As a child, Shannon Hyde faced serious financial disadvantage, relying on the support of various charities and other support systems to make it through. 

Now CEO of ENGIE, Shannon is passionate about using his own experiences and insights to drive the organisation’s commitment to supporting those facing disadvantage, and giving back to causes that are close to his heart.

A story of survival

Shannon was raised by a single mother after his father died in a car crash before he was born. His stepfather was abusive and his mother suffered with mental health and drug addiction issues, which led to her being unemployed for most of her life. 

For Shannon, this meant that much of his childhood was spent simply surviving – either caring for his younger siblings or in and out of foster care.

“I grew up in a tough space,” he says. “During the worst times, we had no furniture and no running water. We had our energy cut off a few times and we were often under the threat of eviction because we just couldn’t pay our bills.”

Support that led to success

Support from charities such as Vinnies and The Smith Family helped Shannon and his family through their toughest times and helped connect him with role models that inspired him as a young adult. 

“I was unemployed for a while after high school until I was set up with a mentoring ‘big brother’-style program. That turned things around for me. I got work, and for the first time, I found a sense of self-worth and could see a path forward.”

That path led him to ENGIE. With his strong work ethic and ability to seize and appreciate every opportunity, Shannon progressed through operational, then senior management roles, and became CEO in 2018. 

A personal approach to customer and community care

Though life has changed significantly for Shannon, he is determined do what he can – both personally and professionally – to support others experiencing similar disadvantages.

ENGIE proudly partners with several charity organisations focused creating a brighter future for kids and young people, including The Smith Family, Very Special Kids, The Mirabel Foundation and Cottage by the Sea.

Shannon also takes part in Vinnie’s CEO Sleepout each year, raising money to help those at risk of homelessness. He’s raised over $30,000 so far and proudly notes that most of the donations he receives come from ENGIE staff members. 

As an organisation, ENGIE is also committed to ensuring customers experiencing financial difficulties are supported through access to various support services.

“It’s important that we’re doing the right thing to help customers that can’t pay their bills. And yes, partly that’s based on my personal experiences of having my power cut off and worrying about whether we could pay bills,” says Shannon. 

“There’s no doubt that the pandemic will have long-term financial impacts for some of our customers, and there are more risks and challenges than ever. But disconnections are always a last resort.”

Need help paying your bill?

ENGIE can offer support including:

• One-off bill due date extensions. 
• Fixed instalment payment plans.
• Information on and help with applying for government concessions, discounts and rebates.
• Energy efficiency assistance. 

Simply get in touch with us as soon as possible to access tailored support, delivered with respect, empathy, and sensitivity.