What are the key projects you have been involved in over the past twelve months?

Over the past twelve months, I have led the legal response to several strategic matters with significant implications for the company and the wider water sector.

Most notably, I am leading the company’s response to a significant and novel group litigation. My role has included developing litigation strategy, coordinating external counsel, advising the Board on legal risk and helping the business navigate a complex and evolving claims landscape.

Alongside this, I have overseen the legal work associated with a number of major regulatory investigations and enforcement matters, including prosecutions. These issues require careful management of legal, regulatory and reputational risk, while also ensuring that lessons learned are identified and embedded to strengthen future compliance and operational performance.

I have also supported the company’s preparation for potentially far-reaching reform of the water sector arising from the government’s Independent Water Commission. This has involved helping the business assess emerging proposals, understand potential implications and contribute constructively to developing policy.

Collectively, these projects have required the legal function to provide strategic leadership across litigation, regulation and public policy while continuing to support the company’s wider operational and commercial objectives.

Please provide a brief description of any internal transformation/development projects within your legal team over the last twelve months.

Over the past twelve months, the business, including the legal function, has undergone significant organisational change. I have used this period to reassess the role of legal within the organisation and to develop a clearer operating model that better aligns our resources, priorities and ways of working with the business’s evolving needs.

A key area of focus has been identifying opportunities to move the team from a predominantly reactive service model towards a more structured and proactive approach. This has included examining legal demand, clarifying priorities, considering how legal risk is managed and exploring how resources can be directed towards the areas that deliver the greatest value to the business and its customers.

I have also been looking at how legal can be more effectively integrated into business decision-making, making better use of the team’s expertise and judgement and adopting a more disciplined approach to the use of external counsel. The objective is to build on the strong foundations already in place and position legal as an increasingly strategic partner to the business, helping it achieve its objectives efficiently and effectively.

Many of these opportunities have now been identified and will move into delivery over the coming year as part of a phased programme of improvement.

How do you manage situations where legal advice and commercial objectives conflict?

I see the role of the legal team as one of protecting and creating value, not simply identifying risk. When legal and commercial objectives appear to conflict, I focus on understanding the business outcome, its risk appetite and its values. This allows legal risk to be assessed in a practical, business-relevant way rather than through a purely theoretical lens. I do not believe being commercial requires compromising legal, regulatory or ethical obligations as the best outcomes often sit at the point where commercial objectives, legal requirements and organisational values align.

What are the key risks or challenges your legal team is preparing for over the next twelve months?

The key challenge is balancing a growing volume of complex legal and regulatory work with the transformation of the legal function itself. As the business delivers a significant infrastructure programme and faces increasing external scrutiny, we are also modernising ways of working, embracing technology and preparing for legislative and political change. Our focus is on remaining a strategic enabler of the business while evolving how legal services are delivered.

Beyond your legal role, is there a cause or initiative you are especially passionate about?

I have served as a governor at my local school for several years. Education is an area I care about, and I value the opportunity to contribute beyond my day job. Whilst not an educator, there are times when my professional experience can help on matters such as governance, strategy and decision-making. It is a chance to support both the school and the wider community in a practical way.