John Downes

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2026.

John has worked in the energy industry for over 30 years, holding various engineering and leadership positions within both operational and asset management environments. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Chartered Electrical Engineer and was previously the Director of Engineering for SSE Generation, where he established an Engineering Centre of Excellence.

John was later appointed Director of Engineering & Innovation within SSE Renewables, responsible for all engineering delivery across both the project and operational portfolio, and more recently took on the role of CIO for SSE Renewables. There he is responsible for Digital Transformation, Cyber Security and Information & Operational Technology.

What's the most exciting part of your current role?

Leading renewables through digital transformation to ensure we are able to develop, build and operate renewables assets efficiently in order to achieve our sustainability and net zero ambition. Use of digital tooling such as AI for Species Recognition and Monitoring is also a key area we have developed to ensure we remain sensitive to ecology when building new assets.

What do you do in week one of a new project to avoid pain in month six?

Ensure the specific outcomes are absolutely well defined, which outcomes cannot be compromised, and whether there are any stretch outcomes that will improve the project success.

Once the outcomes are defined, I then work to ensure the specific deliverables are also defined to achieve the stated outcomes. These deliverables should not only cover technical, but also people and process - what and how will people and business processes need to do to ensure outcomes are achieved also. I then ensure these are locked down, understood and agreed by all stakeholders. Then we review and track them!

What’s the part of your estate you most want to simplify in 2026?

I have simplified both the information management and data estate significantly over the last two years to ensure we provide businesses with accurate and timely information and data to drive better decisions.

For 2026 I want to simplify operational technology, ideally through the use of cloud platforms, to improve security and resilience, but to also provide a more efficient and scalable operating model as we build out more renewable assets in different geographies.

Excluding smartphones, what piece of technology could you not live without and why?

My Peloton!! Not just the physical side of the Peloton, which is an extremely well made and effective piece of technology, but also the interfaces that come via the Peloton screen - not just thousands of exercise classes for cycling, strength, meditation, and yoga for example, but also the fun stuff like games you can play whilst exercising, or even TV! Never thought I'd get the whole family using it, and daily!!

What excites you most about the future of IT?

Connecting people! On one hand, more and more people are working remotely, working at home, or have teams and colleagues spread all over the country or even the world. On the other hand, technology continues to promote, simplify and advance how we communicate with people, in ways that suit everyone.

Working remotely, I now talk to far more people, with far more constructive and effective meetings and conversations, than I did when in the office and in person. As technology advances, I'm excited this will get even better, and we'll be able to learn so much more from one another.

What talent are you quietly proud of that would never show up on LinkedIn?

I have a talent for understanding peoples’ behaviours and why they may act or perform in a certain way. This has complimented my technical and leadership skills significantly as I feel better connected to how my actions and decisions may impact others, and to more quickly identify and get to the bottom of any issues that may be bubbling up. It also helps me to get the best out of people and I learn to understand what motivates them - but more importantly, what doesn't.

What’s your most-used keyboard shortcut or command that you wish everyone knew?

Being an Engineer - Alt+248 ! I don't use it as much as I used to, but a it’s short cut I've used so much and will never forget!