Speaker’s corner: Ben Earl, Southern Water

What’s the most important lesson/idea people should take away from your presentation?

To fully assist vulnerable customers it is important to construct long-term, meaningful partnerships with different agencies working together. It is also vital that they have ‘buy in’ from the top and involve team members that understand the objectives and are committed to meeting them. Progress should occur at a reasonable pace so as to never overwhelm and when under way it needs to be clear what the benefits to all parties are so that when obstacles occur there is a willingness and ability to help to overcome them.

What has been the most successful or challenging experience in your career and what did you learn from it?

My career is constantly involving lots of change – this is really positive, but you have to keep moving with that change. When you are working on issues that are often longer term in their focus then it can often be challenging to move people beyond more short-term, narrow self-interests. I have learnt that you need to refresh your thinking, build trust and credibility and work to ensure that both short- and long-term objectives are being delivered.

Which five people would you invite to your dream dinner party and why?

1.
Jon Snow – I respect him for his journalism and for the fact he is president of Cycling UK – a cause close to my heart.

2.
Mary Robinson – a very inspirational former president of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights who has an amazing grace about her and knows how to bring parties together for the common good.

3.
Barack Obama – another inspirational leader and now he is stepping down as the leader of the free world he may have more space in his diary!

4.
Juliet Davenport OBE – chief executive of entirely renewable energy and green gas energy firm Good Energy, which has all the aspects of a leading company, from customer service to ethics.

5.
Matt Damon – I’m a massive fan of the Bourne Identity series and he would add a certain style to the event.

Name four items you keep on your desk that reveal something about you.

1.
I have a set of juggling balls, which reflect the nature of my job and the partnerships that I’m involved in, but they also help to relax me.

2.
I keep a copy of a book that I contributed a chapter to a few years ago – not being a serious writer, this was a major achievement and shows what can occur when you put your mind to something.

3.
A large pile of business cards, which comes from the fact that so many people are interested in the work of water efficiency – it helps me to ensure that I keep all the promises I make to people and get back to them.

4.
Family pictures, to ensure I keep my feet firmly on the ground and remember what I have to be thankful for.

Ben Earl is speaking at the Utility Week Consumer Debt Conference on 16 March in Birmingham. For more information, visit: events.utilityweek.co.uk/debt/