £47m fine in 2024 for historic sewage leaks.
Yorkshire Water chief executive Nicola Shaw has announced she will step down from the role on 1 January, a day after the Environment Agency gave the company its lowest possible environmental rating. Shaw has led the firm since 2022 and will be replaced by Nicola Medalova, a chartered environmental health officer who previously worked for National Grid.
In a statement on Friday, Shaw said it had been a "privilege" to lead the company but that it was "the right time" to leave her post. Her departure was announced 24 hours after the regulator's verdict on the company's environmental performance.
Lowest possible rating
On Thursday, the Environment Agency gave Yorkshire Water one star out of four — its lowest possible score — meaning the company was classed as a "poorly performing company". According to the agency, the firm was responsible for 260 pollution incidents in 2025, its highest tally since 2011.
The rating arrived during a period of wider scrutiny of Yorkshire Water. Shaw has faced criticism in recent years, including over £1.3m in undisclosed payments she took between 2023 and 2025, while the company has come under scrutiny for its performance. In 2024, the regulator Ofwat said it would fine Yorkshire Water £47m over historic sewage leaks.
Successor named
Medalova, who takes over when Shaw leaves, is a chartered environmental health officer and previously worked for National Grid.
Shaw's tenure at Yorkshire Water began in 2022 and ends on 1 January.
Source: BBC Business.
Questions and answers
- Why is Yorkshire Water's chief executive stepping down?
- Nicola Shaw said it was "the right time" to leave and called leading the company a "privilege". Her departure was announced a day after the Environment Agency gave Yorkshire Water its lowest possible rating.
- Who is replacing Nicola Shaw at Yorkshire Water?
- Nicola Medalova, a chartered environmental health officer who previously worked for National Grid, will take over when Shaw leaves on 1 January.
- What rating did the Environment Agency give Yorkshire Water?
- One star out of four — the lowest possible — which classed the company as a "poorly performing company". The agency said the firm was responsible for 260 pollution incidents in 2025.
