Steve Buck

Steve Buck is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Thames Water, the United Kingdom's largest water supplier. He has recently become a subject of public and parliamentary scrutiny due to a £1 million (US$1.35 million) signing fee payment he received. This payment was disclosed in a letter from Thames Water's chair to MPs on the Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. The news is particularly controversial because Thames Water is currently facing significant financial difficulties, burdened by over £20 billion in debt and actively seeking to avoid public control. Despite these financial challenges, the company also agreed to controversial retention payouts for other top executives. Buck's payment, described as a 'golden handshake' in one report, has fueled public anger and intensified the debate surrounding the company's financial management and executive compensation during a period of severe financial distress.