John K. Banyard

Professor Banyard is a member of the Water Industry Commission and a chartered engineer who retired in December 2004 as an Executive Director, of the private water company, Severn Trent Plc following a career in the water industry. His particular areas of responsibility were the design and management of the capital programme, the day-to-day operation of the company’s infrastructure, and R&D. He acted as an adviser to the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland from January 2005 and became a member of the 6 man commission when it replaced the Commissioner in October 2005.

John Banyard delivered, in various venues all over the world, the 5th International Brunel lecture 'Water for the World - Why is it so difficult?'[1][2][3]. The implicit message contained in this lecture was that the private sector was best placed to provide the expertise to meet the Millenium Development Goals to halve those without water and sanitation by 2015. But, that they would not have the means to raise the finance to achieve this and would need support from public agencies to do so.

Mr Banyard has also recently found himself some lucrative consultancy work with BP. Alongside 2 others he is to 'to independently review and make recommendations for improving the corrosion inspection, monitoring and prevention program in place at Prudhoe Bay and in other BP-operated Alaska oil fields'[4].