Stuart Whitelock
Stuart started his career as a Deck Officer with Shell Tankers in the British Merchant Navy before coming ashore to study for his honours degree in Shipping Business Studies. Upon completion of his degree Stuart worked in Shipping and Operations with Coastal States, Vitol, Trafigura and Masefield. In 2010 Stuart worked in Dubai for four years with Milio International as Chief Operating Officer and Projects Director. Stuart has spent all of his working life in the oil and shipping industry and has a strong technical and commercial background. He now lives in Hertfordshire in the UK with his wife and son, where he has a large garden which he takes great pleasure in cultivating. Stuart supports many charities in the UK and abroad and enjoys walking in the mountains in Switzerland, as well as reading military and political history.
Paul Foster
After completing a degree in Applied Chemistry, Paul joined Portals Water Treatment and progressed to running a small business unit within the main company, before leaving to join Defence Technology Enterprises to exploit Military technology for civilian use, encompassing a wide range of technologies from adhesives to laser particle detection. Paul re‐joined PWT which had been purchased by Thames Water, then moved into Thames being involved in various acquisitions, before being appointed MD of one of the acquired companies, and finally as Investor Relations Manager for the PLC. Headhunted by Veolia Water, he then took on a number of companies that had been acquired by Veolia, turning a number around, before moving to Paris to work for the parent company in a number of roles, including IT, ERP & special projects. Having spent almost his entire career in the water industry, Paul now advises a number of financial companies who are looking to make acquisitions in the Water sector. Living in Hertfordshire, Paul’s interests lie in the countryside, either walking or photographing wildlife, and as a volunteer committee member with a local conservation society, as well as following rugby.