Water UK appoints former Labour MP, Ruth Kelly, as chair

Water UK has appointed former Labour MP and Cabinet secretary Ruth Kelly to chair its board, replacing Anthony Ferrar who has completed his three-year term.

Kelly (pictured) was MP for Bolton West from 1997-2010, and served in the Cabinet for four years, as secretary of state for Education and Skills, Communities and Local Government, and Transport, under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Since stepping down as an MP, Kelly has been global head of client strategy at HSBC Global Asset Management and pro-vice chancellor for research and enterprise at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Currently she is the chair of Thames Freeport, a director of Heathrow Airport, advises the Vatican on its financial portfolio and, last year, was appointed senior fellow at the Policy Exchange think tank.

Commenting on her appointment, Kelly said: “This is a crucial time to be joining the water industry where there is, rightly, increasing scrutiny on its performance. I know how important water and the environment are to all of us, especially as we face the increasing pressures of climate change and population growth.

“I look forward to working closely with company chief executives on the transformation that is required to meet the understandable and increasing public expectations for improved rivers and seas. Water UK has a crucial role to play and I am excited to lead it as it supports the water industry to rise to the challenges before it."