Janine Young to conclude tenure in 2027

After 12 significant years as EWON’s Ombudsman and Chief Executive Officer Janine Young has confirmed she will conclude her tenure when her current contract ends in June 2027.

Since her appointment as Energy & Water Ombudsman in 2014, Janine has led EWON through a period of significant transformation across the energy and water sectors. Over more than a decade, she has overseen the organisation's response to major industry reforms, ensuring residents in embedded networks gained access to energy consumer protections and maintaining business continuity during COVID. She has also navigated EWON and customers through changing consumer expectations, cost-of-living pressures and the rapid growth of renewable energy technologies, including rooftop solar and batteries and most recently, large scale transmission development including across Renewable Energy Zones.

Under Janine's leadership, EWON strengthened its role as an independent and trusted dispute resolution service, while expanding its engagement with regional, remote and vulnerable communities across NSW. EWON’s 2024 Independent Review recognised that EWON's community outreach program continues to represent best practice, as first identified in 2020. Most positively, the review described EWON as "one of the few trusted voices" in the energy industry.

Janine has also played a significant role in the broader ombudsman and complaints management sector, contributing to industry and consumer dispute resolution initiatives nationally and internationally.

"It has been an honour to serve as Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW and to lead an organisation that plays such an important role for customers across the state. Looking back, I am immensely proud of what our people have achieved and the positive impact EWON has had during a period of significant change in the energy and water sectors," Ms Young said.

"June 2027 will be the right time for me to step away from the role. The Board has been very supportive of my decision and we are all focused on ensuring a smooth transition in advance of EWON's next chapter unfolding."

Janine was recognised with the SOCAP Lifetime Achievement Award last month, recognising her outstanding contribution to dispute resolution and community outreach over more than two decades.