Meet Gareth Finnie

We sit down with Gareth Finnie, General Manager B2B Gas Retail, to discuss how his approach to offering outstanding customer service shapes our gas solutions and how Australia’s gas market has changed over his decades in the industry.

What does a day at Shell Energy look like for you?

My role as General Manager Gas Retail is to continue building on all aspects of commercial and industrial retailing to large market gas customers and leading the team to achieve this. My day-to-day role can be quite varied. I could be meeting with intermediaries or customers to understand their energy challenges, working with the Shell Energy team to create innovative solutions to these, or jumping on a call to discuss updates to our secure, online Portal that will help our customers better understand their gas usage.

How would you describe your team and its culture?

We have a great culture of ‘getting things done’ and always wanting to go the extra mile for our customers.

The team is always keen to learn and support other areas of the business where we can. They work closely with other teams within Shell Energy – such as the operations and billing team and the gas trading team, to name a few – to deliver the best possible service and solution.

We also love developing innovative solutions that help solve challenges that our customers may be facing, using our expertise and knowledge of the gas industry.

What makes Shell Energy’s gas offering different?

Shell Energy focuses on providing a comprehensive end-to-end value proposition for all customers based on customisable commercial terms, dedicated account management, accurate on-time billing, wholesale market expertise, and innovative market solutions.

Our main goal is always to deliver exceptional value and service. While gas users are increasingly looking at ways to decarbonise and embrace electrification, this is not always achievable or cost-efficient, especially for businesses in certain industries like the manufacturing sector. That’s why it’s so important to provide a comprehensive, high-value gas solution, to ensure those customers that continue to require gas stay focused on doing what they do best.

What trends are you seeing from gas users?

I’ve noticed gas users have become a lot more invested in understanding exactly how their gas contract works, as well as more vocal about wanting better data visualisation reporting.

Gas users are also constantly looking at ways to manage decarbonisation and electrification. They are becoming increasingly interested in renewable gas, energy transition planning and energy efficiency monitoring.

What excites you about the future of energy?

The constant change in the industry never ceases to amaze me and always keeps me interested. I have always been passionate about delivering the best possible customer service experience I can. I believe that going the extra mile should be the norm and not something that happens occasionally. In such a complex energy environment, it’s never been more important to offer personalised support to the businesses we partner with.

If you could say one thing to Australian businesses about gas, what would it be?

Gas is an integral part of the energy mix and now faces ever-increasing political and regulatory focus, which is contributing to the gas industry becoming an increasingly complex market to understand. When choosing a retailer, make sure they are committed to helping your business with efficient and affordable gas supply, as well as outstanding customer service and support, so you can stay focused on your core business.