As a listed investment company, NextEnergy Solar Fund benefits from enhanced governance and policies from both its independent board and the board of its investment adviser, NextEnergy Capital.
The Board provides oversight and strict governance to all activities across the fund, whilst the NextEnergy Capital Leadership Team reviews the policy used for day-to-day activities regularly to ensure they are fit for purpose. The Board has an ESG Committee who are responsible for reviewing and signing off changes to the NextEnergy Solar Fund ESG & Sustainability Policies.
Strong corporate governance gives the Company’s shareholders and other key stakeholders confidence in the Company’s trustworthiness, fairness and transparency. The practice of good governance is, therefore, an integral part of the way the Board of Directors manage the Company and plays an important role in shaping the Company’s long-term sustainable success and achieving our strategic objectives.
Board Diversity
Appointments to the Board are made on merit, having due regard to the benefits of diversity in its widest sense (including gender, age, social and ethnic backgrounds and cognitive and personal skills, experience and strengths) and with the objective of ensuring that the Board and its Committees have the skills, experience and knowledge necessary to bring a wide range of perspectives and to discharge their responsibilities effectively. The priority when making new appointments is to identify the candidate with the best range of skills, experience and knowledge to complement those of the existing Directors.
As at 31 May 2025 the Board comprised one man and three women, all non-executive directors who are considered to be independent of the Investment Manager and free from any business or other relationship that could materially interfere with the exercise of their independent judgement. Currently, the Audit Committee, Management and Engagement Committee, Remuneration & Nomination, and Environmental, Social & Governance Committee are chaired by women. The Board is pleased that it is compliant with the new FCA diversity guidelines with ethnic representation on the Board of Directors.
Committees
Audit Committee
Jo Peacegood is the appointed Chair of the Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee aims to serve the interests of the Company’s shareholders and other stakeholders through its independent oversight of the Company’s financial reporting process, its systems of internal controls and effective management of risk and the appointment and ongoing review of the independence and quality of the work of the Company’s external auditor.
Responsibilities include:
• To oversee the quality of financial reporting;
• To review and monitor the risks the Company is exposed to, its risk appetite and the effectiveness of its risk management framework;
• To review the effectiveness of the external audit process and independence of the external auditor.
Remuneration & Nomination Committee
Caroline Chan is the appointed Chair of the Remuneration & Nomination Committee.
The Committee deals with both remuneration & nomination related matters.
Responsibilities include:
• To keep under review the Directors remuneration policy;
• To lead the annual evaluation of the Board and Committees;
• To review and evaluate regularly the Board’s composition and succession planning and lead the process for new Board appointments.
Management Engagement Committee
Caroline Chan is the appointed Chair of the Management Engagement Committee.
Responsibilities include:
• To evaluate, at least annually, the performance and continuing appointment of the Investment Manager and other key service providers and advisers.
ESG Committee
Josephine Bush is the appointed Chair of the ESG Committee.
Responsibilities include:
• To provide strategic advice to the Board on ESG matters Support and challenge NEC with respect to ESG matters including investment, divestment and asset management activities.
Market Disclosure Committee
Paul Le Page is the appointed Chair of the Market Disclosure Committee.
Latest AGM Results
Click here to view the latest AGM results
