American Water Works Co. Inc. named John Griffith as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective May 16. He will assume CFO duties from Susan Hardwick, who has served as CFO since 2019 and was named president and CEO of the Camden-based utility company in February.
In the hiring announcement, Hardwick said Griffith “brings more than 25 years of industry knowledge and expertise and has significant experience in strategy development, financial planning and analysis, capital markets, M&A and people leadership.”
“John also knows our business and people very well, most recently serving as our advisor for the $1.3 billion sale of Homeowner Services,” she continued. “Working with our experienced finance and business development teams, John is the right leader to help deliver our financial plan and growth strategy, including increased acquisition activity and our accelerated capital plan.”
Griffith most recently served as a managing director in Bank of America Securities’ Mergers & Acquisitions group, leading its practice for regulated utilities and renewables and serving as the lead investment banker on major U.S. and international utility transactions.
Prior to joining Bank of America in 2014, Griffith served as CEO of HighWave Energy, a startup renewable fuels company. He also held multiple positions, including managing director, during his 14 years with Merrill Lynch & Co.
Griffith earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Davidson College and an MBA in finance from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. In his community, he works with Student Partner Alliance, a nonprofit that mentors high school students.
