A former Canadian power firm chief who resigned last fall amid controversy over smart meter fires has been appointed to head Bermuda’s Regulatory Authority (RA).

Robert Watson, who was president and CEO of the SaskPower in Saskatchewan, resigned from the post without severance after a probe found the corporation had not done enough to ensure public safety.

The inquiry by the provincial government followed eight smart meter fires among SaskPower customers over the course of last summer.

After the results of the review were published last October, Mr Watson tendered his resignation.

Mr Watson replaces Philip Micallef, who quit the post of chief executive last September.

The RA regulates the telecommunications industry and will soon oversee the energy sector as well. Mr Watson has also led a telecoms utility.

Regulatory Authority Commission chairman Carl Musson said: “It was a difficult search, but I think we found the right man for the job in Robert Watson.

“I welcome him to Bermuda and look forward to great things from his leadership of the Authority.

“He joins us at a critical time as we prepare to take over regulation of the Island’s energy sector.

“His experience in the energy sector in Saskatchewan will help us enormously.”

Mr Micallef, who returned to his native Malta, was recruited from the telecoms sector.

Mr Watson’s telecoms leadership experience came at SaskTel, where he worked as president and CEO from 2004.

Six years later, he moved to the province’s electricity corporation, Saskatchewan’s biggest Crown corporation with assets of $7 billion and revenue of $1.8 billion, in 2010.

He is a graduate in electronic technologies from Ryerson University and attended the international executive development programme at the INSEAD Centre, an international graduate business school, in Fontainebleau, France.

He also carried out the executive management programme at Ashridge Business School in the UK and holds an ICD.D designation from the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors, which commits him to a minimum period of further education every year.

Mr Watson is also a board member of Tbaytel, formerly the Thunder Bay Telephone Company, and on the advisory board of Canadian technology manufacturer StarTech.