DETAILS
Date: September 24, 2026
Location: AECOM Office, Aldgate Tower, 2 Leman Street, London
Theme: “Navigating the Messy Middle of AI”
Access: Open (slides and photos below, recap coming soon)
OVERVIEW
The water sector is currently standing squarely in the “messy middle” of AI – the uncomfortable, ambiguous phase where the old world hasn’t fully let go, and the fully autonomous world hasn’t yet arrived.
In partnership with AECOM and Atos, the highly participatory 3rd SWAN London UnConference brought together water utilities, solution providers, and industry experts to tackle the raw engineering and deployment realities of AI.
Programme
View hyperlinked slides below.
10:00–10:10 Workshop Welcome
- Sarah Vickerage, Cybersecuirty Lead (AECOM)
- Dr. Amir Cahn, CEO (SWAN Forum)
- Nisarg Hirani, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer (Scottish Water)
Nisarg leads digital strategy, technology, and a national research and innovation portfolio spanning environmental digital twins, open ecological observatories, and space-enabled Earth observation. With 25 years in regulated infrastructure, he brings a practitioner’s perspective on what it takes to move AI and digital innovation from pilot to operational scale in complex, asset-intensive systems. He holds board and governance roles in UKWIR and Heriot-Watt University.
10:40–11:20 ‘Big Brain’ Topics
- How to leverage AI safely in mission critical environments while maintaining human control? Facilitated by Tony Long (Atos) + Andy Withers (Rotork)
- Can we use AI to design our water infrastructure and gather whether we’re solving a root cause problem, not a symptom? Facilitated by Imogen Hollis (Anglian Water) + Vikki Williams (Arup)
- How do we enable AI to make better holistic asset management decisions? Facilitated by Ross Simson (PA Consulting)
- Beyond pilots building a great AI business case to deliver capital projects, time, scope, budget. Facilitated by Ash Hardman (Atos) + Amy McQueen (Yorkshire Water)
- From surface water separation to AI-enabled network optimisation Facilitated by Joanna Power (Yorkshire Water)
- How do we maximise use of AI for operational front-line colleagues? Led by Leyla Nazim (Yorkshire Water)
11:20–11:50 Networking and Coffee Break
11:50–12:30 Session 1: Unpacking Challenges & Opportunities
12:30–13:30 Lunch Sponsored by AECOM and Atos
- Louise Blais, Director of Data (Ofwat)
Louise leads Ofwat’s data and AI strategy, capability and governance, supporting effective, evidence-based regulation of the water sector in England and Wales. She is responsible for setting the vision for how data is collected, managed, shared and used across Ofwat, ensuring it is high quality, trusted and accessible. A core part of her role involves working with cross-government agencies and partners to help shape the future of water regulation.
13:50–14:45 Session 2: The Power of Brainstorming
14:45–15:15 Networking and Coffee Break
15:15–16:00 Session 3: Let’s Tie it Together
16:00–16:50 Session 4: Rapid-Fire Recap
16:50–17:00 Summary & Conclusion
- Graham Scanlon, Head of CNI (Atos)
17:00–18:00 Networking Reception Sponsored by Atos
Photos
Thank You to Our Sponsors
