Thames Water appoints new Engineering and Asset Director

Thames Water has today announced that Transport for London’s Caroline Sheridan will be its new Engineering and Asset Director.

Caroline is currently responsible for TfL’s engineering technical authority and asset strategy having created its first long-term approach to asset management, and will join Britain’s biggest water company in the Autumn.

Her appointment follows the recent recruitment of Alastair Cochran as CFO, Warren Buckley as Retail Director, Cathryn Ross into a newly-created Strategy and Regulatory Affairs Director position and Francis Paonessa as Capital Delivery Director.

Tony Vasishta is also due to start in July as Managing Director of Ventures, a new business unit that will expand the renewable energy business and open-up more green spaces, as Thames Water brings together a strong leadership team to transform service for today’s customers and future generations.  

Sarah Bentley, Thames Water CEO, said: “As we celebrate roles for women in the field of engineering this week, it is great to attract someone of Caroline’s talent to the team. Caroline has a formidable level of experience in asset management and a strong engineering background through her work in both the airport and railway industries.

“Her expertise in this critical area of the business will help deliver Thames Water’s turnaround plan as we start to build a brighter future for our customers, communities and the natural environment.”

Caroline said: “I’m very excited to be joining Thames Water, a company that provides an essential service to millions of customers in London and the Thames Valley. I will be working closely with our capital delivery and operations teams to improve how we understand and manage our assets – and help transform service for today’s customers and future generations.”

In her role at TfL, Caroline created a 25-year asset strategy and was given responsibility for asset strategy and engineering, managing more than 1,500 engineers and asset strategy specialists. She initially joined TfL as London Underground’s Renewals and Enhancements Director in 2017, responsible for the delivery of £400 million of asset investment per year. 

Before that, Caroline was a project manager on Heathrow’s Terminal 5 construction and was later given responsibility for asset replacement, managing the delivery of a portfolio of infrastructure projects within the operational environment of an international airport. She has a civil engineering degree from the University of Leeds and is also a chartered civil engineer.

International Women in Engineering Day (June 23) celebrates the amazing work women engineers around the world are doing, to support lives and livelihoods every day.

Caroline will replace John Beaumont, who has decided to leave the business after four years.