A graduate in Civil Engineering, the author cut his teeth on Manchester's slum clearance programme and went on to broaden his experience in local government before joining the water industry in the middle of the worst drought of the century. Starting out as a sewerage specialist, he branched out into other spheres, concentrating on capital investment and asset management which he taught overseas for a decade. Building on his teaching experiences, he wishes to leave something behind for the younger generation who have aspirations to become the managers of the future.