Karen has led Baxi through considerable UK & Ireland reorganisation and consolidation, the Covid pandemic and major supply chain challenges in 2022, and has driven significant improvements in Baxi’s sustainability and safety performance. As chair of the HHIC, Karen continues to be a powerful and proactive voice in the industry and Champion for EDI in the broader construction sector.

Karen will be replaced by Jan Rijnen, former chief executive of insulation specialist De Isolatieshop B.V. since 2021. Prior to that Jan has worked with Bosch since 2003, and with Bosch Thermotechnology Group since 2012, most recently as managing director and board member for Nefit-Bosch, one of the Netherlands’ largest central heating manufacturers and suppliers, from 2013.

Jan joins Baxi at a pivotal time for the UK heating and hot water sector. The Government’s Clean Heat Market Mechanism is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks, setting out how it expects gas boiler manufacturers to support the take-up of heat pumps in homes and the decarbonisation of heat in buildings. Meanwhile, the debate over the future of hydrogen as a possible pathway to decarbonise domestic heating continues, and is not expected to be determined until 2026.

Baxi remains heating technology agnostic, committed to renewable and low carbon solutions and will continue to work with all customers to meet their requirements, using the best technology or mix of technologies available for their needs and circumstances.