Event: IWA Young Water Professionals (YWP) UK Conference 2024 – Meet the Leader Session

Date: July 2024

Location: Manchester, UK

Role: Meet‑the‑Leader Speaker / Senior Industry Mentor

Type of CPD: Leadership development / mentoring / sector engagement

Duration: Meet‑the‑Leader session (plus networking and follow‑up discussions)

Summary of the Event

I participated in the Meet‑the‑Leader session at the IWA Young Water Professionals Conference 2024 in Manchester, an event dedicated to supporting early‑career professionals across the water sector. The conference brought together young engineers, scientists, operators, researchers, policy specialists and innovators from across the UK and Europe.

The Meet‑the‑Leader format provided an informal but high‑impact platform for emerging professionals to engage directly with senior sector leaders. Discussions focused on career development, leadership pathways, innovation adoption, and the future skills needed to deliver environmental improvement, digital transformation and sector resilience.

My contribution centred on sharing insights from my career journey, lessons learned from international collaboration, and the importance of real‑time data, biological insight and digital capability in shaping the future of the water sector.

My Contribution: Meet‑the‑Leader Speaker

Key messages shared:

• Reflected on my career path and the importance of curiosity, resilience and cross‑disciplinary thinking in navigating the water sector.
• Highlighted the growing importance of real‑time biological monitoring, digital optimisation and environmental transparency in future water careers.
• Encouraged participants to embrace innovation, systems thinking and international collaboration as core professional competencies.
• Discussed the value of mentoring, networking and continuous learning in accelerating career progression.
• Provided practical advice on influencing change, building credibility and working effectively with utilities, regulators and technology partners.

Engagement with participants:

• Answered questions on leadership, innovation adoption, technical development and career strategy.
• Provided guidance on navigating the transition from technical roles to strategic or leadership positions.
• Supported discussions on how young professionals can contribute to PR24 delivery, environmental improvement and digital transformation.
• Connected with early‑career professionals interested in sensing technologies, environmental monitoring and digital water.

Key Themes Covered

• Leadership development and career pathways Building influence, developing expertise and navigating organisational structures.
• Innovation and digital transformation The role of advanced sensing, analytics and automation in shaping future roles.
• Environmental performance and river health The importance of data transparency, compliance and ecological outcomes.
• Skills for the future water sector Digital literacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, communication and systems thinking.
• Mentoring and professional growth The value of networks, role models and continuous CPD.