Panel Membership

Panel Chairman: David Arnell FICE
David Arnell has worked in civil engineering for 47 years and water engineering for 40 years both in the UK and abroad.

His work overseas included the preparation of master plans for Kathmandu in Nepal, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Cairo in Egypt.  Following his work in Cairo he remained involved in the large Cairo Wastewater Project.

In 1989 David was project manager for the team providing engineering advice to what is now Defra during water privatisation and since then has spent much of his time as a “Reporter” to Ofwat, auditing three large water and wastewater companies over three business plan cycles.

In the early 1990s he was design manager for Thames Water’s “Extended Arm” framework, arguably the first of the major frameworks which are now common.  He was also design manager for Thames Water’s showcase Reading Sewage Treatment Works. 

He has also undertaken a number of “Due Diligence” projects for both vendors and buyers of water and wastewater companies.

Panel Secretary: Jennifer Brooks MEng 
Jennifer is a recent graduate from Cardiff University having been awarded an MEng in Civil Engineering in July 2012.

The four year degree program was extended by an extra year in order to undertake a Year in Industry placement with a Spanish multidisciplinary engineering consultancy in southern Spain between 2009 and 2010.
 

In September 2012 she joined Black & Veatch in Redhill as part of the Geotechnical team within the larger Water Division of the company. This decision was motivated by an interest for the subject and also an awareness of the significance of the water industry obtained throughout the degree scheme.

Jennifer has a desire to pursue professional development with the ICE and become chartered as her career progresses.

Panel Member: Andrew Burton CEng, CSci, CEnv, CWEM, FICE, MCIWEM
Andy has more than 20 years’ experience in flood risk management, river and coastal engineering, having worked in client, consultant, major project and international arenas.

He has involvement and management experience throughout the project cycle at all levels, from feasibility to design; technical specialist to project executive.

He led on Jacobs’ Environment Agency framework for southern part of the UK.

He leads Jacobs’ Croydon office multi-disciplinary team of 30 environmental engineers and scientists.

In 2011 he moved into wastewater treatment in Anglian Water’s @one Alliance, project managing numerous high profile growth and maintenance projects across the project cycle, including construction.

Panel Member: Chris Cotton BSc(Eng) DIC DMS MICE
Having graduated from Imperial College at University of London, Chris joined West Suburban Water Company in Staines as an Assistant Engineer. He then worked for Kent River Board/Authority as a Water Resources Engineer and with Southern Water Authority.

At Southern Water he was Assistant Director, Resource planning for nine years, Assistant Director Operations for three years and Overseas Manager for two years.

For Southern Water Authority Chris chaired the Resources Steering Committees for Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, determining strategy for Divisions and Water Companies; assessed priorities for Operations Capital Programme; was expert witness at Public Inquiries (e.g. Broadoak Reservoir); led a team of 30 engineers, hydrologists and hydro geologists investigating present and future sources and least present value cost solutions for development.

He also deputized for Director at national meetings and at SWA Board meetings determining overall policies.

On leaving Southern Water Chris undertook consultancy work, often overseas and mainly with RKL and WH.

Panel Member: Nigel Hendley BSc, DMS, CEng, MICE, MCIWEM, MCMI  
Nigel Hendley is Managing Director of several wholly owned businesses and has advised and assisted numerous international infrastructure companies and investors on market, programme and project developments, predominantly in the water sector.

Nigel is a Trustee board member of the Engineering Council and Deputy Chairman of the Trustee Board of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management. 

He is a Chartered Civil Engineer and is accredited to lead OGC Gateway High Risk commercial project assurance reviews for major outsourcing programmes.

Nigel previously held senior positions with SAUR of France, United Utilities and Welsh Water.  As Commercial Director with SAUR he developed a portfolio of UK PPP/PFI projects alongside international developments in water and wastewater. 

As Operations Director for Asia Pacific with United Utilities he led the privatisation of the Manila Water Company, and was Deputy Operations Director for worldwide operations including Malaysia, Australia and Mexico.

Nigel led the development of the first Asset Management Plan for Welsh Water that established the AMP methodology for regulation. 

