2026 speakers

George Walters has spent his entire career in the energy industry. Joining Utilita as Head of New Business in 2019, George’s strategic acumen led to his promotion to the Executive Leadership Team in June 2022, where he now serves as Chief Home Services Officer. Prior to his tenure at Utilita, George spent more than a decade in senior roles, including eight years with EDF. At Utilita, his leadership extends across the smart metering and renewables divisions, underscoring his commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions. Passionate about the future of energy, George plays a pivotal role in scaling Utilita Home’s solar offerings for both domestic and commercial markets. His portfolio includes overseeing the installation of behind-the-meter (BTM) systems, energy optimisation and finance solutions. George’s forward-thinking approach and hands-on involvement in product development ensure tailored energy solutions for Utilita customers. He remains a driving force behind Utilita’s ambitious target of achieving operational net zero by 2030.

Siem Simonis is Head of Technology at NieuweStroom, where he leads the company’s transformation toward a fully data‑driven, real‑time energy ecosystem.

With extensive experience in energy markets, trading, and customer-centric solutions, he helps NieuweStroom deliver tailored energy services and optimize smart asset operations, turning data into actionable insights for both customers and the business.

Giles is the Director of Regulation for Strategic Water Resources at Thames Water, where he leads the regulatory strategy for the company’s Strategic Resource Options (SROs). His work focuses on ensuring long‑term drought resilience in the face of climate change and population growth, shaping the regulatory design needed to bring major new water‑resource infrastructure forward. He also oversees Thames Water’s wider regulatory strategy, identifying opportunities for reform that can unlock innovation and support more effective regulatory solutions across the sector.

Giles brings more than twenty‑five years of experience as an economist working across regulation, competition, and infrastructure policy. Before joining Thames Water, he was a Senior Civil Servant leading teams across a range of policy areas and sectors. He served as Director of Policy at the National Infrastructure Commission, where he led major strategic projects including the review of economic regulation and the national resilience study. His earlier career includes senior roles at Ofgem, Ofwat, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Kate Boxall is Head of Asset Management at National Gas Transmission, where she sets the strategic direction for long-term capital investment across the UK’s gas transmission network. She recently led the development of the £2.5bn RIIO‑T3 plan, shaping a clear and ambitious vision for the future.
Kate creates alignment, focus, and momentum across the organisation to shape thinking on infrastructure resilience and network optimisation, helping position the network to manage changing demands and uncertainty
With a background spanning Asset Management, Engineering, and Psychology, Kate combines technical insight with a deep understanding of people. She is passionate about building strong, capable teams where diverse perspectives to deliver sustainable, future-ready energy infrastructure.

Dr Gianna Huhn is a senior innovation and strategy leader at SSE, where she leads group-level technology foresight and innovation strategy across the energy system. Her work focuses on how utilities adapt to rapid shifts in electrification, decentralisation, and digitalisation, translating emerging technologies into scalable business impact. Gianna’s team is  shaping investment priorities across networks, generation and flexibility. She works closely with industry, academia and government to challenge assumptions and identify system-level opportunities. A social scientist by background, she brings a systems perspective to the future of utilities and the transition to a net zero energy system.

Abbie Badcock‑Broe is an industry strategist known for cutting through complexity to shape the future of the UK energy system. With 20 years’ experience advising Executives and Boards, she specialises in system‑wide problem‑solving — from decarbonisation and system operation to long‑range planning and organisational transformation. Her work consistently centres on one question: how customers, communities and industry actors will shape — and be shaped by — the energy system of the future.

Formerly Head of Corporate, UK & Decarbonisation Strategy at National Grid, Abbie has led major strategic shifts, built enterprise‑wide foresight capabilities and steered the long‑term narrative for the transition to the National Energy System Operator. Her earlier career spans energy retail, renewables, European trade associations and consultancy, giving her a uniquely customer‑anchored perspective on system change.

A Royal Academy of Engineering Policy Fellow, Abbie is a regular voice on the main stage at leading industry forums.

As an established CTO with 25 years experience working with customers across the CNI landscape, Tony is responsible for overseeing Atos’ technology strategy and innovation initiatives for key sectors such as energy, water, transport and logistics. Tony collaborates with executive leaders and regulators to drive safe, resilient, and sustainable digital transformation. He has broad experience with mission-critical platforms supporting essential services, and specialises in applying cloud, data, AI, and automation to enhance operational efficiency and customer outcomes. Tony regularly advises at CIO/CTO level on technology strategy and operating model change, bringing a CNI-wide perspective.

Mark has over 20 year’s experience leading customer engagements, with a vast knowledge and background managing high profile business projects from conception to completion. Proven success in enhancing security, operational efficiencies, governance and health & Safety business needs through CCTV Analytics and AI within Computer Vision solutions. Mark utilises leadership abilities to motivate and influence a team to work as a unit and achieve outstanding results. Manages large workloads and multiple workstreams and delivers high standards and quality in accordance with all timescales. Strong communicator who can converse at all levels and establish excellent stakeholder and client relationships. Technically astute and adapts to new systems and software with ease.

