Judges

All water award entries will be put through a rigorous two-stage judging process, reviewed by our panel of independent experts. 

Stage one:

All entries are reviewed by our category judges online, and independently scored

Stage two:

Our judges, chaired by James Brockett, Group Technical Editor, WWT & WET News will all come together for an all-day judging session as they review the evidence, supporting docs and battle it out to decide who comes out on top for the 2019 Water Industry Awards.

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John Bridgeman
Pro vice-chancellor (research & knowledge transfer)
University of Bradford

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John Bridgeman is Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Bradford. John studied Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham and completed an MSc and PhD in Water Science and Engineering at Cranfield University. He worked in the water industry for 15 years before returning to the University of Birmingham as a Senior Lecturer in 2005. He was promoted first to Reader and then Professor of Environmental Engineering in 2013. During his time at Birmingham, John was, at various times, Head of Civil Engineering, Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer for the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and, latterly, Director of Internationalisation for the College. John is a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Chartered Scientist, and is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, the International Water Association and the Royal Society of Arts & Commerce.
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Nick Ellins
Chief executive
Energy & Utility Skills

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Nick Ellins has over 30 years’ experience in the utilities and rail industries. Nick is one of the industry leaders working through the Energy & Utilities Skills Partnership to ensure a safe and sustainable workforce across the sector. His current roles include Non-Executive Director of the Federation for Industry Sector Skills & Standards and Ambassador for Design and Technology in education, at the Design & Technology Association. Previous roles include Deputy Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water, Head of Consumer Strategy at Water UK, senior management roles in contracting and manufacturing, Director of Policy for the Rail Delivery Group strategy body and Director of Policy for the Association of Train Operating Companies.
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Paul Hickey
Deputy director
Environment Agency

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Paul Hickey is a Deputy Director at the Environment Agency with oversight of Water Resources for England. He is responsible for the protection and improvement of the natural environment. This remit includes water quantity monitoring including the national hydrometric service, management of strategic water resource assets, the abstraction and impoundment regulatory regime and long term water resource planning including drought response. Prior to this Paul was Head of Water Quality, Groundwater and Land Contamination. Before joining the Environment Agency Paul worked in the water industry in a variety of regulation and asset management roles. Paul is a Fellow of the Institute of Water and serves on its Board, Environment Committee and South West Area Committee.
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Chris Hoggart
Advisor
Natural England

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Chris Hoggart is a Chartered Scientist, Chemist and Environmentalist with more than forty years’ experience in the water and environmental industries. Chris has worked in many organisations within and allied to the water sector including the Eight2O and Optimise joint-ventures, Natural England, Stantec (MWH), Hyder Consulting and Thames Water. Chris has significant consultancy experience having performed and managed numerous water and environmental sector studies both in the UK and around the world but particularly in the states of central and eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, the Far East, the Middle East and South America.
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Martyn Hopkinson
Operations director
Future Water Association

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Now an Independent Consultant Martyn has almost 40 years experience in the water and wastewater industry, progressing from early site based supervisory roles to holding senior operational management and ultimately board positions with contracting organisations delivering water and wastewater services to the UK Water & Sewerage Companies. He is the Operations Director for The Future Water Association and sits on the Sheffield University led Twenty 65 Leadership Board.
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Steve Kaye
Chief executive
UKWIR

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Steve is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and has worked in the water industry for around twenty eight years. He also has an MBA from City University and is a visiting professor at Imperial College, London. Steve’s career in water started in the manufacturing industry where he was responsible for the development & design of water related products. At Anglian Water Steve has held key roles in Engineering, Operations and Innovation. He has helped develop Anglian Water`s Open Innovation Strategy, including successful initiatives like the Water Innovation Network (WIN) and the Innovation Shop Window. Steve is a creative individual who is passionate about making a better world through research and innovation. He has always been actively involved in fostering collaborations between different organisations and industrial sectors. Steve is now CEO of UKWIR, an organisation that delivers research to meet the challenges of the UK water industry.
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Karen Light
Director of customer solutions
WRc

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Karen is WRc’s Head of Water & Environment with over 25 years’ experience of working in the water, waste and environmental sectors. During her time at WRc, Karen has held a variety of posts covering business development, strategic planning and technical management roles. She has a broad understanding of the issues facing the water industry and has worked on many projects involving innovative approaches and solutions. She has experience of asset information management, business planning and regulation within the water sector. In addition, she is currently responsible for the Catchment Management area within WRc incorporating Environmental Evidence and Policy and Environmental Modelling.
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Lloyd Martin
Formerly chief executive
British Water

