New Thames Water chairman says exit of former boss was a 'surprise' 

‘Shock’: Former Thames Water boss Sarah Bentley stepped down last month

The new chairman of Thames Water has said that the departure of its former boss was a ‘surprise’.

The country’s biggest water group announced the resignation of chief executive Sarah Bentley last month, hours before it emerged ministers were drawing up contingency plans in case Thames collapsed.

Appearing before MPs yesterday, Sir Adrian Montague said he believed Bentley had ‘got to the point perhaps of feeling that the burdens of office were considerable and it was an entirely personal decision, with which I think we had no involvement’.

The exit came amid mounting criticism of her leadership, Thames Water and the wider industry, which has been attacked for leaks and dumping of sewage in waterways.

Bentley ‘s pay for 2022-23 financial year was £1.6million. In June there were concerns Thames could collapse but it has secured a £750million cash injection from shareholders and said another £2.5billion will be needed by 2030 if it is to overcome a £14billion debt mountain.