CeTurn Limited is an international management consultancy and services business, specialising in market entry and strategic change challenges. Our customers and business partners are predominantly operating in the Global Utilities and Energy sectors.

Since the late 1980’s the power and gas industries have changed out of all recognition. The first phase of liberalisation was characterised by optimism and expectation. It was about the new. There were new markets, new regulations, new ownership, new controls, new freedoms, liberalisation for customers, new entrants to retailing and generation and more. When this started there was a presumption of value. Many companies strategy was to invest in European power and gas and sell off existing non energy businesses, to reinvent themselves as focused energy specialists. Phase 1 began with an understandable enthusiasm. In business, when it is about new and requires enthusiasm, no one does it better than the North Americans. This first phase reached an end with the demise of Enron Corp and the consequent credit crunch.

The second cycle began with those who started last continuing after everyone else has stopped. Vattenfall acquired in Germany, Endesa and EdF in Italy. In 2002 E.on swallowed PowerGen and absorbed TXU (UK) while RWE bought Innogy. This expansion ran out of steam with the E.on closure on Ruhrgas. Investors observing outturns in the US, lost confidence in energy market expansion strategies. Concern about potential credit downgrades emerged to replace the drive to expand.

In the absence of alternatives, the rationalising companies have returned to the utility model. Large quasi-monopolies, with little need to be customer responsive, see cost control and regulatory management as the means to create value. With the exception of the UK, the vertical national monopolies have been displaced by vertical national monopolies with some cross border business interests.

The next cycle has a new force for change that will start the break up of the monolithic power companies. We have seen this force at work in the oil and gas sector since the beginning of the millennium. The driver of financial performance requiring raising margins and the disposal of low margin businesses will have a major effect. This new driver brings new players, diversity and choice into circulation. So Phase 3 begins with a move towards a new cycle of smaller, leaner and more efficient competitors, just as the Goliaths have paused for breath.

CeTurn Ltd along with its business partners and alliances, are able to offer a full range of services to companies facing change as the Global power and gas market develops. The company was formed in the spring of 1997 by Trevor and Cecilia Turner, dedicated to providing tailored support services and operational experience to businesses challenged by change in the emerging global market.