An interview with IDCSL’s Head of Regulation & Compliance, Donna Jamieson

Name: Donna Jamieson

Job Title: Head of Regulation & Compliance

Places you’ve worked before: I’ve had a varied career (website development for a newspaper; software development recruitment; taking part in a European Commission Internet Project etc.) but for the past 20 years I have been in the Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO) arena – focusing on regulation, compliance and the under-lying business processes and systems that support those regulations.

What attracted you to the industry?

I applied for a business process management role with the first IDNO to enter the market – I was employee number two.  I had no electricity background at all.  It quickly turned into a role where I had to learn all the relevant industry code requirements (there are 9 main energy regulatory codes that we must adhere to – not to mention subsidiary codes).  I realised that I enjoyed reading regulatory codes and being involved in change management in the industry.  It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I thoroughly enjoy getting involved in shaping the future of our industry’s regulation – it's permanently evolving.

What do you enjoy most about your profession? 

The challenge of being involved in industry workgroups representing IDCSL or the IDNO community as a whole.  No working day is the same – one day I’ll be discussing the priority needs of our end-customers, another day I’ll be focusing on our energy tariffs, the next day chairing an industry code Panel meeting – it is such a varied role. 

What did you want to be when you grew up?  

An international heavy goods vehicle driver.  My uncle, a HGV driver himself, used to come to visit our family when I was a little girl.  He’d tell my siblings and I exciting stories of collecting palletised goods from Germany and then delivering to a customer in Italy – or collecting in Canada and delivering in Mexico.  I was convinced I wanted to experience travelling the world as my job.  I subsequently went to a grammar school on a scholarship and my careers advisor said it was a waste of my education – that I should look to become a secretary.  Hopefully careers advice has changed since then.

If you could travel back in time and give your younger self career advice, what would it be? 

Be a HGV driver if you want to but if not, make sure you enjoy your job whatever you do – you have one life, don’t spend it trudging along in a job that you don’t enjoy or are not proud of.  Life is too short.

What’s your biggest career highlight to date? 

Getting the first IDNO through its industry accreditation and qualification and then helping to build the business over the years, ensuring we were always compliant with the regulations. 

What’s the most valuable thing that gets you through your working day?

Tea – definitely tea – I'm a tea monster.  That and having my husband working with me – advising how elastic-trickery actually works.