Resumes

Geoff Willis BSc

For most of my life I have worked in the construction industry, for contractors, consultants and clients. I have usually worked as a construction, project or commissioning manager, though I have also worked as a designer.

I have an in depth understanding of the construction process, from civils groundworks through to M&E installation and process commissioning. I have worked extensively in the water industry as well as rail, nuclear, harbour works and building services.

My degree is in physics, and I have carried out research into economics and physics. The mathematical and statistical skills I have from this background enable me to provide effective quantitative risk analysis.

In recent years I have used this unique background of construction, commercial and academic experience to provide effective risk analysis, management and reduction services.

Risk Management and Quantitative Risk Analysis

My first degree is in physics, and as a result of this and my economics research work I have a good knowledge of statistical analysis methods, including Monte-Carlo simulation, decision trees, etc.

I have worked as a risk manager with Wessex Water, GrantRail, Trackwork, British Energy, Severn Trent Water, Atkins, Aecom and NMC Nomenca. I have also set up the risk management systems for the GrantRail/Trackwork London Underground Joint Venture.

At Wessex Water, as well as analysing and managing project risk, I carried out decision analysis and reliability analysis of existing critical plant.

At British Energy I carried out a detailed statistical analysis of their unplanned loss database and from this I prepared an annual Strategic Investment Plan & Plant Performance Plan, that focused investment on a commercial fleetwide basis.

I have a good knowledge of @Risk, Vose Risk, DAWMonteCarlo, Pertmaster, ARM, Predict! Risk Manager / Risk Analyser, MonteCarlo for Primavera, P3e and SureTrak.

I have worked with the DAW Group to enhance their risk software. I have also worked with Pertmaster and ARM to help improve the suitability of their products for application to work in the rail industry.

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Project Management

The major part of my working career has been as a manager with main contractors or specialist sub-contractors primarily involved with process, mechanical and electrical work within the water industry. I have also worked on rail, harbour and building services projects.

My roles have been both site and office based, covering all activities from process design, through detail design, tendering, procurement and construction to process commissioning and handover to the client.

The main emphasis of my work has been the coordination of the interfaces between the client, design inputs and the various contractors.

My main responsibility has always been to manage the projects to allow completion of the work to budget and programme, and to the satisfaction of the client.

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Process / Water / Commissioning

I have worked as a construction or commissioning manager on many water treatment projects, both municipal and industrial.

I have taken a major role on contracts during the rebuilding of both Manchester and Newcastle’s main sewage works. On both occasions the contracts I managed were intimately involved with the running of the existing works, and a very high degree of planning, coordination, liaison and detailed management was required to ensure process continuity.

I have worked as a design engineer and manager with responsibility for ensuring cost effective process selection before proceeding to detail design.

I have worked as a risk manager at Wessex Water, Severn Trent Water and for Atkins, Aecom and NMC Nomenca, all within the water industry.

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Rail

I worked with GrantRail & Trackwork to set up their risk management systems for the joint venture which is replacing the track for the Tubelines partnership on behalf of London Underground.

I have been intimately involved with the planning of possessions, as well as introducing long term strategies for reducing risk on both tube shift works and possession activities.
My novel, cost based, approach to risk management of possessions was instrumental in winning a highly commended in the ‘Rail Engineering Excellence 2004’ at the HSBC Rail Business Awards.

I have worked as an interface manager at Transport for London on the ‘Cooling the Tube’ project.

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Nuclear

At British Energy I carried out a detailed statistical analysis of their unplanned loss database. From this analysis I was able to show a clear mathematical relationship; a power law distribution, between mid range loss events (25GWh-500GWh) and much larger loss events.

This allowed meaningful prediction and modelling of the likelihood of future high impact events across different power stations and plant types, so allowing effective investment and mitigation planning to be put in place.

I also prepared a detailed statistical examination of recurring losses analysed by station and plant area code, which again allowed targeted investment to reduce future losses.

Using these and other risk sources I prepared an annual Strategic Investment Plan & Plant Performance Plan, that focused investment on a commercial fleetwide basis.

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Training & Education

I have held two formal teaching posts one in the UK and one in Malawi, Africa.

At one design company I arranged a syllabus and program for a year round cycle of lectures to introduce new engineers to all aspects of building services engineering.

I have given various presentations, both in engineering and economics, and have frequently been involved in preparing and giving training to operatives during the commissioning and handover of process plant.

I have the ability to breakdown and explain complex ideas in a simple, straightforward and interesting way.

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International

I have worked abroad on two contracts, on each occasion for two years. The first as a full time teacher in Malawi, Central Africa, the second as a water engineer, with a local district council in Botswana, Southern Africa.

In Botswana I was in charge of a department responsible for supplying water to thirty thousand people in an area the size of Yorkshire.

On both occasions I was living, working alongside and answerable to local nationals. I was resident in isolated locations, with limited access to ‘western’ colleagues and culture. In both countries I made strong attempts to integrate into the local society, and mastered a basic conversational level of the local language.

I have travelled widely in Africa and Europe, and can speak Spanish to a good conversational level.

During my time working abroad I have acquired considerable understanding of the flexibility and care needed to work in different national, social and business cultures.

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Economics

Economics Research
I have carried out substantial independent research on income and wealth distributions and on macroeconomics. I am the author of 'Why Money Trickles Up' , and other papers listed below.

Financial Engineering in C++ City University
I have successfully completed the course ‘Financial Engineering in C++’ at City University. This combined an object-oriented software approach to financial engineering with the mathematical foundations of options and derivatives pricing.

MSc Finance & Investments
I studied an MSc in Finance and Investments at Aston Business School. Subjects studied include derivatives, market microstructure, time series analysis, econometrics, business finance and international finance. Thesis not completed.

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Publications / Presentations



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