The Calisen CTO appointment is an important step as Calisen appoints its first-ever Chief Technology Officer, Dr Diane Bitzel. The Calisen CTO appointment reflects the emphasis placed by Calisen on digital innovation and smart energy transition. In addition to this, the Calisen CTO appointment signifies their commitment towards building expertise in data analytics.
Calisen Group, the leading supplier of smart meters in the UK, made this announcement on April 13, 2026. Dr Diane Bitzel has considerable expertise in manufacturing, life sciences, and telecommunications industries. Her recent position was that of Chief Digital & Information Officer at Vodafone. She has also implemented several technology transformations and data commercialization initiatives worldwide.
In addition to this, Calisen intends to take advantage of fast-moving technology and changes within the energy sector. Diane will be responsible for ensuring that the company grows rapidly by implementing advanced technologies. At the same time, the Calisen data and analytics engineers will be under her supervision. Thus, an integrated Calisen Data Team will emerge. Notably, Calisen acquired Advizzo in 2023. The acquisition strengthened its machine learning and behavioural science capabilities. Consequently, the new data team will work closely with nationwide operations to enhance smart meter performance and insights.
Commenting on the appointment, Catherine O’Kelly, CEO of Calisen, said:
“Diane’s pre-eminence in her field is well proven, with a brilliant track record of identifying commercial use cases for data analytics that improve customer experience and grow businesses. The UK’s smart meter system is an important asset which has the potential to transform the use of energy in the home, making it more tailored, more convenient and more affordable. It also gives consumers the key to energy independence via low carbon technologies such as solar and battery. We are so excited to have Diane on board as we take smart metering to the next level.”
Driving Smart Meter Innovation and Energy Transformation
Dr Diane Bitzel shared her perspective on the evolving smart energy landscape. She highlighted her early experience in modernizing Italy’s metering system. That initiative marked one of the first large-scale smart meter transformations globally. She emphasized that smart meter technology now plays a key role in transforming home energy usage. It enables flexible tariffs and supports national energy storage systems. However, she noted that innovation in smart meter data remains in its early stages.
Dr Diane Bitzel, Chief Technology Officer at Calisen, added:
“I started my career working on the modernisation of the metering system in Italy, the first country to take this bold step over thirty years ago. In recent years, we have seen this clever technology become the vehicle for a radical transformation of energy supply in the home such as tapping into flexible tariffs and enabling the national storage of power. However, we are only scratching the surface of innovation in smart meter data. It is fantastic to have the opportunity to work with the UK’s largest smart meter provider and develop ways we can improve consumers’ lives and reach the full potential of this important system.”
Additionally, this announcement follows key leadership changes at Calisen. In December 2025, the company appointed Alistair Phillips-Davies CBE and Matthew Timms as Non-Executive Directors. Earlier, Catherine O’Kelly joined as CEO in October 2025. These appointments collectively strengthen Calisen’s strategic direction in digital energy solutions.
For more stories on technology leaders shaping the future of enterprise solutions, visit our CXO Insiders.
Source: PRNewswire