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Lloyd Martin was Chief Executive of British Water between 2016 and 2018. British Water is the leading trade association for the water sector supply chain. His previous appointments included Regional Director for both Severn Trent Services International and Anglian Water International, whence he was seconded for three years to the UK Government in the late 1990s as Global Export Promoter for the British water industry. Lloyd has 35 years’ experience in the water (and wastewater) sector: in management; operations; strategic planning; international business development and project delivery, both within the UK and in 60 countries world-wide. He has worked in both the public sector (pre-privatisation in UK) and in privatised water companies both in the UK and overseas. He has advised numerous countries’ governments on sustainable mechanisms for Public Private Partnerships in water and in best practices for utility operations, management and performance regulation. Lloyd is a Fellow of CIWEM and a Chartered Water & Environmental Manager.
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Nicci Russell
Managing director
Waterwise

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Nicci has been Managing Director of Waterwise since March 2017. Prior to this, from January 2013, Nicci was a Director at Ofwat, where she led Ofwat’s work on resilience and independent regulation and its relationship with the UK and Welsh Governments and with environmental groups. She also led Ofwat’s strategic approach in Wales and was involved in preparations for the 2019 Price Review and retail market opening in England. Nicci is a member of Southern Water’s Customer Advisory Panel/Customer Challenge Group. She also sits on the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum’s Advisory Board. She was a judge for the Institute of Water’s 2018 Innovation Awards. In May 2018 Nicci was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM). Nicci was Policy Director and co-founder of Waterwise from 2005. She sat on the Waterwise Board as a Non-Executive Director from November 2015. Nicci’s background is in government and policy, with 12 years working for Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP, including 7 as a Special Adviser. She was Special Adviser to Margaret Beckett as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2001 to 2005. Nicci lives in Shropshire with her husband and three children. She is Chair of Governors at the local Junior School.
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Tony Smith
Chief executive
Consumer Council for Water

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Tony joined the Consumer Council for Water in December 2005 as Chief Executive. Under Tony’s leadership, CCWater has successfully prompted a transformation in regulation and price setting in the water sector, getting companies and regulators focused firmly on customers and value for money. It has also encouraged water companies to produce a 60% reduction in complaints. His early career was in strategy and marketing, implementing business turnarounds in oil, aerospace, automotive and fast moving consumer goods businesses. Later Tony joined the utility sector where he has worked at senior level in electricity and as a director in the water industry and the rail sector. During his career in the utilities, he has led strategy, customer service and communication, delivery of investment programmes and gearing up for new competitive markets. His last job was with the water regulator Ofwat, as Director of Competition and Consumer Affairs, where he was responsible for consumer issues in the lead up to and through the 2004 price review.
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Dr. Ana Soares
Senior lecturer in biological engineering
Cranfield University

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Dr Ana Soares is a Senior Lecturer in Biological Engineering at Cranfield University in the UK. Dr Soares research explores the underpinning science required to develop and manage bioreactors employing new biological organisms, cultures or pathways in order to optimise wastewater treatment and delivering the circular economy. Her work focuses in municipal as well as industrial wastewater, proposing innovative and economically feasible solutions to produce high quality effluents and product recovery. Dr Soares has an h-index of 21. She chairs the 16th IWA Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies (LET2019), is an active member of various national and international committees (e.g.: IWA Resource Recovery Cluster, IChemE UK Research Committee, UK Water Industry Forum) and an Editorial Board Member for Scientific Reports (journal from Nature Publishing Group).
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Ceris Van de Vyver
Head of Water Consulting, UK
Isle Utilities

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Ceris is a water industry professional with over 20 years proven scientific expertise in clean water, wastewater and an in-depth knowledge of public health and water quality. She has held senior management positions in several water companies over the past 10 years, was an Inspector in the Drinking Water Inspectorate and is currently Head of Water Consulting at Isle. Ceris is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Environmentalist, a panel member of Water Supply and Quality with CIWEM and a past chair of Welsh Area Institute of Water. Recently focussed on identifying global innovative technologies and support to water companies to continually improve efficiencies and effectiveness of water processes. With experience across the whole water industry sector, Ceris has successfully delivered Business Improvement and Business Efficiency projects and programmes to transform key operations within companies.
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