Surveyor, William Davies, made his mark in the utilities sector after winning a major industry competition organised by the Pipeline Industries Guild’s (PIGs) Eastern Branch Professional Development Network (PDN).
The paper competition, where industry professionals give presentations on topics related to the work they’ve performed in their careers, was held at our Market Harborough office. William’s presentation, on how current laws around land rights could hinder net-zero infrastructure projects in East Anglia, earned the top prize from the panel of industry experts who judged the contest. He will now go on to compete in PIG’s national final in May.
William said: “Many laws around land rights date back to the 1980s, and as such can result in headaches for infrastructure companies looking to deliver major net-zero projects – several of which are set to be installed in East Anglia. I argued that there needs to be a simplification of these laws so both landowners and providers are more likely to know where they stand beforehand. This should reduce the number of drawn-out negotiations which can severely delay major projects. I was pleased with my presentation to the panel and was up against some very insightful presentations, so I was pleasantly surprised when I was announced as the winner.”
William, who joined us as a graduate in 2020, works mainly on behalf of gas and electricity infrastructure providers such as Cadent and National Grid. After passing his APC and CAAV exams, we recognised his talent and encouraged him to join the Guilds’ Eastern Branch PDN to cultivate valuable contacts and join the knowledge and innovation-sharing network.
William added: “Fisher German has been so supportive of me since I joined, and I’ve always been interested in the utilities sector, so it made complete sense for me to join the Eastern Pipeline Industries Guild Branch of the PDN. It’s been incredibly useful since I joined as I have been able to meet up with fellow professionals across a wide range of companies and projects. Without this network, you tend to get isolated in the project you’re currently working on. I’ve made lots of useful contacts through my membership, and my competition win was the icing on the cake.”
Partner, Ruth Ofield, added: “William’s presentation thoroughly deserved to win the paper competition. We are committed to ensuring all our staff have as many opportunities as they can to progress their careers within the partnership. William is certainly someone who has taken advantage of these opportunities, and we wish him all the best in the national final in May”.
Click here to find out more about our specialist consultancy service to the UK utility and infrastructure sector. Find out more about the Pipeline Industries Guild (PIG) here.
