The CPO reshaping how a legacy business grows, leads, and wins at speed.

About this episode

A 30-year-old business, a surge of new hires, and the kind of growth most companies dream of - but weren’t quite ready for.

As Chief People Officer of Utility Warehouse, Libby Townsend stepped into an organisation at a critical tipping point. The business was scaling rapidly, but its ways of working hadn’t kept pace. In this episode, Libby shares how she and her team helped codify UW’s culture, define a shared language for leadership, and bring together long-standing employees and fresh recruits around a clearer, more connected way of working.

Their efforts earned UW the Best Business Transformation Initiative at the Business Culture Awards. But behind the recognition is a powerful story of change, one built on listening, co-creation, and the belief that culture isn’t a poster on the wall, but a set of lived experiences.

For leaders navigating legacy mindsets or fast-paced growth, Libby’s experience offers a fresh, grounded perspective on making change stick.

Libby Townsend

Chief People Officer

Libby Townsend is the Chief People Officer at Utility Warehouse (UW), where she leads the company’s people and culture strategy. Since joining in 2023, she has helped steer UW through a major phase of cultural transformation and rapid growth.

Her previous roles include senior leadership positions at Monzo Bank, OVO Energy, and Pure Electric, where she built people functions from the ground up and led culture change in fast-paced environments. Libby is known for her ability to scale people operations and embed inclusive leadership practices that support sustainable business performance.

She holds a first-class degree in Personnel Management from the University of Plymouth and is an active contributor to industry conversations on leadership, culture, and the future of work.