Business Stream taps rival water firm for key role

The non-domestic arm of Scottish Water has poached a senior figure from rival Severn Trent Water Services as it prepares for the English market to open for competition in 2017.

Dave Allin joins Business Stream after 23 years at Severn Trent

Edinburgh-based Business Stream, which recently lost a Scottish public sector contract worth £360 million, said Dave Allin will become its new head of solutions following his “notable success” during a 23-year career at Severn Trent.

While at the firm he rose from a technician to take on responsibility for developing emerging markets. Other roles included service delivery manager, where he was in charge of providing water services to a range of industrial and commercial customers at more than 1,500 sites across the UK.

Based at Business Stream’s Glasgow office, Allin will report to commercial director James Cardwell-Moore, who said: “Dave brings solid knowledge and invaluable experience to help drive forward our ambitions to compete in the English water market ahead of its opening in 2017.

“His extensive knowledge of the UK market, alongside his excellent management and service delivery track record, will help us to further strengthen our position in both Scotland and England.”

Allin said: “Having spent my entire career in the management and delivery of non-domestic water and wastewater services, I am confident that my skillset will benefit Business Stream and its customers as the company prepares for a new competitive era across the country.”

Business Stream was formed in 2006 and is a subsidiary of publicly-owned Scottish Water, with its own board and independent management team.

The firm currently carries out billing and servicing of water for council buildings, hospitals, universities, prisons and the Scottish Parliament, but earlier this month the Scottish Government awarded the contract to Anglian Water Business and said the deal would save £40m a year.