Building the backbone of better energy: A conversation with Gary Hart, Head of Customer Operations at UrbanChain
Team
01 Aug 2025
Shahzoonia Kazmi
Aug 01 2025
If there’s one constant in the UK energy sector it’s change, and Gary Hart has spent more than 20 years not just keeping pace with it, but leading the charge.
As Head of Customer Operations at UrbanChain, Gary plays a pivotal role in turning the company’s bold vision into operational reality: a world where communities generate, trade and consume their own energy locally, transparently and sustainably.
“What’s kept me motivated all these years is simple: people – both the customers we serve and the teams I’m lucky enough to lead,” says Gary.
This focus has guided Gary through career spanning senior leadership roles at Engie, Verastar and E.ON UK.
From turning negative NPS scores around, to delivering nearly 20% improvements in billing accuracy and leading large-scale smart metering and transformation programs – his track record speaks for itself.
Gary’s remit covers the full customer journey. Including everything from seamless onboarding and accurate billing, to compliance, revenue protection and ensuring the customer experience matches UrbanChain’s ambition as a pioneering cleantech business.
“I see my role as building the operational backbone that enables UrbanChain’s vision,” adds Gary.
Since joining UrbanChain Gary has:
- Rolled out structured monthly invoicing and collections for non-domestic clients.
- Supported debtor forecasting and cashflow planning.
- Shaped branded communications that reflect what UrbanChain is and what it stands for.
- Launched ‘Power Cells’ – specialist cross-functional working groups designed to break down silos, tackle tough challenges head-on and deliver creative, collaborative solutions across the business.
Gary’s ‘Power Cells’ initiative has become a cornerstone of how UrbanChain moves fast, learns fast and solves real-world problems quickly by bringing the right minds together and empowering them to experiment, fix and improve.
When he’s not building operational excellence, you’ll find him focused on personal resilience – whether that’s time with his wife and two sons or putting in work with boxing gloves and weights.
Operational excellence combined with personal resilience
Speaking of gloves, Gary has previously taken part in Ric Moylan’s Charity Boxing Event hosted at the Hilton Manchester, which fundraises for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Saint Mary’s Hospital.
In short, Gary has brought structure, strategy and insight to a rapidly growing business in an industry prone to change.
For Gary it’s not just about process and performance, it’s about people and purpose. He believes in the power of data, empowering teams and in never standing still when it comes to improvement.
“What excites me most about UrbanChain is the genuine chance to do things differently,” says Gary.
“We’re combining technology, customer insight and community focus to transform how energy is generated and consumed. It’s an exciting journey – and I’m proud to be part of it.”
At UrbanChain, Gary isn’t just leading operations. He’s helping to reshape the future of energy – one process, one customer and one community at a time.
