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In partnership with Utility Week, the Institute of Water runs a talent recognition scheme called Rising Stars. As well as giving a profile to individuals who have shown potential and appetite to pro- gress in the water industry, the Rising Stars programme offers them opportunities for profes- sional development and the chance to attend key industry conferences. James Williams, automation engineer with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, is a 2015 Rising Star. He talks to Utility Week: Why did you want to work in water? I always had an interest in the water industry – local to my hometown is the Elan Valley Estate and Reservoirs, and the engineering feat achieved in the Victorian age intrigued me. Having a thirst to work directly for a water company, I applied for a temporary contract with United Utilities Operational Services when they People & Opinion Utility Week community Rising stars James Williams, automation engineer, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water were on the Welsh Water con- tract. That temporary job turned into a permanent career. What's your career ambition? I'm passionate about working on the frontline of the industry, so would like to progress within a UK water and sewerage supplier, with the long-term goal of being an executive director. I think the coming year on the Rising Stars programme is really going to give me some excellent experi- ences to take away. What do you think is the big- gest challenge facing the UK water industry today? It's people. We are changing as an industry, and although some companies are more advanced than others, we need to make sure our people are flexible and have the right transferable skills. With wholesale and retail com- petition, water trading, stricter regulation, an ageing workforce and new technologies, we need to ensure that colleagues can step up to new ways of working. What have been the best and worst moments of your career to date? The highlight of my career was being recognised as a 2015 Water Industry Rising Star – for me, this showed that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, and that my drive and ambition has made me stand out from the crowd. The worse moments of my career are where my team and I haven't been able to deliver a service – be it an interruption to supply due to a faulty valve component or failing to deliver a project milestone on time. Those incidents can really affect the team's morale, espe- cially if customers have been affected. But there's always the high of turning that situation around to get that asset back into supply or getting a project back-on programme. Do you have an industry/ career role model/mentor? I don't have one person I can call an industry role model. I like to pick up on individual behaviours of colleagues, industry leaders and supply chain partners to improve my own performance and leader- ship style. The 2015 Rising Stars started January off with a visit to Northumbrian Water to meet chief executive, and Institute of Water President, Heidi Mottram OBE. Heidi's Innovation and Leadership Masterclass really gave me some excellent tips for the future. Find out more about the Institute of Water's Rising Stars programme at: www.instituteofwater.org. uk/rising-stars UtILItY WEEK | 13th - 19th March 2015 | 7 "We would have preferred the Market Stability Reserve to be agreed alongside a reform of the carbon leakage measures to protect globally competing industries like steel from higher carbon prices" Roz Bulleid, senior climate & environment policy adviser at employers' association EEF, on the recent EU carbon market reforms "In times of economic and political volatility along Europe's borders, transforming and integrating individual power and gas markets is important" Frederik Dahlmann, assistant professor of global energy, Warwick Business School according to Pwc research into the boards of the UK's top 100 energy firms: 9% of all seats are held by women 5% of executive seats are held by women 61% of boards have no women story by NUMbErs