Adam and Kevin are Co-Leads for the United Utilities Armed Forces Network within the colleague network construct.
Kevin joined United Utilities (UU) in Jan 2022 and Adam joined in Nov 2023. Over that last 18 months, we have worked to regenerate the Network making a more functional & visible network across the whole UU estate. We have updated the Network operating model to work symbiotically with the Company County model, ensuring a better representation and visibility locally to the Network Members. We improved the Network communication strategy, utilising UU’s internal and external communications teams to spread the Network message and its activities; generating a wider awareness of what the Network provides for its members, how it affects the wider company employees and assistance it provides in recruiting Veterans and Service Leavers into UU.
In the last 12 months, the Network has worked towards the recertification of its Armed Forces Covenant ERS Gold Award, due for renewal in March 2026. This covenant scheme writes in to legislation/law how companies treat serving Reservists, Veterans, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and Service Families, and what assistance the company provides based on award status (Bronze, Silver or Gold). This recertification concentrates more on youth and opportunities for Cadets leaving school at 16/18. The Network has liaised closely with the UU Talent Acquisition team to create a programme of opportunity for the cadet forces in the NW of England, what apprenticeship/graduate schemes there are and how to prepare for them with a series of CV/interview workshops & work experience positions.
The Network assists with the transition from military life to civilian employment and is now heavily involved in recruiting opportunities & jobs fairs interacting with Service Leavers to highlight the company and what careers are available. This allows a Service Leaver to ask questions and get first hand knowledge of company ethos and where they should concentrate their efforts and training as they hit the last 12 months of their military career; reaching out to the Network with questions about available positions within UU & specific job/position requirements; alongside this, we assist the HR team to better understand what military experience on a candidate’s CV equates to and maps to the required experience of the role.
Most importantly, the Network now provides a charity focus to Veteran organisations in & around UU real estate, and a place for the Network members to gather or chat in a safe environment, often sharing similar experiences. It ensures that there is always a person to talk to if needed in an empathetic manner, no matter how long you had served or been outside of the military, which has proven invaluable to promote belonging and better mental health of Network members.

Adam joined the Royal Navy in 2001 as a Writer (HR admin, cash/pay/records) and served in a variety of roles and units as a Rating until commissioned as a Logistics Officer in 2009. He spent the next 12 years providing expertise in logistics, emergency planning, incident response and a whole host of wider roles to build his skills/knowledge. He has represented the Royal Navy and Combined Services at Ice Hockey, even at a World Championships!
Adam left the regular Navy in 2021 and became a Royal Navy Reservist (RNR) changing specialisations into Media Operations. In his career, Adam has been in Conflicts and on operations within the Arabian Gulf, Anti-Piracy operations, deployed on Operation RESCRIPT, the UK Military response to COVID, in the North West of England working on mobile testing and mobile vaccinations, and deployed with Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ) in 2023 as part of Operations SCORPIUS and ALUMINIUM focusing on Ukraine and Russia. Adam still serves as a Royal Navy Reservist.
Kevin joined the Army in 1995 and commissioned from Sandhurst as an officer into the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) in 1996. Over a 30 year Regular & Reserves career, he has completed a wide variety of roles in Army units and operational Headquarters, deploying operationally to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Fully qualified as an Ammunition Technical Officer (ATO), Kevin completed Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) duties in the UK, Kosovo, and Iraq. He has represented the RLC and multiple units at Rugby Union in the UK and across Europe.
Kevin left the Regular Army in 2016 and became an Army Reservist. Selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in 2019, he assumed command of 156 Regiment RLC (a good number of this regiment are currently employed in UU), the North West’s logisticians, and lead the Regiment throughout the COVID period on Operation RESCRIPT supporting the distribution of PPE to the country’s healthcare workers.
Kevin currently serves as a staff officer supporting the Standing Joint Command (SJC) Headquarters delivering Defence support to UK resilience operations.