2024 big debate

Toby Harding

Toby has spent over three decades in the water industry, covering all aspects of design, construction, commissioning and operation with contractors, more recently moving into consultancy. 

Working with most of the UK water companies on infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects and programmes, he has formed a deep engagement with water sector strategy and continues to develop his interest in the delivery of environment-enhancing solutions to the many challenges that our industry and society as a whole are facing. 

Toby chairs WSP’s Nature-based Solutions working group and is keen to embed NbS as the default approach to all water industry challenges. NbS and Integrated Water Management inherently involve multiple stakeholders with aligned objectives but often diverse funding constraints and missions. The need for excellent collaboration is evident and Toby is working with WSP’s water leaders to facilitate successful multi-benefit outcomes.

Raj Pathak CEng FICE

Raj Pathak is a senior director at Amentum, where he leads consulting and advisory business within energy and environment, international. With over 25 years of experience, Raj has successfully delivered some of the most complex infrastructure projects in the UK and overseas. His portfolio includes high-profile projects such as Crossrail, High Speed Two and significant initiatives within the defence and energy sectors. 

Raj was pivotal in the delivery of the Crossrail Southeast Section project, including the development of Abbey Wood Station and associated rail systems. He also served as project director for the HS2 Washwood Heath Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre, guiding the project through design development, procurement and planning approval. 

Raj holds a BEng in civil engineering, an MSc in construction management and an MBA. He is completing doctoral research on megaproject governance at Cranfield School of Management.
  
A Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng FICE) and Chartered Project Professional (ChPP FAPM), Raj is also accredited as NEC4 project manager and Six Sigma qualification. 

He actively contributes to the profession as chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) London Regional Committee. Raj’s professional interests include complex project delivery, capability building, and infrastructure policy. 

Anna Bruni Sabhaney

Anna is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Social Entrepreneur. She is an Associate in the Water Group at Buro Happold and is Buro Happold’s Internal Social Value Lead for the UK. 

Anna has 15 years’ experience leading and delivering multi-disciplinary Flood Risk Mitigation and Water Resource Management projects from policy and masterplanning stages through to construction and site supervision. Anna has advised governments and international organisations in the UK, Turkey, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada, India, Italy, Uganda, Germany and the USA and been seconded to the UK’s Environment Agency, where she delivered Business Cases for Flood Defence Grant in Aid funding.

Anna is passionate about delivering Water Neutral, Flood Risk Resilient systemic solutions that protect Natural and Social Capital. 

Anna is an Aspire Circle Fellow, a Nova Network Founding member and was a Trustee of the Happold Foundation. Anna consults for a number of non-profits, including Indigenous People’s organisations working to protect biodiversity.

Ishita Aryan

Ishita is a management consultant, and a programme manager based in London working at the crossover of climate economics, business strategy, innovative finance, partnerships and policy making for enabling climate-positive infrastructure and Net Zero transition. She specialises in climate adaptation, nature based solutions, decarbonisation and corporate resilience. She holds a Masters in Public Policy at The London School of Economics with concentration on climate policy and innovations in private markets. 

Having worked in both public and private sector with organisations such as Arcadis, PwC and Govt. of India, she brings in experience across diverse development portfolios such as water, wastewater, solid waste management, new energy, digital infrastructure and clean mobility. She has worked along with central & local governments, water and energy utilities, FMCGs, Private Equity investors and multilateral banks such as ADB, AFD, UNDRR, FCDO, IFC, across both developed and emerging economies in South Asia, Europe and Middle East. She is a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts and Certified Green Auditor with IEMA.