He also established an environmental services contracting business, and managed various operations and engineering functions in water and sewerage for Welsh Water and other organisations.

Panel Member: Gareth King B.Eng (Hons), MBA, C.Eng, C.Env, C.WEM, FCIWEM, MICE 

Gareth is a Chartered Engineer, Chartered Environmentalist and a Chartered Water Environmental Manager with 20 years post-graduate experience in the UK water sector having worked for Client, Consultant and Contractor organisations. 

He currently leads the Southern Water Wastewater Multi-Services Framework Contract and Sutton and East Surrey Water Capital Delivery Contract for Clancy Docwra.

Panel Member: Barrie Neaves BENG, CEng, MICE
Barrie gained an Honours degree in Civil Engineering (B Eng (Hons)) from the University of Greenwich; he is a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (C Eng MICE).

Barrie is employed as Growth Manager for the Kent and South London Area, South East Region of the Environment Agency, and has been employed by the Agency and its predecessors since 1979.

Barrie has worked on all aspects of the water-cycle, including water resources, wastewater treatment, drainage and flood risk management. In recent years, Barrie has led the Agency’s response to growth in the county, ensuring development has a positive impact on the environment.

Barrie represented the environment on Ashford’s Future Board and still has an active involvement in the town: including producing sustainable drainage guidance.

Barrie chairs the East Kent Catchment Improvement Group which oversees Water Framework Directive objectives and applies the ‘catchment-based approach’.

As an Area Base Controller, Barrie helps manage the Agency’s incident response.

Panel Member: Bill Peacock BSc, CEng, MICE, MCIWEM, FRICS, Eur Ing 
Bill Peacock has 37 years of experience in civil engineering with a primary focus on the water sector.

He recently joined AMEC after 2.5 years as Managing Director of the Halcrow Group’s Indian company.

Bill’s career has included also living and working in Kenya, Somalia, Jordan and the Republic of Ireland, as well as in the UK and he has worked for major consultancies Gibb, Atkins, Halcrow and now AMEC as well as for the international water utility SAUR.

His experience also includes project and development work in many other countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, North and Latin America and Africa.

At AMEC, Bill leads teams totalling nearly 200 people delivering consultancy services to clients in the water, solid waste, energy and industry sectors.

Panel Member: Andrew Tagg CEng MICE MCIWEM 
Andrew Tagg is a Chartered Civil Engineer with 30 years’ experience with HR Wallingford and Thames Water.

He has worked on most aspects of the water environment, including catchment water resources, flooding, water quality and river restoration.

He has undertaken many overseas assignments, including training in hydrometric techniques, water quality modelling and contribution to the Lesotho Highlands scheme.

He represented the European Water Industry on the Heavily Modified Water body working group for the Water Framework Directive, and continues his involvement in the science-policy aspects of the directive.

He has been involved in several EC-funded projects during his career, including being the project manager of the FLOODsite project (the largest European project yet funded on flooding).

His current technical interests include design of buildings to improve their flood resilience, and the development of tools to improve emergency management during flood events, including the simulation of people’s responses to flood hazards and the calculation of loss of life.

He has acted as an expert witness, and since 2008 has been the manager of the Floods Group, responsible for over 20 professionals involved in all aspects of flood risk.

Panel Member: David Walton BSc, MICE, CEng
David is a Senior Executive with more than 25 years experience in the UK Water sector.

Having been Managing Director of Folkestone & Dover Water Services Ltd (aka Veolia Water Southeast Ltd) he is very familiar with the water supply issues of the south east of England having led the first, and successful, application to the Secretary of State to be granted Water Scarcity Status.

He was subsequently responsible for implementation of the first company-wide “compulsory” metering programme in the UK.

Following on from this he was responsible for Veolia Water Outsourcing Ltd’s business in England and Wales which included the 4D JV responsible for delivering Southern Waters Environmental programme in the current AMP period. 

David was also responsible for securing the first metering managed service contract to be awarded in the UK (Thames Water).  This included the installation of “intelligent” meters.

Since becoming an independent consultant in 2011, David has been engaged  by several water companies to work on projects which focus on business delivery and growth strategies with emphasis on customer engagement aligned to market reforms and competition.