Saskya Hunter

The water industry is being driven to adopt digital
solutions to achieve optimised performance and improved customer service.

However, long-standing constraints, such as slow rates of innovation adoption and a risk-averse culture, might affect its ability to capitalise on the digital age.

There is a consensus among commentators that, in order to respond to the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, greater collaboration is needed within and across industries.

That’s why technical professional services firm GHD has created AquaLAB in a bid to foster collaboration and develop digital solutions to solve problems that have broad water industry impact.

By combining traditional engineering expertise with new digital skills in a culture of co-creation and experimentation, GHD hopes to help the water industry transform its ways of working in the digital age.

GHD Digital Solutions Lead Saskya Hunter’s contribution to AquaLAB has
been instrumental in navigating the path from innovative concept to viable initiative. She has applied her strategic thinking, influencing, leadership and delivery skills.

Over the past year, in her role as Director of AquaLAB, Hunter has
fleshed out the concept, developed the operating model, galvanised her
team and set the cultural tone.

Alongside the development of technical solutions, she aided in adapting and applying commercial models, project delivery methods and
behaviours to achieve outcomes.

AquaLAB was launched this past March. After a gentle beginning, ambitious plans are in place.

Even though its focus is on problems that have broad water industry relevance, a measure of AquaLAB’s success is that the solutions it develops have tangible, direct impact on water service providers, water customers and the environment.