Ofgem loss prompts in-house shake-up

Bankes was Ofgem's first general counsel, joining on secondment from Simmons in March 2000, just after the regulator was established. He has now returned to the City firm's competition practice. Simmons is one of four firms on the regulator's panel.
Nicola Northway, who has been given an internal promotion from her previous role as deputy general counsel, take over. Bankes says that Ofgem made the right choice.
Northway is replaced by Helen Matheson. Formerly at the London office of McGrigor Donald, Matheson said she had "always really wanted to have an idea of what it's like on the other side of the table".
Matheson takes with her a competition background and dual English-Scottish qualification to the regulator, which now also covers the industry north of the border.