Today’s episode of our Innovation: An Endless Pursuit podcast, is a special one, as it’s the last one of our series. Over the past weeks, we have journeyed through many different innovation challenges that the water industry faces and explored how companies can respond to them.
In today’s episode, Chris speaks with Bristol Water’s CEO, Mel Karam. They shift focus and zoom out a little, to look at the industry, rather than company-specific, challenges. Mel and Chris talk about how the industry is evolving and discuss where it can look for further progress.
Their conversation touches on a range of topics, including the complexities of competition in the water industry, how utilities businesses can live out their social purpose and, as in our previous episodes, Mel’s punt on which of today’s innovations are likely to flop.
We hope you enjoy listening to this episode and look forward to hearing what you think of it.
We’re always looking for help and collaboration on our Quest and if you have any comments or thoughts we’d love to hear from you at innovation@Bristolwater.co.uk.
Today's guest:
Mel Karam
Mel Karam is the CEO at Bristol Water. He joined the company in April 2017, from the KPMG Global Infrastructure team, where he was a Partner and Global Head of Asset Management. He is an engineer with a First Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering and graduated with an MBA distinction from London Business School.
Mel has a long history of working in senior executive positions in UK infrastructure and utilities, including British Gas, National Grid, Scottish & Southern Energy, SGN and Thames Water. He has advised infrastructure and utility executive teams and investors around the world, on M&A activities, as well as operational excellence. Mel is skilled in investment management, asset management, commercial and business development, project management and strategic leadership.
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Today’s episode of our Innovation: An Endless Pursuit podcast, is a special one, as it’s the last one of our series. Over the past weeks, we have journeyed through many different innovation challenges that the water industry faces and explored how companies can respond to them.
In today’s episode, Chris speaks with Bristol Water’s CEO, Mel Karam. They shift focus and zoom out a little, to look at the industry, rather than company-specific, challenges. Mel and Chris talk about how the industry is evolving and discuss where it can look for further progress.
Their conversation touches on a range of topics, including the complexities of competition in the water industry, how utilities businesses can live out their social purpose and, as in our previous episodes, Mel’s punt on which of today’s innovations are likely to flop.
We hope you enjoy listening to this episode and look forward to hearing what you think of it.
We’re always looking for help and collaboration on our Quest and if you have any comments or thoughts we’d love to hear from you at innovation@Bristolwater.co.uk.
Today's guest:
Mel Karam
Mel Karam is the CEO at Bristol Water. He joined the company in April 2017, from the KPMG Global Infrastructure team, where he was a Partner and Global Head of Asset Management. He is an engineer with a First Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering and graduated with an MBA distinction from London Business School.
Mel has a long history of working in senior executive positions in UK infrastructure and utilities, including British Gas, National Grid, Scottish & Southern Energy, SGN and Thames Water. He has advised infrastructure and utility executive teams and investors around the world, on M&A activities, as well as operational excellence. Mel is skilled in investment management, asset management, commercial and business development, project management and strategic leadership.
Episode 3 - Pursuing Efficiency with Technology with Dillan Hackett, Dan Atkins and Nick Rutherford
Innovation: An Endless Pursuit
47 minutes 45 seconds
6 years ago
Episode 3 - Pursuing Efficiency with Technology with Dillan Hackett, Dan Atkins and Nick Rutherford
In today’s episode of Innovation An Endless Pursuit we look at the pursuit of efficiencies and how we can use the technology innovations that are happening across our industry and out in the wider market to provide a faster, cheaper, more efficient service.
This episode dives into the hype of the 4th industrial revolution and asks what benefits it might bring.
If you’re not familiar with it, the 4th industrial revolution is characterised by the interconnectivity of advanced technology, particularly where we cross the boundaries of cyber and physical and biological.
In this episode Chris is joined by three experts at the cutting edge of their respective fields to talk about how the innovations of the 4th industrial revolution like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Robotics are helping both Bristol Water and others in the industry provide more efficient service for their customers.
We hope you enjoy listening to this episode and look forward to hearing what you think of it.
We’re always looking for help and collaboration on our Quest and if you have any comments or thoughts we’d love to hear from you at innovation@Bristolwater.co.uk.
About today’s guests:
Dillan Hackett is the Founder of Hackett Consulting Services (HCS), a bespoke Intelligent Automation Consultancy start up.
Dillan is self taught in Software Robotics, or RPA, and before beginning his own company, worked for Symphony Ventures, a globally renowned RPA consultancy.
It was there that he saw a gap in the market for RPA adoption for mid sized enterprises, using fast implementation models and by fostering self-sufficiency for clients; so in 2018 he launched HCS, with the help of Bristol Water’s business incubator ‘The Workshop’. Since then HCS has used The Workshop to help grow its employee and client base. HCS has recently been recognised as a Silver Partner of the RPA Vendor UiPath.
Dan Atkins is the founder and CEO of Sonix Software, a software company based in Cardiff. Prior to Sonix Dan spent 10 years at Microsoft and a number of years consulting for financial institutions. His first project was actually readying the Bank of Ireland for Y2K if you remember that scare.
He founded Sonix 4 years ago to concentrate on Gap software: filling technology needs where standard products don’t fit. Today Sonix employ 8 developers and Dan spends his time running the Research Team or training their upcoming chatbot, Theodora. Sonix are also a new member of the Bristol Water incubator.
Nick is a forward thinking technology leader, a Teaching Associate at Warwick Business School and the founder of the Bristol Technology Showcase - creating a new discussion forum for the implications of the 4th Industrial Revolution and emerging technologies.
Nick has been providing Technology Transformation services within the utilities industry prior to which, he spent 18 years in the automotive industry.
Nick also leads a cross industry IT leadership group within the English Water Market looking at digital innovation for the largest water market in the world.
We look forward to hearing what you think of this episode. If you have any comments we’d love to hear from you at Innovation@BristolWater.co.uk.
Innovation: An Endless Pursuit
Today’s episode of our Innovation: An Endless Pursuit podcast, is a special one, as it’s the last one of our series. Over the past weeks, we have journeyed through many different innovation challenges that the water industry faces and explored how companies can respond to them.
In today’s episode, Chris speaks with Bristol Water’s CEO, Mel Karam. They shift focus and zoom out a little, to look at the industry, rather than company-specific, challenges. Mel and Chris talk about how the industry is evolving and discuss where it can look for further progress.
Their conversation touches on a range of topics, including the complexities of competition in the water industry, how utilities businesses can live out their social purpose and, as in our previous episodes, Mel’s punt on which of today’s innovations are likely to flop.
We hope you enjoy listening to this episode and look forward to hearing what you think of it.
We’re always looking for help and collaboration on our Quest and if you have any comments or thoughts we’d love to hear from you at innovation@Bristolwater.co.uk.
Today's guest:
Mel Karam
Mel Karam is the CEO at Bristol Water. He joined the company in April 2017, from the KPMG Global Infrastructure team, where he was a Partner and Global Head of Asset Management. He is an engineer with a First Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering and graduated with an MBA distinction from London Business School.
Mel has a long history of working in senior executive positions in UK infrastructure and utilities, including British Gas, National Grid, Scottish & Southern Energy, SGN and Thames Water. He has advised infrastructure and utility executive teams and investors around the world, on M&A activities, as well as operational excellence. Mel is skilled in investment management, asset management, commercial and business development, project management and strategic leadership.
