Addressing the Critical Challenges of Water Scarcity and Optimising Aging Infrastructure with the Leader of HWM Global

Kelly Macfarlane is the Manager Director of HWM Global – the manufacturer of monitoring and telemetry equipment for water, wastewater and utility networks.

Colin Roope sat down with Kelly to discuss her remarkable career journey, her time at HWM Global, and a new exciting Commercial Director role she is currently hiring for.

A Career Built on Autonomy and Innovation

Kelly’s career began in London with a telecoms startup, where she thrived in an environment that valued autonomy and innovation. “Working in a startup meant there was lots of autonomy, a very wide scope of responsibility, no hierarchy, just a common purpose to grow the business,” she recalls. This early experience set the stage for a career marked by significant roles in major companies like Deloitte, BT and Thames Water.

Pivotal Moments and Leadership Lessons

Two key moments stand out in Kelly’s career. Her time at Deloitte was transformative, providing her with a professional framework to contextualise her on-the-job learning. “It was pivotal as it really professionalised my learning and experience,” she explains. Another crucial period was her role at Openreach, where she worked closely with the CEO and gained invaluable insights into business and leadership dynamics. “It was that role that really gave me the confidence and the determination to aspire to bigger roles,” she says.

Her Leadership Principles

Kelly’s leadership philosophy is grounded in empathy and accountability. It’s simple, “Treat people as you would want to be treated and put yourself in their shoes.” She emphasises the importance of energising teams behind a common purpose and goal, engaging with them regularly and providing opportunities for growth. “If you get those things right, then the operational and business performance takes care of itself,” she asserts.

Leading HWM Global: Innovating for a Sustainable Future

As the leader of HWM Global, Kelly is at the helm of a company that designs, manufactures and sells monitoring equipment for the water and utility industries. “Our equipment is critical in helping them respond to the operational challenges that they face,” she explains. The company’s products, including data loggers, acoustic leak detection monitors and sewer depth monitors play a vital role in addressing issues like leakage and pollution.

A Purpose-Driven Mission

Kelly was drawn to HWM Global by its mission to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing water issues. “Globally almost 90 billion litres of precious treated drinking water is lost daily in the context of two billion people lacking access to safe drinking water. And 3.6 billion people lack safely managed sanitation. The environmental and social impact is huge,” she notes. The opportunity to be part of a company that is making a tangible difference was a significant attraction for her. “It was the biggest attraction, if I’m honest,” she declares. Another draw to HWM Global was the opportunity to join Halma plc. “Halma has a such a strong purpose and culture. It provides the leaders of its businesses with trust and autonomy to respond to their customer and markets, which I found compelling. Being able to be part of a group of 50 brilliant companies, all determined to make the world a safer, cleaner, healthier place is really inspirational”.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future

Kelly’s vision for HWM Global is clear; to turn their purpose into everyday action and become global leaders in their field. “We want to amplify the impact that our products and solutions have globally,” she states. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Kelly is determined to lead HWM Global in addressing the critical challenges of water scarcity, pollution and the route to net zero.

The Role of a Commercial Director

As HWM Global seeks to appoint a new Commercial Director, Kelly outlines the qualities they are looking for. “We are looking for someone who wants to be part of a low ego, performance-driven team,” she says. The ideal candidate will be curious about the market, ambitious for the business and be passionate about people, performance and purpose.

Kelly continues, “This role is pivotal for our continued business growth trajectory. It’s about nurturing existing customer relationships and building new ones, globally. Because this is a board role, there’s a core leadership role to drive the sales and business development function, but also more broadly across HWM in delivering our strategy.”

If you are interested in finding out more about this role please contact colin.roope@berwickpartners.co.uk