Hertz-Shargel will lead the state’s cabinet-level agency dedicated to overseeing New Jersey's regulated utilities and help shape the state's energy future. The nomination comes as the Sherrill Administration implements an aggressive energy affordability agenda focused on lowering utility costs, rapidly expanding energy supply, and addressing the underlying drivers of rising energy prices. At the outset of her administration, Governor Sherrill signed Executive Orders No. 1 and No. 2 to declare a State of Emergency on utility costs, freeze rate increases, accelerate the development of new energy resources, and set the state on a course to deliver for New Jerseyans.

Hertz-Shargel will succeed Christine Guhl-Sadovy, who has served as President of the BPU since September of 2023 and will continue in her service as a Commissioner on the Board.

“I am thrilled to nominate Ben Hertz-Shargel to lead the Board of Public Utilities and drive our affordability agenda. Ben brings a rare combination of technical expertise, leadership experience, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our energy system. The Board of Public Utilities will play a central role in our efforts to lower energy costs for families, strengthen reliability, increase accountability, and implement an all-of-the-above energy strategy that supports economic growth, and Ben is the right leader to oversee this critical work,” said Governor Sherrill. “I also want to thank President Christine Guhl-Sadovy for her leadership over the last several years, especially over the last six months. She has served New Jersey with dedication, distinction, and a strong commitment to the public interest, and I am grateful for her continued service as a Commissioner.”

“It is an honor to be nominated by Governor Sherrill to serve the people of New Jersey,” said Ben Hertz-Shargel. “At a time when families and businesses are being crushed by rising utility costs over the past few years, New Jersey is charting a new path forward and, with Governor Sherrill’s leadership, is poised to lead the nation on smart, responsible energy policy. I look forward to working with Governor Sherrill, my fellow commissioners, utilities, consumer advocates, labor partners, and communities across the state to deliver reliable utility service and advance energy policies that are affordable, accountable, and responsive to the needs of New Jerseyans.”

Hertz-Shargel currently serves as Global Head of Grid Edge at Wood Mackenzie, where he advises energy, technology, and financial firms on grid modernization, electrification, distributed energy resources, and emerging energy technologies. Previously, Hertz-Shargel served as Head of Data Science and Demand Management at Rhythm and as Vice President of Advanced Grid Services and Analytics at EnergyHub, where he designed and built core demand response optimization technology and served as a lead technical expert in stakeholder engagement before state public utility commissions.

In addition to his private-sector leadership, Hertz-Shargel serves as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, an Advisory Committee Member for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Energy and Environment Program, and in advisory roles with Pew Charitable Trusts on distributed energy resources policy.

Hertz-Shargel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Northwestern University in 2001, a Master of Science in Mathematics from New York University in 2006, and a PhD in Mathematics from the University of California-Los Angeles in 2010.