Case Study: national Gas
Leading Internal Communications During a Two-Year Major IT Separation
Find out how CAKE Communications delivered a strategic, user-centred change communications programme, aligned to the CAKE Framework, which supported National Gas in the delivery of a complex IT separation following their sale from National Grid, engaging 2,000+ employees and achieving full technology independence.
National Gas
Technology Business Partner of the Year 2024
Institute of Internal Communications 2025
CAKE Communications and National Gas shortlisted, Strategic Change and Communications Award
National Technology Awards 2025
National Gas - Winner, Digital Transformation of the Year
Our Client – National Gas
National Gas, formed after the sale of National Grid’s Gas Transmission and Metering business, manages the transporting of gas throughout Great Britian to power 30% of electricity generation, 30,000 heavy industrial users, businesses and homes.
The Challenge
To support the delivery of one of the UK’s most complex technology carve-outs: as the communications partner CAKE communications both ran the programme of communications and engagement across the technology team as it grew from 50 to over 400 colleagues and worked with the Separation programme team overseeing all engagement with the business in relation to the impact of our technology change.
The CAKE Communications Solution
A comprehensive change communications strategy was developed and delivered to guide National Gas through a complex period of separation and transformation. Working alongside a Separation Change Lead, we delivered a user-centric communications campaign to inform, engage and manage expectations among the company’s 2,400+ employees throughout the two-year separation programme. The CAKE Communications team worked alongside the central National Gas communications team.
Content Collateral Created
Change impact assessments identified three key phases of separation (prepare, separate, transform), which were used as the foundations of an overarching campaign and across a variety of tactics to take employees on the two-year journey. A comprehensive communication programme was developed, with a clear brand identity to differentiate separation activities from other business as usual activity. A range of flexible support resources were created and deployed at key moments – whether foundational IT delivery to build our infrastructure, specific application migrations that impacted small cohorts of users, or business-wide events such as the M365 migration.
The Results and Impact
- All systems and data migrated on time and within budget, with zero downtime or data loss
- 70% average open rate on weekly all business updates
- Technology team eNPS rose from +31 to +40 through the two year transformation period
- Device migration communications and support rated 4.8/5
- Sector recognition for a unique and ultimately successful transformation
What National Gas said:
“Working with CAKE Communications was a game-changer during our separation programme - they brought clarity creativity and calm to an incredibly complex process. Their continued support across the business has been invaluable in helping us build a confident, engaged and well-informed workforce.”
Richard Murphy, Chief Information and Digital Officer, National Gas
What their shareholders said:
“Across our ownership of 48 major asset companies in Europe we have never seen a separation programme of this magnitude completed to time or budget. An amazing achievement that is unique in the sector.”
Macquarie Asset Management
(majority shareholder)
The CAKE Communications National Gas Project Team:
Ceri Aiken
Client Lead +
Managing Director CAKE Communications
Emma Wood
Communications
and Team Engagement
Chrissi Harcourt-Wood
Communications and Collateral Designer
