Expert advisory group appointed by independent water commission

Tuesday, 28 January 2025 10:19

The independent water commission announces members of the new advisory group. Senior advisory group supporting Sir Jon Cunliffe on major water reset Leading voices from areas including the environment, public health and investment have been announced today (28 January) as the new advisory group to the independent water commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe. Sir Chris Whitty (Chief Medical Officer), Richard Benwell (CEO, Wildlife & Countryside...Request free trial

The independent water commission announces members of the new advisory group.

Senior advisory group supporting Sir Jon Cunliffe on major water reset

Leading voices from areas including the environment, public health and investment have been announced today (28 January) as the new advisory group to the independent water commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe.

Sir Chris Whitty (Chief Medical Officer), Richard Benwell (CEO, Wildlife & Countryside Link), Professor Isabelle Durance (Professor of Integrated Water Sciences at Cardiff University) and Peter Harrison (former CEO, Schroders) are among the nine members advising the commission in its major review of the water system.

A Call for Evidence will be published in February 2024 to bring in views from all interested parties on possible areas of reform.

The members are:

Richard Benwell (environment expert), Chief Executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, a coalition of environmental charities. Previously policy adviser to the Defra Secretary of State and worked in policy and advocacy roles for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and RSPB.
Chris Whitty (public health expert), Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government.
Professor Isabelle Durance (environmental science and Welsh water system expert), Founder and Director of the Water Research Institute at Cardiff University, and Professor of Integrated Water Sciences
Peter Harrison (investment expert), Former Group CEO at Schroders plc. Member of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT), Chair of the charity Business in the Community, and chair-designate of Morgan Sindall plc.
Dame Yve Buckland (consumers advocate), Founding Chair of the Consumer Council for Water (2005 –2015). Chair of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust since 2023.   
Jonathan Haskel (economics expert) Professor of Economics at Imperial College Business School. Previously board member at the UK Statistics Authority and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England.
Philip Graham (infrastructure), Executive Director of Good Growth at Greater London Authority. Previously Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission.
Jon Loveday (project delivery and commercial expert), Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA). Shareholder Non-Executive Director of Crossrail International and Sizewell C. Former Executive Director within the water, telecoms and energy sectors.
Stephen Peacock (planning and place-making expert), CEO of West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. Former CEO and Executive Director of growth and regeneration at Bristol City Council

The independent water commission was announced by the UK and Welsh governments in October 2024 to help deliver a reset of the water sector, chaired by Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Jon Cunliffe.

The upcoming Call for Evidence will look at the management of the overall water system, regulatory reform, and the role of water companies, owners and investors.

A set of recommendations will be delivered later this year to the Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed and Huw Irranca Davies, Wales' Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

Sir Jon Cunliffe, Chair of the independent water commission, said:

Since taking up this role I have seen the many complex challenges faced by the water sector in England and Wales. All sides know that change is clearly needed.

The calibre of expertise we have bought together in this group reflects the significance of the task ahead.

I know their insight and experience will be invaluable in recommending meaningful and long-term reforms to rebuild the trust that has been lost and deliver a thriving and sustainable water sector for the future. I look forward to our work together in the coming months.

As set out in the Terms of Reference, the Commission is operating independently of the UK and Welsh Ministers. The Chair and advisory group are supported by a Defra Secretariat.

Full biographies of all advisory group members are listed below.  

Name	Details
Richard Benwell (environment)	Richard Benwell is CEO of Wildlife & Countryside Link, a coalition of environmental charities. He is a Board member of UK Youth for Nature and the Broadway Initiative, and Chair of Oxfordshire's Local Nature Partnership. Previously, he was Policy Adviser to the Secretary of State at DEFRA, and has worked in policy and advocacy roles for WWT and RSPB.
Sir Chris Whitty (public health)	Professor Sir Chris Whitty FRS is Chief Medical Officer for England (CMO) and head of the public health profession. He is an epidemiologist and NHS infectious disease consultant physician. Chris has worked with the Royal Academy of Engineering and others on solutions for the safe management of sewage.
Dame Yve Buckland (consumers)	Yve Buckland was the founding Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, holding the role between 2005 and 2015.  She has also held a number of roles in public health, including Chair of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement at Warwick University (2005 – 2010), Pro-Chancellor of Aston University (2019 – 2023), and in 2022 Dame Yve was appointed Chair of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
Jonathan Haskel (economics)	Jonathan Haskel is Professor of Economics at Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London, where he has been since 2008.  He has previously taught at Queen Mary, University of London; Dartmouth College, USA and New York University, USA.  His research interests are productivity and growth.   In addition to his academic activities, he has been an External Member of the Reporting Panel of the Competition and Markets Authority (2001-2009); a non-Executive Director of the UK Statistics Authority (2016-2022) and an External Member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (2018-2024).
Philip Graham  (infrastructure)	Philip Graham was the founding Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission from 2015-20, during which time he led its establishment as an independent arms-length body and delivered the UK's first ever cross-cutting National Infrastructure Assessment. He is currently Executive Director for Good Growth at the Greater London Authority, where he leads the Mayor's policies and programmes in relation to London's environment, economy, infrastructure, and spatial development. He worked across areas in the Department for Transport, including leading the Airports Commission's review of aviation capacity for Sir Howard Davies.
Jon Loveday (project management and delivery)	Jon Loveday is the Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), the government's centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects. He leads the expert delivery team advising on the set up of delivery bodies, commercial models and project delivery across the £800bn Government's Major Projects Portfolio. Jon has held Executive roles for regulated utility companies and major construction and infrastructure contractors and has extensive experience of delivering major utility projects throughout the UK.
Peter Harrison (investors)	Peter Harrison was formally Group Chief Executive of Schroders plc, with over 35 years' experience in the asset management industry. He is currently a member of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT), chair of the charity Business in the Community, and chair-designate of Morgan Sindall plc.
Professor Isabelle Durance (science and Welsh water system)	Isabelle Durance is Professor of Integrated Water Science and Director of the Water Research Institute at Cardiff University, recognised for its interdisciplinarity and extensive stakeholder reach that includes water companies, government and regulators. With multi-million-pound support, her personal research in the UK and overseas examines interactions between landscape change, biodiversity and ecosystem services.  Outside her academic role, she is involved extensively in various advisory capacities to government bodies, research councils, charities, industry and regulators – especially in the water sector.
Stephen Peacock (planning and place-making)	Stephen Peacock is Chief Executive of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, responsible for £1 billion of investment to drive sustainable and inclusive growth across the most productive and fast-growing UK city region outside London. He has a commercial background in international energy and technology along with a track record of public sector leadership.  A former partner with a major professional services firm, Stephen was Chief Executive of Bristol City Council where his achievements include the creation of the award-winning City Leap public-private partnership.