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In partnership with Util- ity Week, the Institute of Water runs a talent recognition scheme called Rising Stars. As well as giving a profile to indi- viduals who have shown poten- tial and appetite to progress in the water industry, the Rising Stars programme offers them opportunities for professional development and the chance to attend key industry conferenc- es. Winners in 2014 ended the year attending a dinner with Martin Baggs, chief executive of Thames Water. One of the 2014 intake was Andrew Taylor, managing quantity surveyor, Morrison Utility Services, and Utility Week talked to him: Why did you want to work in water? The opportunity to work in the water industry actually came to me through my then university lecturer recommending me for a position he was made aware of. Since then I have found People & Opinion Utility Week community Rising stars Andrew Taylor, Morrison Utility Services myself fascinated with water, in particular the diverse range of functions, constantly evolving innovations and sheer size of the industry. What's your career ambition? Short term: to maintain the level of progression I have been fortu- nate enough to have so far in my career. The next natural progres- sion would be to step up to the role of commercial manager. Long term: to make a differ- ence. This could be by helping provide sanitation to areas of the world without clean water. What do you think is the big- gest challenge facing the UK water industry today? With growing pressures to re- newables targets and the poten- tial within the industry to reach them, the UK water industry must begin to put sustainability at the forefront of our thoughts. I believe that hydropower and the utilisation of potential energy sources can help the industry become much more efficient. This may be achieved by the installation of hydro-turbines across water sites, streams and rivers. The energy produced could then be used to help power the industry, with any excess put back into the grid. What have been the best and worst moments of your career to date? Best: within the last year I have been given the opportunity to manage people. I have found this to be extremely reward- ing and it has added another dimension to my role. This is something I find really stimulating and am immensely proud of. Further to this, winning the Midlands Rising Star Award was a great moment and has so far provided me with excellent opportunities to broaden my knowledge of the industry and meet some incredible people. Worst: in the very early stages of my career I found it difficult to gain the responsibil- ity I craved. Maybe that is quite natural. I suppose that could be a mark of how fortunate I have been so far in my career. Do you have an industry or career role model? I try to adopt what I consider to be the best attributes from the numerous people I have worked with. With regard to mentoring, many people within Morrison Utility Services have been kind enough to do this for me, to name just a few: Dan Barnes, Patrick Johnston, Chris Prior, Scott Haigh and Richard Walker. Find out more about the Institute of Water's Rising Stars programme at: www.instituteofwater.org. uk/rising-stars utILIty WEEK | 23rd - 29th January 2015 | 7 Winser named chair of Energy Systems Catapult the government's innovation agency, Innovate uK, has appointed nick Winser as chair of its Energy Systems Catapult, which is due to start operating in april. Innovate uK has formed a number of technology and innovation centres called Catapults to promote innovation in various industry sectors. Winser is chairman of national Grid Gas and national Grid Electricity transmission, as well as Winser president of the European network of transmission System Operators for Electricity. On his appointment, he said: "I am very excited to be joining Catapult. Our energy systems are entering a period of huge change as we decarbonise the economy and take advantage of the new technology that is now available. the Energy System Catapult will enable Britain to become a world leader in this transformation." Innovate uK is currently recruiting a chief executive for the Energy Systems Catapult. ExECUtivE appointmEntS Hot off the press a book titled Regulation for Wa- ter Management, authored by Chris Chubb, Martin Griffiths and simon spooner, has been officially launched. It is avail- able free from the Foundation for Water Research website. The book's launch at an Ox- ford Water Network meeting was accompanied by a panel discussion that called on sci- entific experts from the water industry to consider the issues and opportunities for improved water management and regulation, including the point of entry for new and innovative methods and models. the Lords Science and technology Committee, investigating the re- silience of electricity supply in the uK, heard from a panel of energy experts on 13 January. among other topics, the evidence session explored the need for an electricity system architect. Last year, the Institution of Engineering and technology's dr Simon harrison told the com- mittee that it believed such a body was needed because: "resilience is a system property. It belongs to the whole end-to-end system from large power stations and even their fuel supplies, manufactur- ing supply chains, everything else through to what happens beyond the electricity meter in consumer premises. "One has to think about resilience in the round and not in pieces." UK ResIlIeNCe