A team built on experience
Our partners have overlapping and complimentary expertise and experience that comes from holding senior roles in both client-side and consultancy organisations
They all have over 30 years of infrastructure industry experience, predominantly in regulated network sectors such as water, highways, rail and power
This blend gives us a broad and balanced perspective, so that our advice provides solutions which enable progress towards leading practice while being practicable in the constraints within which we know all organisations must work
Adrian Rees
Adrian has deep knowledge and experience in regulatory and asset management planning. He has well-established credibility in the water sector as an integrator of knowledge across a wide range of policy and technical areas. His consultancy experience includes providing specialist regulatory advice and expenditure planning services (e.g. business plan development, portfolio optimisation, price review support) to clients. He has also held positions at Yorkshire Water, Ofwat and Thames Water
During his career, Adrian has identified innovations, developed processes and implemented changes which are now part of the water sector’s investment planning landscape such as using customers' valuations of services to inform investment planning, the UKWIR 'Common Framework' 2014 update and applying 6 Capitals in decision frameworks. These innovations are now being utilised widely across other infrastructure management sectors
He is comfortable moving between the wider strategic picture and the underlying technical detail
Wendy Staden
Wendy is an accomplished and resourceful senior leader with extensive experience in economic regulation, asset management, team formation, structural change delivery, intervention planning, project management, regulatory compliance, governance and assurance within local and international settings
She is recognised for her balanced judgment and capacity to steer consensus among core business disciplines with diverse agendas and visions
Wendy is decisive and direct, yet flexible in responding to the constantly changing demands of external environments, staff and operations, employing a participative management style to encourage motivation, teamwork and approachability
Adrian Kennedy
Adrian is an experienced utility industry professional in the fields of asset management, customer engagement, investment planning, strategic planning, business change, utility regulation and process assurance
He has extensive experience of working strategically with company Boards and Shareholders, and with regulators, including the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat), Environment Agency, Drinking Water Inspectorate, Consumer Council for Water and the Office of Rail and Road. He has operated across a broad range of customer and regulatory matters including all water sector regulatory reviews from 1999 through to 2019
His experience extends to the leadership and development of company improvement and efficiency plans, driving sustained value for both customers and stakeholders. He has the ability to operate strategically and operationally, connecting the two, to create better outcomes for customers, businesses and employees
Vicky Allen
Vicky is an experienced professional in Regulatory Investment with a strong track record of working in the water sector in the areas of asset management, finance and regulation. She is skilled in strategic planning, annual business planning, asset management, data analysis and has managed multi-billion-pound Totex programmes. She has excellent assurance and governance experience, reporting and engaging with all levels of a business up to Board
She has worked on numerous business change programmes, applying her deep understanding of asset management, regulation and programme management to deliver practical solutions with tangible benefits
Vicky is a strong and confident leader skilled at understanding teams and individuals, how to meet their needs and how to encourage high levels of performance. She is detail-orientated and adept at making critical decisions, managing deadlines and balancing changing business needs. She has expertise in analysis, quantitative problem-solving, and is focussed on organisational improvement
James Elliott
James is a highly motivated strategic and operationally focussed business and technical specialist with over 30 years’ experience in infrastructure strategy, design, construction, operations and maintenance. His specialist operational highways and asset management expertise is used to collaborate with public and private sector clients, consultancies, contractors, and integrated service providers
He brings cross-sector experience of continuous improvement to develop best practice. He is a Chartered Civil Engineering Fellow and Member of the Institute of Asset Management
He sits on the CIHT Learned Society Technical Strategy Board, Chairing the Asset Management committee and Green Infrastructure policy group. In addition he is secretary for the PIARC Road Network Operations and ITS technical committee and has lectured in asset risk management at Surrey University and asset valuation at UCEM
Michelle Ashford
Michelle Ashford is a senior water-sector leader and chartered civil engineer with over 30 years’ experience across economic regulation, asset management, governance and strategic infrastructure planning in the UK.
She has worked extensively at the interface between regulators, government and regulated companies across Scotland, England and Wales, bringing a system-level perspective on how policy intent translates into regulatory frameworks, organisational behaviour and long-term outcomes. Michelle previously served as Chief Operating Officer at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, where she played a central role in regulatory reform, market development and performance oversight, with particular emphasis on transparency, assurance and public value.
Michelle’s professional style is grounded in calm, evidence-led analysis and constructive challenge. She is recognised for her ability to work with boards, executives and regulators to clarify expectations, strengthen governance and align behaviours with long-term outcomes. Her approach combines technical rigour with a strong focus on culture, legitimacy and trust, supporting organisations to navigate scrutiny, uncertainty and system change without losing sight of purpose.
As a Partner with AliumBlue, Michelle supports clients on regulatory strategy, investment planning, assurance and governance, with a particular interest in ethical business practice, outcome-based regulation and whole-systems approaches to resilience and climate adaptation across infrastructure sectors.
She is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Programme and holds the Financial Times Non-Executive Director Diploma.