Since joining WICS, Snezha Hristova has used her analytical expertise to inform our understanding of Scottish Water’s performance, as well as supporting our diverse international projects.
When Snezha joined us in autumn 2020 her first project was to work with individual councils in New Zealand, collecting extensive data and undertaking analysis to inform our understanding of future investment requirements. This work formed part of WICS’s strategic analysis of the economic benefits from aggregating water service delivery entities that we carried out for the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) in the country.
Since that time Snezha has undertaken complex data analysis that contributes to WICS’s understanding of Scottish Water’s investment performance. She reviews Annual Returns, where necessary challenging Scottish Water to ensure that data is as robust as it can be. As a result, Snezha has built up a detailed understanding of the Annual Return process and information requirements.
More recently she has used that knowledge to assist Watercare (the water and wastewater company serving Auckland, New Zealand) in submitting an Information Return as part of our continued support to the DIA with the water sector reform. Together with her colleagues, Snezha liaised with senior Watercare staff and held regular in-person sessions to monitor progress and help with completing the Return. She was later involved in scrutinising and analysing the data, providing feedback to Watercare, and further developing WICS’s advice to the DIA.
Snezha has also worked alongside colleagues to support our project with ApaVital in Romania. Here we were helping the water and wastewater company to assess the required revenue and expenditure for the upcoming period, to assist them in preparing a business plan. Snezha enjoys the collaborative aspects of projects such as this, using her communication skills to represent WICS in international arenas and to help partners understand regulatory processes and data requirements.
Snezha also takes part in our graduate recruitment process, including working in a team to develop the analytical assessment test, overseeing the initial recruitment stages, and sitting on interview panels.
Snezha has a First Class Joint Honours degree in Business & Management and Economics from the University of Glasgow. Her dissertation focussed on inter-generational decision-making in response to issues of sustainability.