IES, the Glasgow-headquartered climate tech firm which has helped to improve the energy performance of buildings including Heathrow’s Terminal 5, MGM Las Vegas, San Francisco and the Dubai Opera House, has appointed Christine Mullin as its new chief executive officer.

Mullin succeeds IES founder Dr Don McLean, who has led the business for over three decades and will continue to support the company in his new role as non-executive director.

Mullin brings extensive senior leadership experience across international technology and B2B SaaS operations, with a track record in scaling businesses, driving growth and delivering successful outcomes.

She has held senior roles at Microsoft UK, Dext, MetaPack and Bookatable, where she drove acquisitions and international expansion. Most recently, she served as chief operating officer at Texthelp, a global provider of assistive software to education and corporate organisations.

She has also completed the MIT AI and Machine Learning: Leading Business Growth programme, further enhancing her strategic expertise.

Mullin said: “IES has an exceptional reputation for innovation and impact, having enabled the energy-efficient design, retrofit and operation of some of the most well-known buildings and infrastructure projects in the world.

“In doing so, we have empowered countless architecture, engineering and construction firms, building owners and operators to reduce costs, enhance the occupant experience, and lower the carbon impact of our global built environment.

“What drew me to IES is the same thing that drives everyone here – a belief in the power of our technology to make a tangible difference by optimising the energy performance of buildings and infrastructure worldwide, helping to enable a truly sustainable planet. With demand for intelligent climate tech solutions only growing globally, this is an important moment for the business.

“I’m honoured to get the opportunity to build on Don’s remarkable legacy, working with the outstanding IES team and our broader network of industry partners to lead IES into its next phase of growth. Together, we can empower more organisations to make confident, data-driven decisions that help decarbonise the built environment at scale.”

Over the past three decades, McLean’s leadership has guided IES from its origins as a startup, inspired by his PhD research, into a global player whose technology has been applied to more than 1.5 million buildings worldwide. During that time, IES has played a role in reducing the energy consumption and emissions of some of the world’s most iconic buildings.

McLean said: “When I founded IES just over 31 years ago, the conversation around buildings was only beginning to recognise the importance of energy security and environmental impact. Since then, we’ve seen the climate agenda move to the centre of global policy and business, and I’m proud that IES has played an important role in that transformation.

“From pioneering the use of digital technology in building performance to contributing to major global projects, the company has always been driven by innovation and a determination to make a difference.

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“I am so proud of everything that we have achieved so far. But there is still much more to do if we are to meet the pressing challenges our society faces when it comes to mitigating the worst impacts of climate change and the role that our buildings play within that.

“While I remain committed to furthering the decarbonisation of our global built environment, now feels the right time to hand over the reins to Christine, whose experience, vision, and drive will help to take IES into its next exciting phase. I look forward to supporting her and the team as IES continues its vital mission.”

Mullin’s appointment follows IES’s 2024 strategic investment from the Apax Global Impact Fund, which is accelerating the company’s international expansion and mission to decarbonise buildings around the world.