Leading our global Dell Distributed Private Cloud sales and driving go-to-market execution across regions. Previously, James worked extensively with Cloud Service Providers and Dell channel partners, building and scaling joint offerings that expanded market reach and deepened customer engagement. Drawing on broad experience in enterprise sales, cloud, and ecosystem-led growth, James specializes in translating complex customer challenges into scalable solutions, orchestrating cross-functional teams, and driving data-informed strategies that deliver measurable growth, stronger partner alignment, and long-term commercial value.

An accomplished senior leader with international experience across the public and private sectors, advising organisations on enhancing operational performance and delivering complex, large-scale programmes. I bring extensive expertise in executive business management, governance, risk, resilience and compliance, with a strong focus on strengthening organisational effectiveness and ensuring robust control environments. I have led major transformation initiatives, overseeing the full lifecycle from strategic planning through to implementation, with particular emphasis on change management, communication, training, technology integration, and operating model design.

Edward de Mas Latrie is a commercial leader with a strong track record in customer experience, enterprise relationships, and business development. He has held senior roles focused on managing complex client engagements and driving growth, bringing a practical, results-oriented approach to delivering value in customer-centric organisations. He is particularly focused on the impact of AI on CX, exploring how conversational technologies, continuity, and trust are reshaping customer engagement. Edward’s perspective centres on helping organisations move beyond transactional interactions toward more intelligent, connected, and long-term customer relationships, bridging the gap between emerging AI capabilities and real-world business outcomes.

An award-winning design leader within Accenture Song, specialising in experience and service design across utilities, resources and beyond. With a decade shaping customer experiences for complex global organisations, he leads multi-disciplined teams to simplify complexity, align stakeholders around value, and deliver human-centred services across digital and experiential channels.

Based in London, Ihyeeddine Elfeki has more than 23 years of international experience in trading, risk management, and financial services. Throughout his career, he has helped firms modernize, improve scalability and operational efficiency, and align technology landscapes with evolving business and regulatory contexts. Ihyeeddine brings a practical understanding of the challenges involved in large-scale transformation programs and trading platform evolution. His experience spans data and operations transformation, platform modernization, and large delivery programs across capital markets and commodity and energy trading.

Alexander Gittens is the Sales Director for Getac UK, leading strategic growth across the utilities and energy sector. With over a decade of experience in enterprise mobility and rugged computing, he specialises in helping organisations modernise their field‑based workforce through resilient, high‑performance technology. Alex is passionate about bridging the gap between frontline operational challenges and enterprise technology strategy. In recent years, he has worked closely with major UK utilities including Thames Water, United Utilities, SGN and National Grid, supporting large‑scale digital transformation programmes aligned to regulatory cycles such as AMP8. His focus is on driving operational efficiency, improving workforce productivity and reducing total cost of ownership through rugged device strategy and lifecycle optimisation.

Fabienne Vanquickelberghe is Account Director at Itineris, where she helps utility companies lay the data foundation needed for the energy transition.

With deep experience in complex utility operations and real-time platforms, she works closely with utilities using Itineris’ UMAX platform to turn data into actionable insights and enable intelligent energy ecosystems.

Dr Matt Firla-Cuchra has 25 years of experience working in banking and consulting supporting utilities and infrastructure clients in the UK and around the world. Matt leads KPMG work in Water and Utilities sectors and is the Head of IAG Power & Utilities team; he is also the KPMG global lead for Nuclear. Matt’s work focuses on financing, regulation, market and regime design to enable private capital to fund investments in utilities and infrastructure. Matt typically advises companies on business planning, strategy, investment appraisal and regulation. Matt also advises investors and provides expert evidence to regulators, competition authorities, courts, tribunals and other public authorities.

Julian is KPMG’s Global Head of Asset Management and leads Infrastructure Solutions within the Infrastructure Advisory Group. He is an international thought leader in digital delivery of capital works and through life management. He has worked with asset owners and operators of some of the world’s most critical infrastructure across the UK, Europe, Middle East and ASPAC. Julian gives back to the profession through leadership roles with multiple professional bodies, such as with the Institute of Asset Management (IAM), Asset Management Council (AMC), the National Asset Management Steering Group (NAMS) and the Association of Geographic Information (AGI), and has directly contributed to the authoring of international standards ISO19650 and ISO55000 to drive digital enablement from construction through to operations.

Chessy is a Partner in OC&C’s B2B Services practice in London where she specialises in Construction and Infrastructure Services. She has extensive experience working across the value chain covering building materials manufacturing, distribution and merchanting, design and engineering, construction and infrastructure services, and in-life maintenance and upgrade. Chessy is particularly interested in the Energy Transition and the ways in which the associated regulatory and technological changes create both expected and unexpected changes in construction and infrastructure value chains. Chessy has a strong track record of supporting corporate clients both PLCs and privately owned clients in supporting executive teams to make bold strategic choices and in communicating this strategy and its impact effectively to internal and external stakeholders. She also has extensive experience in both buy- and sell-side diligence work for Private Equity investors across both sides of the Atlantic having spend a period of her career with OC&C’s Boston office.

