Agenda - Utility Week Customer Summit 2025

PUTTING CUSTOMERS AT THE HEART OF DECISION-MAKING
9:10 AM																Keynote: Every customer is everyone's customer Inspiring the workforce and exploring a company-wide approach to customer service Building long-term reputation and trust Embedding customer insight into business cases to align priorities Andrew McMillan, Former Head of Customer, John Lewis
9:40 AM																CEO Spotlight: Leading through change: A top-down approach to customer service Aligning company strategies with customer journeys in an era of transparency Doing right by customers in an ever-changing consumer landscape Making customer outcomes a core metric alongside operational efficiency and compliance Chris Norbury, Chief Executive Officer, E.ON Next Scott Somerville, Director of External Affairs, E.ON UK
10:00 AM																Customer‑First by Design: Turning insight into action across the utility journey Navigating customer expectations, regulatory pressure, and rapid sector changes Utilising advanced analytics to transform customer service beyond contact centres Insight into a cost-effective HomeServe case study Alex Clay, Solutions Consultant, Verint
10:20 AM																Panel discussion and questions: Is the definition of great customer service changing? Maintaining the highest level of customer experience as an essential service How can we develop more targeted approaches to serve a variety of customer needs? Which solutions can we implement to mutually benefit consumers and providers alike? How can utilities meet modern expectations and train operators to deal with queries end-to-end? How can we ensure all industry improvements remain affordable? Mike Keil, Chief Executive, CCW Louise Walsh, Chief Customer Contact Officer, Utilita Jamie Anderson, Senior Leader – Engagement, Trust Alliance Group Mark Howe, Senior Client Partner, Capita
11:00 AM																Refreshments, networking, and exhibition

BUILDING WATER SECTOR TRUST & TRANSPARENCY
11:30 AM																What does the Cunliffe Review mean for customers? How do we satisfy customers while increasing investment, which could lead to bill increases? Balancing customer needs vs meeting ODIs Exploring a CCW/Ombudsman shift as recommended in the Cunliffe Review How can we better incentivise high-quality customer service in a sector where customer bases are geographically assigned? Thea Hutchinson, Director, Ofwat
11:45 AM																Question and answer session
11:55 AM																Maximising smart meter data How can we achieve consistency in smart meter data use? Should this be regulator-driven? Doug Spencer, Smart Metering Lead, Anglian Water
12:10 PM																Question and answer session
12:15 PM																Food for thought: How can we maintain customer trust amid increased sector spending and bill rises? Your chance to discuss with your peers before lunch on how to enhance water customer strategies. How can we enhance communication strategies and build stronger customer relationships? How can we enhance data use for customers? What more can be done to educate customers on the severity of water scarcity? How can we maintain satisfaction during changes such as hosepipe bans?

SHAPING ENERGY CUSTOMER PATHWAYS
11:30 AM																How Ofgem’s AI regulatory approach is enabling consumer innovation Exploring Ofgem’s evolving approach to AI to help build trusted, consumer-centric innovation AI regulation in the age of intelligent energy Enabling AI innovation for energy consumers Networks as digital enablers of the energy transition Jonathan Thurlwell, Head of AI Policy, Ofgem
11:45 AM																Question and answer session
11:55 AM																The next steps for MHHS Exploring impacts of the migration in September 2025 Maximising cost-savings for consumers and their providers alike Helen Adey, Director of Settlement Services, Elexon
12:10 PM																Question and answer session
12:15 PM																Panel discussion: Driving a holistic and transparent approach to customer service How can we encourage collaborative and holistic customer strategies across UK utilities as a whole? To what extent is consumer privacy respected when analysing smart meter data? How effective is the sharing of data for priority services? How can we better communicate customer and community value in infrastructure investment? How can we make the low-carbon transition affordable to customers? Simon O'Loughlin, Future Networks Innovation Project Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Venus Galarza-Mullins, Principal Policy Manager, Citizens Advice Sampathkumaran Hariharan, Consulting Partner – Utilities, Wipro

AI & DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
1:40 PM																Using AI on the backend of customer operations Balancing the challenges and opportunities of AI in customer service Utilising AI to analyse consumer data to better understand needs and behaviour Summarising customer calls through AI – what is the right level of transparency here? Serina Assi, Head of Enterprise Architecture, IT, Cadent Gas
1:55 PM																Transforming field experience into your strongest customer asset Utilising the power of video to resolve customer issues Maximising platform innovation to provide real-time updates Ancel Boucher, Global VP – Utilities, Vyntelligence
2:10 PM																Questions and answer session
2:15 PM																Choose your focus: From Hype to Impact – Operationalising GenAI GenAI is rapidly becoming the engine for transforming utility customer strategies. But the critical question remains: Are we using it merely to analyse data, or to act on it? Is AI a clever way to admire the problem, or fix it? In this interactive session led by Medallia, we move beyond the theoretical to explore how AI-driven insights can operationalize the customer voice in real-time. We will examine how utilities can leverage GenAI capabilities to understand unstructured feedback at scale, predict vulnerable customer needs, and empower frontline teams to close the loop faster. We will split into three focus groups - Regulated Transmission & Distribution, Energy Retailers, and Water Companies to debate how we move from "analysis" to "action." Join us to design sector-specific strategies that reduce cost-to-serve while keeping the human touch where it matters most. Let’s bring your AI strategy into clearer focus. Led by: Phil Durand, CX Adviser, Medallia
3:05 PM																Refreshments networking, and exhibition

UNDERSTANDING YOUR CONSUMER BASE
3:30 PM																Understanding the needs of different consumer groups as the utility landscape changes A deep Dive into the needs of SMEs and Charities with respect to cost and sustainability Supporting domestic consumer groups facing unique circumstances Highlighting examples of where we can act to support Catharine Skinner, Head of Customer Insight, Cadent
3:45 PM																Encouraging behaviour change Enabling customers to use their energy flexibly Building new consumer habits Imogen Landy, Deputy Director of Marketing, Smart Energy GB
4:00 PM																Question and answer session
4:05 PM																Closing keynote - Out of sector insight: The NHS’ digital rollouts Insight into the implementation of the new platform created for customers by customers John Murphy, Head of Customer Excellence, NHS Shared Business Services
4:20 PM																Chair’s closing remarks and end of the Utility Week Customer-First Forum 2026 James Wallin, Editor-in-Chief, Utility Week
4:30 PM																Drinks Reception Join us for a relaxed drinks reception following the conference. This is a great opportunity to unwind, network with fellow attendees, and continue the day's conversations over refreshments.