Centrica

The story of Centrica begins not with a startup founder, but with an act of parliament. In 1986, the British government, under Margaret Thatcher, privatized the state-owned British Gas Corporation, creating British Gas plc. This marked a pivotal shift in the UK's energy landscape. For the first time, a national utility was in private hands, its shares offered to the public in a campaign famously telling them to 'Sid'. A decade later, another significant event reshaped the company. In February 1997, British Gas plc underwent a demerger. This split created two separate, publicly listed entities: Centrica plc, which took over the gas sales and services business, and BG plc (later BG Group), which handled the exploration and production side. This demerger was designed to separate the competitive retail business from the more stable, regulated pipeline and exploration operations. Centrica, now independent, embarked on a journey of expansion and diversification. It retained the well-known British Gas brand for its UK customers but looked beyond its initial scope. The company expanded into electricity supply and later internationally, acquiring businesses in North America, such as Direct Energy. This strategic move transformed Centrica from a UK-focused gas supplier into a multinational integrated energy company, involved in everything from power generation to in-home servicing. The company's journey reflects the broader trends of privatization and liberalization that swept through the global energy sector in the late 20th century.