Agenda

Subject to change

08:45

Registration, refreshments & exhibition

09:30

Opening address

Speaking:

James Brockett
Editor - WWT

09:35

Welcome from conference chair

Speaking:

Piers Clark
CEO - Isle Group

INNOVATION GOALS AND LONG-TERM PLANNING

09:40

Encouraging innovation in the water sector – Ofwat’s expectations for PR19

Planning for innovation: long-term goals
Considering customers and costs
Seizing opportunities

Speaking:

Colin Green
Director – Water 2020 - Ofwat

10.00

Empowering customers to influence future innovation and business plans

Taking customer and community engagement to the next level
Breaking down barriers to innovation
Balancing regulatory and funding challenges

Speaking:

Chris Offer
Director of regulation - Affinity Water

10:20

How are we planning for long-term innovation?

How innovative are we really being?
Are we willing to take risks?
PR19 and beyond

Speaking:

Bob Stear
Head of innovation - Severn Trent Water

10:40

Questions and answers

10:55

Refreshments, networking & exhibition

FACILITATING & ENABLING INNOVATION

11:25

Capturing creativity and facilitating innovation

Bristol Water’s outstanding innovation award
The role of people and creative thinking
What works and why?

Speaking:

Ben Newby
Customer services and IT director - Bristol Water

11:45

Cross-sector innovation: how the gas sector creates an innovative culture

• How should innovation work in a regulated industry?
• What can we learn from each other?

Speaking:

Stuart Easterbrook
Future gas strategy manager - Cadent Gas

12:05

Innovation barriers: culture vs strategy

Are we resistant to technological change?
De-risking our strategies
Facilitating the first step forward

Speaking:

Nick Mills
Head of wastewater innovation - Thames Water

12:25

Questions and answers

12:35

Panel discussion: is there a difference between the way WASCs and water-only companies progress innovation?

Comparing big and small innovation
What can we learn from each other?
How does the supply chain need to work differently to accommodate both?

Speaking:

Jeremy Heath
Innovation manager - SES Water

13:00

Buffet lunch, networking & exhibition

14:00

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Delegates should choose to attend one breakout session which are designed to be participatory in nature. Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to
maximum capacities.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS – TECHNOLOGY GAMECHANGERS

DELIVERY OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE		DELIVERY OF TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Breakout chair: Piers Clark, CEO, Isle Group Technology innovation to create a water company of the future, today The use of thermal imaging drones to detect leaking water pipes Success with leakage reduction Innovation strategy now and in future Nick Sexton, Innovation project manager, Anglian Water		Breakout chair: James Brockett, Editor, WWT Advanced thermal conversion gasification – concept to commercialisation Delivering a commercially viable advanced thermal conversion gasification system Extracting maximum energy value from waste water sludge Jon Brigg, Manager of innovation, Yorkshire Water

Transforming wastewater network management through IoT, analytics and artificial intelligence Harnessing artificial intelligence and IoT analytics to gain a true insight into the network Using data science to reduce failure by deriving pump flow and energy efficiency Optimising the operation of assets through enhanced visibility of performance and risk Edward Smith, IoT analytics strategy, Hitachi Consulting Questions and answers		The potential and challenges of graphene-based membranes for desalination The potential to revolutionise water filtration across the world Why graphene membrane and how the sieve works The challenges for commercialisation of the graphene sieve Infrastructure investment – The National Graphene Institute (NGI) and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) Dr Rahul Nair, Professor, University of Manchester Ivan Buckley, Project manager, University of Manchester Questions and answers