Cunliffe Commission appoints expert advisors

The Independent Water Commission chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe has appointed an expert advisory group, comprising topic area specialists. The group comprises:

• Richard Benwell (environment expert) – chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link; previously policy adviser to the environment secretary; worked in policy and advocacy roles for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and RSPB.

• Chris Whitty (public health expert) – chief medical officer for England and chief medical advisor to the UK Government. 

• Professor Isabelle Durance (environmental science and Welsh water system expert) – founder and director of the Water Research Institute at Cardiff University, and professor of integrated water sciences. 

• Peter Harrison (investment expert) – former group CEO at Schroders; member of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT); chair of the charity Business in the Community; and chair-designate of Morgan Sindall.  

• Dame Yve Buckland (consumer advocate) – founding chair of the Consumer Council for Water (2005 –2015); chair of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust since 2023.    

• Jonathan Haskel (economics expert) – professor of economics at Imperial College Business School. Previously board member at the UK Statistics Authority and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England. 

• Philip Graham (infrastructure expert) – executive director of Good Growth at Greater London Authority; previously chief executive of the National Infrastructure Commission.  

• Jon Loveday (project delivery and commercial expert) – director of infrastructure, enterprise and growth at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA); shareholder non-executive director of Crossrail International and Sizewell C; former executive director within the water, telecoms and energy sectors, including Thames Water.

• Stephen Peacock (planning and place-making expert) – CEO of West of England Mayoral Combined Authority; former CEO and executive director of growth and regeneration at Bristol City Council.

The Commission will issue an open Call for Evidence from any interested parties this month.