Utilities are uniquely positioned to drive positive change beyond service delivery by acting in the public interest and investing in the communities they serve. This session will explore how utilities can embed social value, equity and local partnerships into their strategies to create lasting community impact.

Chair welcome and introduction
Rob Hakimian - Utility Week

Overcoming the trust barrier with public engagement in communities
Chani Courtney, Volunteer Representative - Surfers Against Sewage

From classroom to career: creating opportunities for young people and building workforce pipelines
Erica Chamberlain, Head of Strategic Partnerships - Careers and Enterprise Company

Providing energy benefits for communities – EON Solar in Schools and supporting the local community
Gayle Harrison, Senior Entrepreneur in Residence - E.ON Next Growth Studio

As customer expectations evolve and call volumes rise, utilities need to offer a variety of solutions to serve a diverse customer base. Energy and water companies need to understand which channels best support specific customer needs and preferences to drive operational efficiency and increase customer satisfaction. This session explores strategies for aligning the right communication and service channels with the right customer journeys to optimise engagement and outcomes.

Sponsored by: 

Chair welcome and introduction
Rob Hakimian - Utility Week

Successful approaches to automation: helping customers to self-serve and reducing dropout rates
Owain Roberts, Programme Manager - Welsh Water
Adam Johns, Portfolio Manager - Welsh Water

Implementing a WhatsApp strategy
Sally Ainsworth, Customer Service Director - United Utilities

Using AI to summarise call outcomes to allow time for agents to really focus on the customer
Louise Walsh, Chief Customer Contact Officer - Utilita

From fragmented to frictionless - how omnichannel intelligence is redefining utility customer engagement
Mark Gilbey, Director - Industry Advisor, Energy & Utilities - Salesforce

As the Clean Power 2030 target draws nearer, public discourse around net zero intensifies and future water security becomes a national priority, utilities must inspire meaningful engagement from both domestic and non-domestic customers. This session will explore how to deliver buy-in through transparent communication, tailored education and community engagement. Understand how to empower customers with the knowledge and tools they need to actively participate in building a resilient and sustainable utility network. 

Chair welcome and introduction
Wangmo Dorjee, Reporter - Utility Week

Successfully bringing consumers with us on the energy flexibility journey
Johann Van Dyke - Smart Energy GB

No one gets left behind: turning live data into cleaner choices
Ella Moorey, Group Sustainability Lead - Utilita

Storm Overflows were in it together: Customer Engagement and the Importance it holds for us
Simon Fosbraey, Clean Rivers and Seas Taskforce - Southern Water

With rising bills and escalating debt level, more customers are struggling to keep up with energy and water bills. How can the industry step in to support those most in need and close the widening debt gap? Join this session to uncover how companies are leveraging data-driven insights, streamlining processes and proactively engaging with customers to support vulnerable people, reduce debt and build long term trust and resilience  

Sponsored by: 

Chair welcome and introduction
Ed Rees, Head of Retail Policy - Energy UK

Changing the narrative: how do we rebuild trust in utilities to encourage engagement
Louise Walsh, Chief Customer Contact Officer - Utilita

Rising water debt - turning insight into better support and fairer outcomes
Louise Mills, Senior Policy Analyst - CCW

Insight isn’t enough - operationalising data to close the affordability gap
Angela Booth, SVP & Head of Business Development, Utilities, UK & Europe - WNS, Part of Capgemini

The right support? Recognising customer needs & having the right offering
Stefan Guy, Director of Credit Management and Affordability - E.ON Next

Encouraging customers to embrace and adopt LCT is a critical element in the UK achieving net zero objectives. Utilities have a responsibility to introduce customers to these technologies and gain their trust. This session will delve into the innovative financing options being trialled, how to appeal to a diverse and inclusive audience, and mechanisms to make LTC more accessible.

Chair welcome and introduction
Louise Evans, Policy Manager - Energy UK

EON Next Gen Home: energy as a service revolution/transforming how customers can power their homes
Zac Curtis, Project Lead - EON Next Gen Home - EON Next

SIF funded Net Zero Terrace: finding solutions for harder to treat terraced homes
Dr Geraldine Paterson, Innovation PMO Manager - SP Electricity North West

Findings from the Equal LCT project on reducing impact of heatpumps on the network
Ross Bibby, Project Lead - SSEN Distribution

Both domestic and wholesale customers need to be more engaged with water and energy networks than ever before. Reducing use and driving a conscious use of utilities to manage demand on the networks is critical. Join this session to discover how utilities are harnessing smart meters and changing consumer behaviour.

Chair welcome and introduction
Daisy Cross, Head of Future Retail Markets - Energy UK

Innovation in behaviour change for diverse communities
Mumin Islam, Trustee - Waterwise

The role of partnerships, incentives and gamification in prompting valuable customer actions
Amy Conlen, Strategy & Propositions Lead - OVO

Bridging the insight gap: empowering households and businesses through Ofwat’s Water Efficiency Fund
Jude Noro, Senior Associate Policy Lead - Water Resources - Ofwat

As customer expectations rise and perceptions of utilities continue to fall short, how can water and energy utilities refine, evolve and optimise how they serve their customer base? Join this session to discover how emerging and existing technologies can improve satisfaction with customers, optimise call centre agents and help utilities deliver gold standard customer service.

Sponsored by: 

Chair welcome and introduction
Wangmo Dorjee, Reporter - Utility Week

Successfully using chat bots to support consumer experience
James Hennerley, Head of Data - Everflow

Using AI to support customers and agents in real time
Alex Williams, Head of Customer Contact - UK Power Networks

Talk title coming soon

Rising to the challenge: elevating consumer experience with AI and digital tools
Anne-Marie Lamb, Area Vice President - Energy, Utilities, Aerospace, Defence and Manufacturing - Salesforce

As utilities embark on a period of major capital project delivery, asset management programmes and the mass roll out of LCT, the demand for skilled frontline workers is surging. More people will enter these roles than ever before, making it essential to certify, upskill, and effectively manage this growing workforce. This session will explore how utilities can access and maximise new talent pools, examine the digital tools and strategies that enable efficient workforce management, and highlight how frontline workers underpin industry growth and resilience, ensuring utilities can deliver for future generations. 

Chair welcome and introduction
Paul Cox, Group Chief Executive - Energy and Utility Skills

Delivering the next generation of infrastructure: sourcing new skills/bridging the gap
Steve Raymond, Chief People Officer - HR Operations and Transformation - National Grid

Bridging the skills gap....a business imperative
Karima Khandker, Director of Resourcing, Skills, EDI, Learning and Development - Thames Water

Frontline capability across the supply chain: from entry roles to essential resilience
Dane Beauchamp, Head of Programmes - British Water

As economic pressures mount, utilities are under growing pressure to proactively identify and support vulnerable customers. This session will explore the groundbreaking innovations, technology and forward-thinking approaches helping utilities move beyond compliance and deliver more meaningful, targeted support to those who need it most. Discover how the sector is redefining its role in social responsibility with real work examples.  

Sponsored by: 

Chair welcome
Matt Cole - Fuel Bank Foundation

Innovative solutions and partnership approaches to help those in crisis
Matt Cole - Fuel Bank Foundation

Supporting customers through hardship
Helen Patterson, Customer Service Manager – Credit Management - Northumbrian Water Group
Lisa Connell, Customer Manager – Inclusivity and Affordability - Northumbrian Water Group

Spotlight Project – using AI to identify vulnerable customers
Joanna Lomax, Customer Vulnerability Manager - UK Power Networks

Using AI in proactive vulnerability support - what we built, why it matters and what’s next
Aarthi Kumar, Head of Innovation - CKDelta