Henri-Thierry is a Partner in OC&C’s Services team, based in London, where he focuses on energy transition topics across the UK and Europe. He has a particular interest in business models that bring together customers, technology and hardware — including the emerging propositions needed to unlock demand-side flexibility at scale. He advises corporate clients on strategic decisions ranging from board-level portfolio strategy to customer proposition design, go-to-market choices and execution. He also supports private equity and corporate clients on M&A strategy and transactions, from commercial due diligence through to value creation and divestment.

James Dickinson is VP Solutions at Cogna, the platform helping transform critical infrastructure companies through targeted use of AI. He leads a team of Solutions Strategists working with enterprises across utilities, logistics, and manufacturing – including Cadent Gas, Ocado, and United Utilities – to turn operational bottlenecks into production-ready applications.

Samuel leads EY Consulting’s transformation agenda for the energy sector, helping clients reimagine infrastructure delivery and respond to the accelerating pace of change. With 20 years of experience across power & utilities and oil & gas, he partners with incumbents and disruptors to drive strategic transformation, regulatory adaptation, and infrastructure-led growth.

His work is grounded in Agentic Transformation—a new approach to business reinvention that leverages AI-enabled platforms, agile innovation, and ecosystem collaboration. Samuel helps clients build future-ready operating models, activate transformation teams, and deliver infrastructure programmes that are resilient, efficient, and customer-centric.

As an Account Director at FYLD, Joe Mitchell is passionate about partnering with customers to deliver critical business outcomes. Supporting organisations across the UK and Ireland in the critical infrastructure sector, he works closely with field teams and managers to demonstrate how FYLD enables data-driven, real-time decision-making that improves safety management, productivity, and quality assurance. Joe brings 10+ years of experience driving ARR growth in SaaS, combining commercial rigour with a consultative, customer-first approach.

For over 20 years, I have energized global businesses by driving substantial sales gains and steering complex go-to-market initiatives while leading essential transformations. From ushering Cisco into a software-focused company to adding billions in top-line growth, my leadership has enabled tectonic evolutions to enterprises across the world at a massive scale. Renowned as a strategic visionary among industry analysts, I’ve built a reputation as a strategic sales and transformation authority proficient at advancing the utilization of AI and ML in digital assets for both customers and partners. I’ve landed massive deals, secured significant technical investment value for customers, and fostered a customer-centric focus to elevate Cisco’s businesses. As a strategic global sales executive and GTM leader, I’ve left an indelible mark on numerous organizations. My efforts include: ☑ Driving enormous transformational growth in top-line services revenue and software bookings. ☑ Positioning global businesses and their customers to scale faster and launch products across EMEA. ☑ Founding, launching, and evolving Cisco CX, starting in the EMEA before replicating success in the Americas. ☑ Pioneering the introduction of AI and other core technologies to drive Cisco’s digital transformation.

As a Global Field CTO at Snowflake, I advise C-level executives on harnessing data, AI, and cloud technologies to drive business transformation. My focus areas include data monetization, data-as-a-service, and building data products that unlock new growth opportunities. I have seen firsthand how data-driven strategies can accelerate innovation and deliver measurable outcomes.

Marcus is a technical leader responsible for clients, strategy, growth and technical vision in Softwire’s Energy & Utilities sector. Having had a first career as a business consultant before becoming a software developer, Marcus has a unique view of how to change what’s possible in businesses through people and technology.  From open data for energy trading decisions to personalised support for vulnerable customers, Marcus is immensely proud to lead teams that securely handle vast volumes of live data, build resilient 24/7 systems with care, and deploy AI in ways people understand and trust. Marcus speaks regularly at industry events, co-hosted LeadDev London 2024, sits on the LDX3 programming committee, and enjoys sharing ideas with others in the tech and energy communities.

As EMEA Field CTO Mark provides advice and guidance to leadership teams, policy makers and boards; helping organisations to get more value from data. Before joining Splunk Mark co-founded a GenAI company and as CTO created and scaled the start-up’s proprietary analytics technology used across many sectors including finance, manufacturing, FMCG and research. He has also led the creation and commercialisation of novel integrated hardware/software solutions at British Telecom (BT), Bentley and for various energy firms including Chevron, BP and Shell. Mark spent the first decade of his career as a British Army Engineering Officer, specialising in new technology introduction, strategic planning and spending time in hot and cold places that would not be on most people’s bucket-list.

Based in the UK, Gemma Hunt brings over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, covering regulation, transformation, customer strategy, and commercial leadership. Having seen firsthand the challenges energy suppliers face when burdened with technology that overpromises and underdelivers, she is driven by the desire to be part of solutions that genuinely make work easier for the teams who rely on them. That drive is what led her to Ferranti. With MECOMS 365, Gemma sees not a prototype but a proven, robust platform shaped by real-world needs and refined through real operational experience. She is passionate about bringing this story to the UK market and demonstrating to energy suppliers that they have a credible alternative—one that challenges the status quo and puts them back in control.

Carol Johnston is Vice President at IFS, leading innovation across the energy, utilities, and resources sector. With more than 20 years at the forefront of emerging technologies, she brings deep expertise spanning product management, marketing, and R&D—successfully shaping and scaling solutions for some of the world’s most complex, asset‑intensive industries.