Utility Week

Flex May 2019

Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government

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12 www.utilityweek.co.uk/fLeX N igel Watson likes a challenge. When we spoke before Easter, he was gearing up to run the London Marathon and keeping his fingers crossed for cooler weather after an unseasonably warm spell. "I'm not really built to run marathons, but I have trained for it, so I'm going to give it a go," says Northumbrian Water's chief information officer. "It's not going to be fast, but I'm hopeful that I'll get round," he says with a calm optimism. "I'm just hoping it's not too hot!" Near ideal weather conditions and gutsy determination saw Watson over the finishing line in a very respectable five hours and 23 minutes. But despite his aches, Watson was back at his desk in Durham the next day. It's this kind of conviction and energy, combined with crystal clear vision, that Watson is putting to work to make Northumbrian Water the "most digital water company in the world". "What we're trying to become is the fastest learning water company on the globe. And having the digital signals that allow us to quickly pick up on the effects of climate change, or the impact on customers, is why we have that ambition." Watson arrived at Northumbrian Water in 2015 after seven-and-a-half years at Vodafone. He was initially brought on board as a consultant, and was then offered the CIO role when his boss departed a year later. His multi-varied career has Northumbrian Water's chief information officer on the potential of AI and digital twins and why the company is spending 30 per cent of its transformation budget on its people By Denise Chevin I N T E R V I E W N i g e l Wa t s o n

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