Rebecca Hannah, based at our Knutsford office, works across the property industry on a variety of different infrastructure projects. Here she talks about her involvement in the water industry and why she loves utilities work.
I joined Fisher German as an associate in 2019 to be part of the firm’s Severn Trent Water team and have since progressed to also work on behalf of electricity and gas clients.
I first started my career in utilities after graduating from Harper Adams University in 2015 where I studied Rural Enterprise and Land Management. After graduating, I joined a small firm which worked on behalf of a regional water company whilst also undertaking general practice work, and I then went on to work in estate management for a national firm.
However, I was keen to not only move back into utilities but also to join Fisher German because of the firm’s excellent reputation. Fisher German is very much a national firm on a local level, and I enjoy the varied workload it offers. It’s also a very friendly firm and everyone is so enthusiastic about what they do. Utilities is a progressive area to work in which is constantly developing, and it’s exciting to be part of this.
One of the most interesting projects I am currently working on is a new 8km sewer main which is required to increase the capacity of the network. I have been involved since the feasibility stage in 2019 and we are currently in the construction phase. I have assisted the project team on route selection and advising on land entry and compensation matters. The works are scheduled to be completed this year, and it’s been very rewarding to be involved in a project spanning a number of years and seeing it progress.
Working in utilities gives you the opportunity to work on projects where you are involved with all of the relevant stakeholders and often interface with the landowners.
I would like to continue my career in utilities and I’m keen to work on more projects involving sustainability. Although we’re yet to see the full extent of this, sustainability will be the future of utilities. There’s going to be huge changes in the next couple of decades and it’s exciting to be at the forefront of this. The whole industry is looking at how we can change the future, and I look forward to having some input into this through my role.
Interested in finding out more about a career working in infrastructure services? Watch our latest video here.
