Longtime business leader Jessie Knight Jr. will retire from Sempra Energy on Nov. 1, the utility announced Monday.
Knight, currently the executive vice president of external affairs for Sempra Energy and chairman of Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric, will be succeeded by Steven Davis, the president and chief operating officer of SDG&E. Davis will take on his new role Sept. 26.
"We are pleased to add Steve Davis to our senior executive team," said Debra Reed, Sempra's chairwoman and CEO.
"In his 35-year career with the Sempra Energy family of companies, Steve has managed nearly every aspect of our business," Reed said. "For much of that time, he has played a pivotal role in our successful external affairs strategy to engage key stakeholders." "We also wish Jessie Knight well in his retirement, after a long and distinguished career in both the private and public sectors," Reed said. "He has made an extremely positive impact on our company and industry, as well as the San Diego community."
Before coming to San Diego, the 64-year-old Knight worked for the Dole Food Company for a decade, and was vice president of marketing for the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner newspapers.
He was also a member of the California Public Utilities Commission. He was president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce from 1999 to 2006, when he joined Sempra Energy.
In his new role, Davis, 59, will report directly to Reed and oversee all of Sempra Energy's communications, government relations, regulatory and international affairs activities, as well as corporate social responsibility and long-term strategy review.
Knight will continue as a Sempra Energy executive vice president and chairman of the two California utilities until his retirement.
