Dr Thea Ekins-Coward
Chief scientific officer
Dr Thea Ekins-Coward is one of the world’s leading applied algal scientists. Her career is diverse ranging from bio-remediation, process intensification of the UK water industry, utilising new technologies for carbon capture, production of bioplastics from renewables, investigating aquaculture waste read more
Jennifer Leonard
Water industry strategic planning manager
Jennifer leads SEPA’s collaborative work with the water industry sector, working with key stakeholders towards One Planet Prosperity in Scotland to seek step changes and ensure that the environment is protected and improved for future generations. She was instrumental in read more
Giles Stevens
Director of policy - National Infrastructure Commission
Giles joined the NIC in 2019 from Ofwat as part of the leadership team delivering the Future of Regulation Study. He was appointed interim Director of Policy in September 2019 and was made permanent in this position in October 2020. read more
Carol Cairns
Strategic planning manager - Northumbrian Water Group
Carol is a passionate strategic business leader and Chartered Civil Engineer with 25 years’ experience leading asset management investment planning, business transformation and substantial capital investment programmes in the water sector. She is currently Strategic Planning Manager at Northumbrian Water read more
Dr Toby Willison
Director of environment and corporate affairs - Southern Water
Toby joined Southern Water in November 2020. Toby has a PhD in ecology and has spent the majority of his career in environmental services. This has included international research, consultancy and policy making. Toby most recently lead operations at the read more
Heather Sheffield
Integrated planning central control manager, wastewater, - Yorkshire Water
Heather is the Operational Planning and Technical Manager for wastewater within Yorkshire Water’s Operational Planning and Resilience department. She is responsible for continuous improvement of our wastewater performance, predictive risk management, alarm handling from our central control room as well read more
John Russell
Senior director of finance, strategy and infrastructure - Ofwat
John Russell is the Senior Director, Strategy and Planning at Ofwat the economic regulator for the water sector in England and Wales. Before that he worked in Shell’s group strategy and business environment teams. Prior to working at Shell John had a long career in Whitehall where, amongst read more
Michelle Ashford
Chief operating officer - WICS
Michelle is a chartered civil engineer and a highly driven and experienced management professional, with over 30 years in the water industry. Her key areas of expertise include strategic business planning and asset planning, performance monitoring amd collaboration and stakeholder engagement. Michelle joined WICS in 2017 as Chief Operating Officer. She brings experience of working within regulated read more
Dr. Matthew Wade
Lead scientist, wastewater R&D - UK Health Security Agency
Jo Harrison
Director of environment, planning and innovation - United Utilities
Jo has worked for United Utilities since 1998. In her current role she is accountable for leading our environmental and asset strategy for the business for the next 25 years; including developing and strengthening the company’s approach to asset management, read more