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Water 2011
Marketforce and the IEA’s 12th Annual Conference: Efficiency, sustainability and competition - hear from WASCs and WOCs at the UK’s leading water event
11th & 12th October 2011, Hilton Tower Bridge, London
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Speakers include:
Chris Loughlin
Chief Executive Officer, South West Water
Chris Loughlin
Chief Executive Officer, South West Water
Biography
Chris started his career as a Consulting Engineer, working in North America, Africa and the UK. Following a period in engineering contracting, he moved on to work in the regulated utilities industry. At British Nuclear Fuels, he held a variety of roles including Executive Vice Chairman of Pacific Nuclear Transport. He was a main Board Director of BNFL plc and became Executive Chairman of Magnox Electric, which at the time generated 11% of the country's electricity. Earlier in his career he was a senior Diplomat in the British Embassy in Tokyo.
Prior to being appointed as Chief Executive of South West Water in August 2006, he was Chief Operating Officer of Lloyds Register, the world leading quality and safety assurance organisation.
He is Chairman of Water UK.
Chris is a chartered Engineer, has an honours degree in Civil Engineering and Masters in Business Administration.
Richard Benyon
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Richard Benyon
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Biography
Richard Benyon has been MP for Newbury since May 2005. Before coming to government Mr Benyon served as a Shadow Minister for the Environment, Fisheries and Wildlife. Prior to this appointment he was a Party Whip. He has also served on the Home Affairs Select Committee.
Mr Benyon lives in West Berkshire where he is a farmer. He is a former soldier and is a founder Trustee of the charity Help for Heroes. Mr Benyon is married to Zoe, with whom he has two sons. He also has three sons from his previous marriage.
Richard Flint
Chief Executive Officer, Yorkshire Water
Richard Flint
Chief Executive Officer, Yorkshire Water
Biography
Richard was appointed Chief Executive of Kelda Group and Yorkshire Water Services Ltd in April 2010. Prior to that he was the Chief Operating Officer of Yorkshire Water (2008-2010) and Director of the company's Water Business Unit (2003-2008).
Richard's career has had a heavy focus on leading change, including introducing competitive market working practices into the regulated water business, the real-time automation of the Yorkshire Water production platform and innovations in service experience and delivery.
He has recently led a major reorganisation of Yorkshire Water to ensure the company's 4.8m customers continue to benefit from industry-leading levels of service and environmental excellence.
Other previous interests include being chairman of Business in the Community's volunteering initiative in Bradford and a member of the national, Water UK Council.
Regina Finn
Chief Executive, Ofwat
Regina Finn
Chief Executive, Ofwat
Biography
Regina Finn is the Chief Executive of Ofwat, the water regulator for England and Wales. She has extensive experience regulating utility sectors, including the electricity and natural gas sectors in Ireland, the telecommunications, post and electricity sectors in Guernsey in the Channel Islands and the communications sector in Ireland.
Dr Tony Ballance
Director, Regulation and Competition, Severn Trent
Dr Tony Ballance
Director, Regulation and Competition, Severn Trent
Biography
Prior to joining Severn Trent in August 2005 Dr. Ballance was an economic consultant in the utilities sector working as a Director for Stone & Webster Consultants and London Economics. His work was principally divided between advising UK water companies and regulators and work in developing countries on privatization and restructuring (for the World Bank, DFID and other international agencies).
Prior to going into consultancy, Dr. Ballance was Chief Economist at the Office of Water Services (Ofwat) where he worked for 6 years.
Martin Baggs
Chief Executive Officer, Thames Water
Martin Baggs
Chief Executive Officer, Thames Water
Biography
Martin was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Thames Water on 4 March 2010, having previously served as Interim Chief Executive Officer from December 2009.
Before joining Thames Water Utilities as a non-executive director in 2006, Martin was Managing Director at South East Water Limited, managing the divestiture of the company from the Macquarie Capital Funds (Europe) Limited. Prior to that Martin served as Operations and Assets Director at Southern Water.
Martin has extensive water industry experience covering all aspects of the utility business. He has a recognised successful track record in the delivery and implementation of new initiatives and the leadership and management of diverse functions through organisational change. His past roles have included asset management, operations and the delivery of large construction programmes.
Conference overview:
For twelve years, Marketforce and the IEA's annual Water conference has informed and inspired the UK's water industry. With an unrivalled agenda, meticulously researched to reflect the industry's priorities, and top speakers from the UK's WASCs and WOCs, Water 2011 promises to be another highly successful event.
The first day will deal with regulatory issues affecting the UK. Much is anticipated from the Water White Paper this Winter and we will hear from Richard Benyon MP and the CEOs of Thames, South West and Veolia Water in the opening session of the conference. David Gray and Regina Finn will both discuss the findings of the OFWAT review and the future of regulation in the English water industry.
Competition, a key issue for consumers and suppliers of water alike, will be discussed in depth by business customers and Martin Cave – a renowned expert on the subject. Take part in a discussion with your industry peers in a 'Tomorrow's World' session sharing insight into the implications of retail competition for water companies and consumers.
Customers are an ever increasing priority for the industry and so social tariffs and the service incentive mechanism discussed by CC Water and a WASC in the afternoon. Day one finishes with an expert analysis of the future of finance for the water industry.
Day two focuses on sustainability starting with a discussion on demand side management and the potential of metering in water – Chris Harris from RWE will share his experience of smart metering from the energy industry. Next, water scarcity will be discuss reforming abstraction and moving towards upstream trading.
Wasting less and making more energy is the focus of the next session – discussing how best Water Companies can meet CO2 reduction targets. Speakers and delegates will discuss how companies should adapt their assets to the extreme weather events. Finally, the key concern of catchment stewardship will be addressed by Wessex Water leaders in the field.
As ever, this event will provide numerous opportunities for networking with key players in the water industry; chances to engage with speakers and analyse the content of presentations with fellow delegates over lunch, coffee or at the drinks reception.
