Heidi Mottram CBE

Chief Executive Officer of the Northumbrian Water Group Limited and Northumbrian Water Limited since 2010, before the organisation’s acquisition by a consortium led by Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Limited in October 2011.

Heidi Mottram’s success at Northumbrian Water Group follows on from an excellent track record in the rail industry where her career began with British Rail in the mid-1980s. She progressed through a variety of senior leadership roles in British Rail and, following privatisation, in Great North Eastern Railway, Midland Mainline, Arriva Trains Northern and Managing Director of Northern Rail, the largest train operator in the UK.

She was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list 2010 for services to the rail industry and a CBE in the Birthday Honours list 2018 for services to the water industry and business community.

Mrs Mottram is currently a Board Member of Eurostar International Limited, the CBI, WaterAid, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and is also Vice-Chair of Newcastle University Council.

In 2016, her commitment to the community was recognised when she was selected to be the Prince of Wales’ Business Ambassador to the North East, in conjunction with Business in the Community. In the same year Mrs Mottram was also named North East Business Executive of the Year recognising her significant contribution to business in the North East of England.

Under her leadership NWG achieved the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Sustainable Development in 2014 and has been the only water company on the World’s Most Ethical companies list seven years in a row (2010-2017). Northumbrian Water has twice been named the UK’s Utility Company of the year under Heidi’s leadership. The Company has also been named as Water Company of the Year 2018 as well as being awarded the British Quality Foundation’s UK Excellence Award 2018, one of the highest accolades any business can achieve.